What do they do?

Load and unload chemicals and bulk solids, such as coal, sand, and grain, into or from tank cars, trucks, or ships, using material moving equipment. May perform a variety of other tasks relating to shipment of products. May gauge or sample shipping tanks and test them for leaks.

Also known as:

Bulk Tank Car Unloader, Dock Loader, Load Out Person, Loader, Loader Operator, Loading Operator, Oil Movements Operator, PVC Loader (Polyvinyl Chloride Loader), Rail Car Loader, Receiving Operator, Tank Car Loader, Tankerman, Truck Loader, Truck Unloader

Typical Wages

Projected Growth Rate

Employment of Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders is projected to grow 4 percent from 2020 to 2030, more slowly than average compared to all occupations.

Projected Employment in OH

No Data Available
  • 4.3%

    Change

    Ranks #22 in job growth rate
    90

    Job Openings

    Ranks #4 in net job growth

Looking for colleges that offer a specific major? Use the College Match Tool to find your best-matched schools and discover your estimated Net Price!

Education Level

Percent of workers in this field with these degrees:

  • Doctorate or Professional Degree  (<1%)
  • Master's degree  (1%)
  • Bachelor's degree  (5%)
  • Associate's degree  (7%)
  • Some college, no degree  (20%)
  • High school diploma equivalent  (51%)
  • Less than high school diploma  (16%)

People in this career often have these skills:

  • Operations Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
  • Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

People in this career often know a lot about:

  • Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

People in this career often have talent in:

  • Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
  • Multilimb Coordination - The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
  • Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
  • Rate Control - The ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.
  • Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.
  • Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Perceptual Speed - The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
  • Reaction Time - The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
  • Static Strength - The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
  • Depth Perception - The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
  • Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

People in this career often do these activities:

  • Install parts, assemblies, or attachments in transportation or material handling equipment.
  • Verify information or specifications.
  • Connect cables or electrical lines.
  • Control pumps or pumping equipment.
  • Inspect cargo areas for cleanliness or condition.
  • Monitor vehicle movement or location.
  • Position material handling equipment.
  • Monitor loading processes to ensure they are performed properly.
  • Communicate with others to coordinate material handling or movement.
  • Mark materials or objects for identification.
  • Direct maintenance or repair activities.
  • Operate cranes, hoists, or other moving or lifting equipment.
  • Test materials, solutions, or samples.
  • Inspect material-moving equipment to detect problems.
  • Maintain material moving equipment in good working condition.
  • Record operational or production data.
  • Operate vehicles or material-moving equipment.
  • Connect hoses to equipment or machinery.
  • Clean vessels or marine equipment.
  • Measure the level or depth of water or other liquids.
  • Operate conveyors or other industrial material moving equipment.
  • Weigh materials to ensure compliance with specifications.
  • Monitor availability of equipment or supplies.

This page includes data from:

O*NET OnLine Career data: O*NET 28.1 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

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Logo Occupation statistics: USDOL U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Join thousands of students and parents learning about finding the right college, admissions secrets, scholarships, financial aid, and more.

College Raptor Loading Screen College Raptor Loading Screen