Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators in Kentucky
Considering working as an Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators in Kentucky? Here’s what you need to know. Operate industrial trucks or tractors equipped to move materials around a warehouse, storage yard, factory, construction site, or similar location. Excludes “Logging Equipment Operators” (45-4022).
What do Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators Make in Kentucky?
The industrial truck and tractor operators working in Kentucky, wages run about $43,340 per year (or roughly $20.84/hour).Pay can range from $34,190 at the 10th percentile to $59,380 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $34,190 | $16.44 |
| 25th percentile | $37,630 | $18.09 |
| Median (50th) | $43,340 | $20.84 |
| 75th percentile | $50,140 | $24.11 |
| 90th percentile | $59,380 | $28.55 |
The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in Kentucky nationwide is 1.09.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, industrial truck and tractor operators earn a median of $36,138 per year ($17.37/hour), exceeding the Kentucky median.
Employment Outlook
There are roughly 364,914 industrial truck and tractor operators across the United States. In Kentucky alone, approximately 11,370 people work in this role. That puts the state above the typical state, which employs around 8,910 industrial truck and tractor operators.
Top Kentucky Metros for Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators
The metro areas below employ the most industrial truck and tractor operators in Kentucky.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 4,680 | $44,040 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | 1,080 | $41,290 |
| Bowling Green, KY | 560 | $37,300 |
| Owensboro, KY | 270 | $45,810 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | 220 | $37,700 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | 110 | $37,780 |
Top States for Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators Employment
View the states that employ the most industrial truck and tractor operators work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| Texas | 106,350 |
| California | 103,090 |
| Georgia | 53,020 |
| Pennsylvania | 46,220 |
| Ohio | 37,440 |
| Florida | 32,390 |
| Illinois | 28,510 |
| Indiana | 27,890 |
| North Carolina | 25,640 |
| Michigan | 25,120 |
| New York | 19,630 |
| Virginia | 19,360 |
| Tennessee | 18,900 |
| New Jersey | 17,730 |
| Alabama | 16,870 |
| Washington | 16,310 |
| Wisconsin | 15,430 |
| Arizona | 14,760 |
| Missouri | 13,630 |
| South Carolina | 13,380 |
Highest-Paying States for Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators
These states pay the most for industrial truck and tractor operators.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $81,470 |
| New Mexico | $60,960 |
| Delaware | $60,030 |
| Hawaii | $58,070 |
| Wyoming | $56,170 |
| Alaska | $50,630 |
| New Hampshire | $50,490 |
| Oregon | $50,050 |
| New York | $49,610 |
| California | $48,720 |
Skills
Top industrial truck and tractor operators skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
The abilities that matter most for industrial truck and tractor operators, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Day-to-day, industrial truck and tractor operators typically:
- Move levers or controls that operate lifting devices, such as forklifts, lift beams with swivel-hooks, hoists, or elevating platforms, to load, unload, transport, or stack material.
- Move controls to drive gasoline- or electric-powered trucks, cars, or tractors and transport materials between loading, processing, and storage areas.
- Manually or mechanically load or unload materials from pallets, skids, platforms, cars, lifting devices, or other transport vehicles.
- Position lifting devices under, over, or around loaded pallets, skids, or boxes and secure material or products for transport to designated areas.
- Inspect product load for accuracy and safely move it around the warehouse or facility to ensure timely and complete delivery.
- Weigh materials or products and record weight or other production data on tags or labels.
- Perform routine maintenance on vehicles or auxiliary equipment, such as cleaning, lubricating, recharging batteries, fueling, or replacing liquefied-gas tank.
- Operate or tend automatic stacking, loading, packaging, or cutting machines.
- Turn valves and open chutes to dump, spray, or release materials from dump cars or storage bins into hoppers.
Work Activities
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Performing General Physical Activities
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Getting Information
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- Scheduling Work and Activities
Tools & Technology
Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: Autodesk AutoCAD In-demand technologies: Warehouse management system WMS
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Several college majors map to this occupation:
- Ground Transportation
Featured schools near , edit
Related Careers
Related occupations to industrial truck and tractor operators include:
- Agricultural Equipment Operators
- Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
- Pile Driver Operators
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
- Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
- Continuous Mining Machine Operators
Also Known As
CAT Driver (Caterpillar Driver), CAT Operator (Caterpillar Operator), CAT Skinner (Caterpillar Skinner), CAT Tender (Caterpillar Tender), CAT Tractor Operator (Caterpillar Tractor Operator), Carry All Driver, Charging Car Operator, Checker Loader, Diesel Tractor Operator, Dolly Driver, Drier Transfer Car Operator, Electric Car Operator, Electric Dolly Operator, Electric Lift Truck Driver, Electric Mule Driver.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 53-7051.00
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