How to become an industrial truck and tractor operator
Operate industrial trucks or tractors equipped to move materials around a warehouse, storage yard, factory, construction site, or similar location.
Steps to get there
Most employers expect usually requires a high school diploma or ged, though some occupations may not..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.
What industrial truck and tractor operators do
- Inspect product load for accuracy and safely move it around the warehouse or facility to ensure timely and complete delivery.
- 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.
- 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.
- Position lifting devices under, over, or around loaded pallets, skids, or boxes and secure material or products for transport to designated areas.
Skills that matter most
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Writing
- Mathematics
- Active Learning
Is industrial truck and tractor operator a good career?
On the numbers, this job is close to the average across occupations. Median pay is 9% below the all-occupation median. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself, the schooling you are willing to do and where you want to live.
Where it pays most
- New Mexico $62,150
- Delaware $60,350
- Wyoming $59,820
- New Hampshire $54,460
- Alaska $54,190
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators salary by state and city
Sources: O*NET® 31.0 (CC BY 4.0, USDOL/ETA) and BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025.