What You Need to Know About Tank Car, Truck, or Ship Loader
Tank Car, Truck, or Ship Loader Definition 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.
Tank Car, Truck, or Ship Loader Responsibilities
- Record operating data such as products and quantities pumped, gauge readings, and operating times, manually or using computers.
- Monitor product movement to and from storage tanks, coordinating activities with other workers to ensure constant product flow.
- 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.
- Start pumps and adjust valves or cables to regulate the flow of products to vessels, using knowledge of loading procedures.
- Lower gauge rods into tanks or read meters to verify contents, temperatures, and volumes of liquid loads.
- Clean interiors of tank cars or tank trucks, using mechanical spray nozzles.
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Tank Car, Truck, or Ship Loader Required Skills
When polled, Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Truck Loader
- Barge Loader
- Truck Unloader
- Load Out Person
- Chemical Recovery Operator
Tank Car, Truck, or Ship Loader Job Outlook
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 10,800 jobs in the United States for Tank Car, Truck, or Ship Loader. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 5.6% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 600 new jobs for Tank Car, Truck, or Ship Loader by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 1,400 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Tank Car, Truck, or Ship Loader are Idaho, Nevada, and Arizona. Watch out if you plan on working in Ohio, South Carolina, or New Mexico. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for a Tank Car, Truck, or Ship Loader
The salary for Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders ranges between about $25,210 and $70,690 a year.

Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders who work in New Jersey, Oregon, or Washington, make the highest salaries.
How much do Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $39,070 |
Alaska | $32,650 |
Arizona | $30,610 |
Arkansas | $36,950 |
California | $34,810 |
Colorado | $46,420 |
Florida | $39,750 |
Georgia | $45,430 |
Illinois | $41,830 |
Indiana | $35,700 |
Iowa | $42,230 |
Kansas | $33,210 |
Kentucky | $47,530 |
Louisiana | $35,880 |
Massachusetts | $42,520 |
Michigan | $43,490 |
Minnesota | $46,640 |
Missouri | $43,590 |
Nebraska | $48,260 |
New Jersey | $57,370 |
New Mexico | $41,500 |
North Dakota | $45,030 |
Ohio | $37,810 |
Oklahoma | $31,750 |
Oregon | $56,370 |
Pennsylvania | $47,650 |
Tennessee | $43,790 |
Texas | $43,670 |
Virginia | $36,440 |
Washington | $49,550 |
Wisconsin | $55,640 |
Wyoming | $46,700 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office
- Data entry software
- Linux
- Palm OS
- Distributed control system DCS
Becoming a Tank Car, Truck, or Ship Loader
Are there Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders education requirements?

What work experience do I need to become a Tank Car, Truck, or Ship Loader?

Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders Sector

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

You May Also Be Interested In…
Those thinking about becoming a Tank Car, Truck, or Ship Loader might also be interested in the following careers:
Career changers with experience as a Tank Car, Truck, or Ship Loader sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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