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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.

What you’d do

  • 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.

Skills that matter

  • Operation and Control
  • Operations Monitoring
  • Coordination
  • Equipment Maintenance
  • Time Management
  • Troubleshooting

How to get there

Little to some preparation: usually a high school diploma or GED, though some jobs do not need one

Also called

  • Fork Truck Driver
  • Forklift Driver
  • Forklift Operator
  • Spotter Driver
  • Checker Loader
  • Fork Lift Technician

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