First-Line Supervisors of Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of material-moving machine and vehicle operators and helpers.

Also called: Cargo Manager, DC Supervisor (Distribution Center Supervisor), Dock Supervisor, Driver Manager, Fleet Manager, Shipping Manager, Street Supervisor, Trainmaster, Transportation Supervisor, Warehouse Supervisor, Building Materials Supervisor, Bus Dispatcher Supervisor, Bus Driver Supervisor, Cab Dispatcher Supervisor, Cab Supervisor, Car Supervisor, Cargo Supervisor, Circus Train Supervisor, Coal Yard Supervisor, Concrete Products Dispatcher, Crane Crew Supervisor, Delivery Supervisor, Dirt Contractor, Distribution Operations Supervisor (Distribution Ops Supervisor), Distribution Supervisor, Distribution Warehouse Manager, Dock Operations Supervisor, Driver Supervisor, Farm Manager, Field Pipelines Supervisor, Fleet Coordinator, Fulfillment Supervisor, Garbage Collection Supervisor, Gas Pumping Station Supervisor, Gas Station Supervisor, Hauling Contractor, Hub Supervisor, Load Out Supervisor, Loading Rack Supervisor, Lumber Yard Supervisor, Material Crew Supervisor, Material Handling Supervisor, Milk Route Supervisor, Motor Vehicle Operator Road Supervisor, Move Coordinator, Move In Coordinator, Newspaper Distributor Supervisor, On Car Supervisor, Parking Lot Supervisor, Pilot Supervisor, Port Steward, Pumping Supervisor, Reactor Fueling Supervisor, Refuse Collector Supervisor, Retail Route Supervisor, Road Engine Supervisor, Road Supervisor, Roadmaster, Route Delivery Manager, Route Delivery Supervisor, Route Manager, Route Sales Delivery Drivers Supervisor, Sanitary Landfill Supervisor, Shipping and Receiving Coordinator, Shipping Coordinator, Shipping Receiving Manager, Snow Removing Supervisor, Stevedoring Superintendent, Storage Garage Manager, Surface Supervisor, Taxi Driver Supervisor, Track Supervisor, Traffic Warehouse Supervisor, Transportation Coordinator, Truck Dispatcher Supervisor, Truck Driver Supervisor, Truck Supervisor, Warehouse Foreman, Warehouse Operations Supervisor, Yard Conductor, Yard Manager, Yard Supervisor

This is a career information profile, not an advertised job opening.

What the worker does

Enforce safety rules and regulations.
Interpret transportation or tariff regulations, shipping orders, safety regulations, or company policies and procedures for workers.
Resolve worker problems or collaborate with employees to assist in problem resolution.
Confer with customers, supervisors, contractors, or other personnel to exchange information or to resolve problems.
Plan work assignments and equipment allocations to meet transportation, operations or production goals.
Examine, measure, or weigh cargo or materials to determine specific handling requirements.
Explain and demonstrate work tasks to new workers or assign training tasks to experienced workers.
Review orders, production schedules, blueprints, or shipping or receiving notices to determine work sequences and material shipping dates, types, volumes, or destinations.
Drive vehicles or operate machines or equipment to complete work assignments or to assist workers.
Inspect or test materials, stock, vehicles, equipment, or facilities to ensure that they are safe, free of defects, and consistent with specifications.

Skills, machines and equipment

Active Listening
Coordination
Time Management
Management of Personnel Resources
Speaking
Reading Comprehension
Critical Thinking
Social Perceptiveness
Judgment and Decision Making
Monitoring
Complex Problem Solving
Writing

Education and training

Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (29.86% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

O*NET Job Zone 3: Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.

Apprenticeships

Ask an employer or registered apprenticeship sponsor about current programs, eligibility, training and pay. A career profile does not confirm that a program is available.

Salary reference

50,070–78,160 USD per year · United States · 2025. Source: BLS OEWS via O*NET · 25th–75th percentiles · SOC 53-1043.

Occupational-group wage references are not guaranteed pay for this specialty or an employer's offer.

Career advancement

Develop inventory, scheduling, planning, and supply-chain analysis experience; explore coordinator, planner, or logistics-lead responsibilities.
Ask employers which demonstrated skills, education, or credentials are needed for the next role. Related careers are exploration options, not automatic promotions.

How Do I Get This Job?

Review the skills and responsibilities above.
Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (29.86% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
O*NET Job Zone 3: Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.
Compare real openings and confirm requirements directly with the employer.

View available jobs — availability is not guaranteed; sample listings are not real openings.

Related career information

Sources and limitations

O*NET® 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, under CC BY 4.0. ShopFloor adapted occupational grouping, selected manufacturing-relevant occupations, and retained seven legacy guide titles. Specialties and alternative titles are grouped under O*NET occupations; these occupations can also occur outside manufacturing. Source: https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html. No wage, vacancy, certification, or video data is implied. ShopFloor advancement suggestions are general editorial guidance, not O*NET findings or guaranteed career progression. BLS wage ranges, when available, are national 25th–75th percentiles for the source occupational grouping, across industries; they are not local, apprentice, entry-level, or specialty-specific offers.

First-Line Supervisors of Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators