Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders

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.

Also called: Load Out Person, Loader, Loader Operator, Loading Operator, Oil Movements Operator, PVC Loader (Polyvinyl Chloride Loader), Rail Car Loader, Tank Car Loader, Tankerman, Truck Loader, Barge Loader, Barges Loader, Bulk Tank Car Unloader, Car Loader, Car Unloader, Caustics Loader, Coal Dumping Equipment Operator, Dock Loader, Pumper Gauger, PVC Monitor (Polyvinyl Chloride Monitor), Rail Loader, Receiving Operator, Ship Unloader, Shipping and Receiving Operator, Shipping Loader, Ships Loader, Spout Tender, Tank Truck Loader, Truck Unloader, Unloader, Warehouse Associate, Warehouse Loader, Warehouse Shipping Associate, Warehouse Shipping Clerk, Warehouse Truck Loader, Warehouse Unloader

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

What the worker does

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.

Skills, machines and equipment

Operations Monitoring
Operation and Control
Reading Comprehension
Time Management
Active Listening
Writing
Speaking
Critical Thinking
Monitoring
Complex Problem Solving
Coordination
Quality Control Analysis

Education and training

Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (81.42% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

O*NET Job Zone 2: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. 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

46,300–70,060 USD per year · United States · 2025. Source: BLS OEWS via O*NET · 25th–75th percentiles · SOC 53-7121.

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) (81.42% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
O*NET Job Zone 2: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. 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.

Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders