BlissPoint Analytics

Occupation AtlasIndustrial Truck and Tractor Operators

O*NET · 53-7051.00

Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators

Operate industrial trucks or tractors equipped to move materials around a warehouse, storage yard, factory, construction site, or similar location.

Also called Carry All Driver · CAT Driver · CAT Driver (Caterpillar Driver) · CAT Operator · CAT Operator (Caterpillar Operator) · CAT Skinner · CAT Skinner (Caterpillar Skinner) · CAT Tender
98 more

CAT Tender (Caterpillar Tender) · CAT Tractor Operator · CAT Tractor Operator (Caterpillar Tractor Operator) · 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 · Electric Mule Operator · Electric Pallet Jack Operator · Electric Truck Driver · Electric Truck Operator · Electric Trucker · Euclid Operator · Finger Lift Operator · Fork Lift Technician · Fork Operator · Fork Truck Driver · Forklift Driver · Forklift Operator · Forklift Technician · Forklift Truck Operator · Hauler · Heavy Machinery Operator · Hi Lift Operator · Hi Lo Driver · Hi Low Truck Driver · Hi Ranger Operator · High Lift Driver · High Lift Mule Operator · High Lift Operator · Hot Car Operator · Hy Lift Driver · Hy Lift Operator · Hydraulic Lift Driver (Hy Lift Driver) · Hydraulic Lift Operator (Hy Lift Operator) · Hyster Driver · Hyster Machine Operator · Industrial Tractor Driver · Industrial Truck Driver · Industrial Truck Operator · Inside Trucker · Kiln Transfer Operator · Larry Operator · Lift Driver · Lift Operator · Lift Truck Operator · Lifter Driver · Log Carrier Operator · Lumber Carrier Operator · Marsh Buggy Operator · Mold Car Pusher · Mule Operator · Package Lift Operator · Power Mule Operator · Power Truck Driver · Quencher Operator · Quenching Car Operator · Reach Truck Operator · Reach-Lift Truck Driver · Shag Truck Driver · Skidder Driver · Skidder Lever Operator · Skidder Loader · Skidder Operator · Skidder Runner · Skip Load Driver · Skip Operator · Snaker · Spotter Driver · Stacker Driver · Stacker Operator · Straddle Bug Driver · Straddle Bug Operator · Straddle Carrier Operator · Straddle Truck Driver · Straddle Truck Operator · Tier Lift Operator · Tier Truck Driver · Tow Driver · Tow Motor Driver · Tow Motor Operator · Tractor Driver · Tractor Driver Teamster · Tractor Operator · Transfer Car Operator · Travelift Operator · Truck Driver · Uke Driver · Uke Operator · Unloader Operator · Warehouse Driver · Waste Transportation Technician · Wheel Loader Operator

Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code RCI35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

RCIRealistic · Conventional · Investigative — the three strongest interests, in order

  • R Realistic7.00
  • C Conventional3.71
  • I Investigative1.78
  • E Enterprising1.23
  • S Social1.11
  • A Artistic1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Less than a High School Diploma23%
  • High School Diploma or the equivalent73%
  • Some College Courses4%
Related work experience
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (44%)
On-site or in-plant training
Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months (46%)
On-the-job training
Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months (54%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Operation and Control3.93.0Level 2 looks like: Navigate the settings on an office printer to print on both sides of the paper
  • Operations Monitoring3.32.9Level 2 looks like: Monitor completion times while running a computer program
  • Coordination3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Schedule appointments for a medical clinic
  • Equipment Maintenance3.02.6Level 2 looks like: Add oil to an engine as indicated by a warning light
  • Troubleshooting3.02.5Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
  • Time Management3.02.3Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Active Listeningbasic2.92.5Level 2 looks like: Take a customer's order
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic2.92.5Level 2 looks like: Read step-by-step instructions for completing a form
  • Monitoringbasic2.82.6Level 2 looks like: Proofread and correct a letter
  • Critical Thinkingbasic2.82.3Level 2 looks like: Determine whether a subordinate has a good excuse for being late
  • Judgment and Decision Making2.82.1Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
  • Speakingbasic2.82.0Level 2 looks like: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions
Show the other 23
  • Social Perceptiveness2.62.0Level 2 looks like: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long
  • Writingbasic2.52.1Level 2 looks like: Write down a guest's order at a restaurant
  • Complex Problem Solving2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
  • Repairing2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Tighten a screw to get a door to close properly
  • Active Learningbasic2.11.9Level 2 looks like: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities
  • Mathematicsbasic2.11.9Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Learning Strategiesbasic2.11.8Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Service Orientation2.11.8Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Systems Evaluation2.11.8Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Instructing2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Instruct a new employee in the use of a timekeeping system
  • Quality Control Analysis2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Inspect a draft email for errors (e.g., grammar, punctuation)
  • Persuasion2.01.8Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Systems Analysis2.01.8Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Negotiation2.01.6Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Equipment Selection2.01.5Level 2 looks like: Select a tool to adjust a loose part on a bicycle
  • Management of Personnel Resources1.91.5Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Management of Material Resources1.90.9
  • Management of Financial Resources1.60.9
  • Operations Analysis1.60.6
  • Technology Design1.60.6
  • Programming1.3—
  • Sciencebasic1.3—
  • Installation1.0—

Tasks

5 core · 4 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. 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.4.6
  2. Move controls to drive gasoline- or electric-powered trucks, cars, or tractors and transport materials between loading, processing, and storage areas.4.5
  3. Position lifting devices under, over, or around loaded pallets, skids, or boxes and secure material or products for transport to designated areas.4.5
  4. Manually or mechanically load or unload materials from pallets, skids, platforms, cars, lifting devices, or other transport vehicles.4.5
  5. Inspect product load for accuracy and safely move it around the warehouse or facility to ensure timely and complete delivery.4.3
Show the other 4
  1. Weigh materials or products and record weight or other production data on tags or labels.4.3
  2. Perform routine maintenance on vehicles or auxiliary equipment, such as cleaning, lubricating, recharging batteries, fueling, or replacing liquefied-gas tank.4.1
  3. Operate or tend automatic stacking, loading, packaging, or cutting machines.4.1
  4. Turn valves and open chutes to dump, spray, or release materials from dump cars or storage bins into hoppers.3.6

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Mathematics3.02.7
  • English Language2.82.6
  • Production and Processing2.83.3Level 4 looks like: Supervise an appliance assembly line
  • Transportation2.82.0Level 1 looks like: Ride a train to work
  • Administration and Management2.51.8Level 1 looks like: Approve a reimbursement request
  • Customer and Personal Service2.52.4Level 1 looks like: Process a customer's dry-cleaning drop off
  • Administrative2.31.5Level 1 looks like: Direct phone calls to the appropriate staff member
  • Education and Training2.32.3Level 1 looks like: Show someone how to bowl
Show all 33
  • Public Safety and Security2.31.7Level 1 looks like: Use a seatbelt
  • Mechanical2.22.0Level 1 looks like: Replace the filters in a furnace
  • Building and Construction2.11.7Level 1 looks like: Choose the proper type of wood for adding a deck onto a house
  • Law and Government2.11.5Level 1 looks like: Describe the length of a U.S. presidential term
  • Computers and Electronics1.91.5Level 1 looks like: Operate a media player to watch a training video
  • Communications and Media1.81.0Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Engineering and Technology1.81.0Level 1 looks like: Install a door lock
  • Personnel and Human Resources1.80.6Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Sales and Marketing1.71.1Level 1 looks like: Sell cakes at a bake sale
  • Telecommunications1.60.6Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Design1.5—
  • Biology1.4—
  • Chemistry1.4—
  • Economics and Accounting1.4—
  • Food Production1.3—
  • Geography1.3—
  • Physics1.3—
  • Psychology1.3—
  • Sociology and Anthropology1.2—
  • Therapy and Counseling1.2—
  • Philosophy and Theology1.1—
  • Fine Arts1.0—
  • Foreign Language1.0—
  • History and Archeology1.0—
  • Medicine and Dentistry1.0—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Control Precision4.04.0Level 4 looks like: Adjust farm tractor controls
  • Multilimb Coordination3.94.0Level 4 looks like: Operate a forklift truck in a warehouse
  • Far Vision3.83.4Level 4 looks like: Read the slides on a presentation from across a room
  • Response Orientation3.63.3Level 4 looks like: Use either the brake or gas pedal when your vehicle is skidding
  • Manual Dexterity3.53.0Level 4 looks like: Pack oranges in crates as quickly as possible
  • Rate Control3.43.3Level 4 looks like: Keep up with a car that changes speed
  • Depth Perception3.33.9Level 4 looks like: Operate a crane to move materials from a truck bed to the ground
  • Problem Sensitivity3.33.0Level 2 looks like: Recognize that an unplugged lamp won't work
Show all 52
  • Reaction Time3.33.5Level 4 looks like: Press a button to stop operation when a warning light goes off
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness3.12.9Level 2 looks like: Light a candle
  • Auditory Attention3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Listen for your flight announcement at a busy airport
  • Deductive Reasoning3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
  • Information Ordering3.12.6Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Near Vision3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Read indicators on the dashboard of a car
  • Perceptual Speed3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Sort mail according to ZIP codes with no time pressure
  • Selective Attention3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Watch security monitors for intruders throughout the night shift
  • Spatial Orientation3.13.0Level 3 looks like: Find your way through a dark room without hitting anything
  • Static Strength3.13.6Level 4 looks like: Pull a 40-pound sack of fertilizer across the lawn
  • Trunk Strength3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
  • Visualization3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
  • Finger Dexterity3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Put coins in a parking meter
  • Oral Comprehension3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
  • Oral Expression3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Place an order at a restaurant drive-thru
  • Peripheral Vision3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Keep in step while marching in a band
  • Extent Flexibility2.93.1Level 4 looks like: Reach for a box on a high warehouse shelf
  • Time Sharing2.92.8Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Inductive Reasoning2.82.3Level 2 looks like: Decide what to wear based on the weather report
  • Speech Clarity2.82.3Level 1 looks like: Call numbers in a bingo game
  • Speech Recognition2.82.3Level 2 looks like: Recognize the voice of a coworker
  • Visual Color Discrimination2.82.6
  • Flexibility of Closure2.62.4Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Gross Body Coordination2.52.0Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Stamina2.52.3Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Written Expression2.52.0Level 1 looks like: Write a note to remind someone to take food out of the freezer
  • Category Flexibility2.42.4Level 2 looks like: Sort paintbrushes based on length
  • Written Comprehension2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Understand signs on the highway
  • Dynamic Strength2.32.5Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Gross Body Equilibrium2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Fluency of Ideas2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.12.0Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Number Facility2.12.3Level 3 looks like: Calculate a discounted price
  • Sound Localization2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Listen to a sound system to determine which speaker is working
  • Wrist-Finger Speed2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Use a screwdriver to twist in a screw
  • Speed of Closure2.01.8
  • Explosive Strength1.91.3Level 2 looks like: Hit a nail with a hammer
  • Glare Sensitivity1.91.8Level 2 looks like: Drive on a familiar road on a cloudy day
  • Memorization1.91.5Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Originality1.91.6Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Speed of Limb Movement1.91.8Level 2 looks like: Saw through a thin piece of wood
  • Night Vision1.81.5Level 2 looks like: Read street signs at dusk (just after sunset)
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.60.9

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment4.54.3Level 4 looks like: Drive an 18-wheel tractor-trailer
  • Handling and Moving Objects4.45.1Level 4 looks like: Arrange books in a library
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials4.43.9Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.23.7Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.14.0Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Performing General Physical Activities4.14.6Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work4.04.5Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates3.83.9Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
Show all 41
  • Getting Information3.83.6Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings3.84.1Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards3.73.5Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Scheduling Work and Activities3.73.5Level 4 looks like: Prepare the work schedule for salesclerks in a large retail store
  • Documenting/Recording Information3.63.6Level 4 looks like: Document the results of a crime scene investigation
  • Coaching and Developing Others3.54.0Level 4 looks like: Provide on-the-job training for administrative workers
  • Controlling Machines and Processes3.53.8Level 4 looks like: Operate a drilling rig
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.43.8Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Training and Teaching Others3.43.5Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships3.34.3Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Processing Information3.33.0Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment3.33.8Level 4 looks like: Change the oil on a tractor
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge3.33.8Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Working with Computers3.33.4Level 4 looks like: Write software for keeping track of parts in inventory
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others3.23.6Level 4 looks like: Organize the cleanup crew after a major sporting event
  • Analyzing Data or Information3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Determine the interest cost to finance a new building
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information3.13.5Level 4 looks like: Estimate the time required to evacuate a city in the event of a major disaster
  • Selling or Influencing Others3.13.4Level 4 looks like: Make a sales pitch to convince others to buy a product
  • Thinking Creatively3.12.6
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Interpret how foreign tax laws apply to U.S. exports
  • Assisting and Caring for Others2.93.1Level 4 looks like: Help a medical patient find in-home assistance or healthcare
  • Developing and Building Teams2.92.9
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates2.93.1Level 4 looks like: Manage a small team of employees in a dynamic workplace
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.92.7
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others2.93.3Level 4 looks like: Recommend a new software package to increase operational efficiency
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others2.92.9
  • Performing Administrative Activities2.82.7
  • Staffing Organizational Units2.82.8
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization2.72.9
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment2.73.0Level 4 looks like: Make repairs by removing and replacing circuit boards
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies2.62.3Level 1 looks like: Plan the holiday schedule for an airline workforce
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public2.52.8
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment2.42.4Level 1 looks like: Specify the lighting for a work area

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets5.0
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.7
  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.7
  • Time Pressure4.5
  • Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures4.4
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.4
  • In an Open Vehicle or Operating Equipment4.4
  • Consequence of Error4.3
  • Frequency of Decision Making4.3
  • Freedom to Make Decisions4.2

Technology

17 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

In demand (1)

  • Warehouse management system WMS

Hot (6)

  • Autodesk AutoCAD
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft Word
  • SAP software
Other tools (10)
  • Argos Software ABECAS Insight WMS
  • ATMS StockTrack PLUS
  • BarControl Enterprise Manager iBEM
  • IntelliTrack Warehouse Management System (WMS)
  • Inventory management systems
  • Lilly Software Associates VISUAL DCMS
  • Motek Priya
  • RedPrairie DLx Warehouse
  • SSA Global Supply Chain Management
  • Symphony GOLD

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Hoist and Winch Operators
  2. Crane and Tower Operators
  3. Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders
  4. Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining
  5. Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
  6. Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
  7. Pile Driver Operators
  8. Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
  9. Riggers
  10. Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.