Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators

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.

Important Qualities

Communication skills. Material moving machine operators signal and direct workers to load and unload material. They also receive direction from workers on the ground when moving material.

Coordination. Material moving machine operators must have steady hands and feet to guide and control heavy machinery precisely. They use hand controls to maneuver their machines through tight spaces, around large objects, and on uneven surfaces.

Mechanical skills. Material moving machine operators make minor adjustments to their machines and perform basic maintenance on them.

Visual ability. Material moving machine operators must be able to see clearly where they are driving or what they are moving. They must also watch for nearby workers, who may unknowingly be in their path.

Personality

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Characteristics of this Career
		85%	Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
		83%	Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
		83%	Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
		78%	Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
		75%	Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
		71%	Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
		70%	Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
		68%	Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
		68%	Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
		65%	Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
		65%	Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
		63%	Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
		59%	Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
		57%	Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
		53%	Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Strengths
		100%	Realistic - Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
		61%	Conventional - Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Values of the Work Environment
		56%	Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
		56%	Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

Aptitude

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Abilities \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		75%	Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
		72%	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.
		69%	Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.
		66%	Response Orientation - The ability to choose quickly between two or more movements in response to two or more different signals (lights, sounds, pictures). It includes the speed with which the correct response is started with the hand, foot, or other body part.
		63%	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.
		60%	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.
		56%	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.
		56%	Reaction Time - The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
		56%	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.
		53%	Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
		53%	Spatial Orientation - The ability to know your location in relation to the environment or to know where other objects are in relation to you.
		53%	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.
		53%	Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
		53%	Auditory Attention - The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
		53%	Static Strength - The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
		53%	Trunk Strength - The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.
		53%	Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
		53%	Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
		53%	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.
		53%	Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

Job Details

Responsibilities

Inspect cargo areas for cleanliness or condition.

Move materials, equipment, or supplies.

Load shipments, belongings, or materials.

Operate vehicles or material-moving equipment.

Operate cranes, hoists, or other moving or lifting equipment.

Secure cargo.

Position material handling equipment.

Clean vehicles or vehicle components.

Maintain vehicles in good working condition.

Mark materials or objects for identification.

Weigh materials to ensure compliance with specifications.

Operate packing or other material processing equipment.

Communicate with others to coordinate material handling or movement.

Install parts, assemblies, or attachments in transportation or material handling equipment.

Operate vehicles or material-moving equipment.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent
		100%	Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets - How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets?
		93%	Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls - How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
		91%	Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
		87%	Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
		86%	Very Hot or Cold Temperatures - How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?
		86%	Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
		85%	In an Open Vehicle or Equipment - How often does this job require working in an open vehicle or equipment (e.g., tractor)?
		82%	Consequence of Error - How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not readily correctable?
		82%	Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
		80%	Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in non-controlled environmental conditions (e.g., warehouse without heat)?
		80%	Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
		80%	Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions - How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
		80%	Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
		79%	Responsible for Others' Health and Safety - How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
		77%	Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
		76%	Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
		75%	Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
		74%	Exposed to Contaminants - How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
		67%	Spend Time Standing - How much does this job require standing?
		67%	Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
		66%	Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment - How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)
		66%	Spend Time Bending or Twisting the Body - How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?
		65%	Level of Competition - To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
		64%	Outdoors, Exposed to Weather - How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
		63%	Sounds, Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable - How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
		60%	Responsibility for Outcomes and Results - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
		57%	Exposed to Hazardous Equipment - How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
		55%	Physical Proximity - To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?
		53%	Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings - How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings?
		87%	Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Tasks & Values
		88%	Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment - Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
		86%	Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
		85%	Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
		80%	Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
		78%	Performing General Physical Activities - Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
		76%	Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
		75%	Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
		71%	Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
		69%	Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
		69%	Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
		68%	Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
		68%	Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
		66%	Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
		63%	Controlling Machines and Processes - Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
		62%	Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
		60%	Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
		59%	Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
		57%	Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
		57%	Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
		57%	Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment - Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
		57%	Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
		56%	Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
		56%	Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
		53%	Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
		53%	Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
		52%	Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
		52%	Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
		51%	Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

What Material Moving Machine Operators Do

Crane and tower operators are commonly employed in construction and water transportation.

Material moving machine operators use equipment to transport objects. For example, some operators move goods around factories and storage areas or onto container ships. Others move construction materials around building sites.

Duties

Material moving machine operators typically do the following:

Set up and inspect material moving equipment
Control equipment with levers, wheels, or foot pedals
Move material according to a plan or schedule
Signal and direct workers to load and unload materials
Keep a record of the material they move and where they move it to
Make minor repairs to their equipment

In warehouses and factories, most material moving machine operators use forklifts and conveyor belts. Wireless sensors and tags keep track of merchandise, allowing operators to locate it faster. Some operators also check goods for damage. These operators usually work closely with hand laborers and material movers.

In construction, material moving machine operators transport objects around building sites. Some work on a building site for the entire length of the construction project. For example, certain material moving machine operators help to construct highrise buildings by transporting materials to workers who are far above ground level. (For information about workers who operate heavy machinery for building, road, and other construction sites, see the profile on construction equipment operators.)

All material moving machine operators are responsible for safely controlling their equipment or vehicle.

The following are examples of types of material moving machine operators:

Conveyor operators and tenders control conveyor systems that move materials on an automatic belt. They monitor sensors to regulate the speed with which the system’s conveyor belt moves. They move materials to and from places such as storage areas, vehicles, and building sites. Operators also may check the shipping order and determine the route that materials take along a conveyor.

