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Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders

	Median Wage (USD, 2024)	Projected Job Openings (2023-2033)	Projected Growth (2023-2033)
National Statistics	$58,070	1400	3.9%
State Statistics	-	-	-
City Statistics	-	-	-

Statistics

National

State

City

State

City

$58,070

Median Wage (USD, 2023)

1400

Projected Job Openings (2023-2033)

3.9%

Projected Growth (2023-2033)

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.

Experience Requirements Overview

Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Education, Training and Experience

Required Level of Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

Related Work Experience: N.A.

On-Site or In-Plant Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year

On-the-Job Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year

Detailed Work Activities

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

Work Values

Achievement

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Working Conditions

Recognition

Relationships

Support

Independence

Tasks

Seal outlet valves on tank cars, barges, and trucks.
Verify tank car, barge, or truck load numbers to ensure car placement accuracy based on written or verbal instructions.
Start pumps and adjust valves or cables to regulate the flow of products to vessels, using knowledge of loading procedures.
Check conditions and weights of vessels to ensure cleanliness and compliance with loading procedures.
Observe positions of cars passing loading spouts, and swing spouts into the correct positions at the appropriate times.
Monitor product movement to and from storage tanks, coordinating activities with other workers to ensure constant product flow.
Operate ship loading and unloading equipment, conveyors, hoists, and other specialized material handling equipment such as railroad tank car unloading equipment.
Record operating data such as products and quantities pumped, gauge readings, and operating times, manually or using computers.
Operate industrial trucks, tractors, loaders, and other equipment to transport materials to and from transportation vehicles and loading docks, and to store and retrieve materials in warehouses.
Connect ground cables to carry off static electricity when unloading tanker cars.
Copy and attach load specifications to loaded tanks.
Remove and replace tank car dome caps, or direct other workers in their removal and replacement.
Test samples for specific gravity, using hydrometers, or send samples to laboratories for testing.
Test vessels for leaks, damage, and defects, and repair or replace defective parts as necessary.
Unload cars containing liquids by connecting hoses to outlet plugs and pumping compressed air into cars to force liquids into storage tanks.
Clean interiors of tank cars or tank trucks, using mechanical spray nozzles.
Lower gauge rods into tanks or read meters to verify contents, temperatures, and volumes of liquid loads.
Operate conveyors and equipment to transfer grain or other materials from transportation vehicles.
Perform general warehouse activities, such as opening containers and crates, filling warehouse orders, assisting in taking inventory, and weighing and checking materials.

Work Styles

Achievement/Effort

Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Persistence

Initiative

Leadership

Cooperation

Concern for Others

Social Orientation

Self-Control

Stress Tolerance

Adaptability/Flexibility

Dependability

Attention to Detail

Integrity

Independence

Innovation

Analytical Thinking

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 30.0 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. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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