Crane and tower operators use cable and tower equipment to lift and move materials, machinery, or other heavy objects. From a control station, operators extend and retract horizontal booms, rotate the superstructure, and lower and raise hooks attached to cables at the end of their crane or tower. Operators usually are guided by workers on the ground who use hand signals or transmit voice signals through a radio. Crane and tower operators usually work at construction sites or major ports, where they load and unload cargo. Operators also may work in iron and steel mills.

Dredge operators excavate waterways. They operate equipment on the water to remove sand, gravel, or rock from harbors or lakes. Removing these materials helps to prevent erosion and to maintain navigable waterways, allowing larger ships to use ports. Dredging also is used to help restore wetlands and maintain beaches.

Hoist and winch operators, also called derrick operators, control the movement of platforms, cables, and cages that transport workers or materials in industrial operations, such as constructing a highrise building. Operators regulate the speed of the equipment on the based on the needs of the workers.

Industrial truck and tractor operators drive trucks and tractors that move materials around storage yards, warehouses, or other worksites. These trucks, often called forklifts, have a lifting mechanism and forks, which make them useful for moving heavy and large objects. Some industrial truck and tractor operators drive tractors that pull trailers loaded with material around factories or storage areas.

Work Environment

Material moving machine operators held about 879,500 jobs in 2022. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up material moving machine operators was distributed as follows:

Industrial truck and tractor operators	796,600
Crane and tower operators	48,400
Conveyor operators and tenders	30,600
Hoist and winch operators	2,800
Dredge operators	1,000

The largest employers of material moving machine operators were as follows:

Warehousing and storage	37%
Wholesale trade	10
Temporary help services	8
Food manufacturing	5
Construction	3

Material moving machine operators work indoors and outdoors in a variety of industries.

Injuries and Illnesses

Hoist and winch operators have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations.

Many workers wear personal protective equipment—including gloves, hardhats, and harnesses—to guard against injury.

Work Schedules

Most material moving machine operators work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. Because materials are shipped around the clock, some work overnight shifts.

Getting Started

Education:

73%

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

23%

Less than a High School Diploma

How to Become a Material Moving Machine Operator

Material moving machine operators are trained on the job.

Education and training requirements vary by occupation. Crane operators typically have several years of experience in a related occupation.

Education

Although no formal educational credential is typically required, companies may prefer to hire material moving machine operators who have a high school diploma. For crane and tower operators and dredge operators, a high school diploma or equivalent is typically required.

Training

Material moving machine operators typically are trained on the job in less than a month, but the amount of time spent in training varies with the type of machine. Some machines, such as cranes and towers, are complex and may require several months of training. Others, such as industrial trucks and forklifts, may take only a few days to learn how to operate. New workers usually are trained by an experienced employee.

During their training, material moving machine operators learn safety rules, many of which are standardized through the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA). Employers must certify that each operator has received the proper training. Operators who work with hazardous materials receive additional training.

The International Union of Operating Engineers offers training programs for heavy-equipment operators, such as crane operators.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Some states and cities require crane operators to be licensed. Operators typically must complete a skills test in which they show that they can control a crane. They also must pass a written exam that tests their knowledge of safety rules and procedures. Check with your state or city licensing agency for specific requirements.

Employers may require or prefer that workers become certified. For example, the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) offers several certifications for crane operators and related workers.

Work Experience in a Related Occupation

Crane and tower operators typically have several years of experience working as construction equipment operators, hoist and winch operators, or riggers and signalers.

Job Outlook

Overall employment of material moving machine operators is projected to grow 4 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

About 88,900 openings for material moving machine operators are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Projected employment of material moving machine operators varies by occupation (see table).

Material moving machine operators will be needed to move materials or products to and from various locations, such as warehouses, stockpiles, or processing stations. The continued growth in e-commerce will increase the amount of materials and products needing to be moved. However, employment demand for these workers may be limited by the expansion of automated machinery and technologies, such as sensors and scanners, that improve operations and increase efficiencies.

Contacts for More Information

For more information about careers as a material moving machine operator, visit

International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE)

MHI

National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO)

Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC)

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of material moving machine operators.

Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2022
Construction Equipment Operators	Construction equipment operators drive, maneuver, or control the heavy machinery used to construct roads, buildings, and other structures.	High school diploma or equivalent	$51,050
Delivery Truck Drivers and Driver/Sales Workers	Delivery truck drivers and driver/sales workers pick up, transport, and drop off packages and small shipments within a local region or urban area.	High school diploma or equivalent	$38,220
Hand Laborers and Material Movers	Hand laborers and material movers manually move freight, stock, or other materials.	See How to Become One	$34,960
Heavy and Tractor-trailer Truck Drivers	Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers transport goods from one location to another.	Postsecondary nondegree award	$49,920
Railroad Workers	Railroad workers ensure that passenger and freight trains operate safely. They may drive trains, coordinate the activities of the trains, or control signals and switches in the rail yard.	High school diploma or equivalent	$68,960
Water Transportation Workers	Water transportation workers operate and maintain vessels that take cargo and people over water.	See How to Become One	$66,100

Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators

Material Moving Machine Operator

What they do:

On the job, you would: