Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators
Operate industrial trucks or tractors equipped to move materials around a warehouse, storage yard, factory, construction site, or similar location.
Also called: Carry All Driver, CAT Driver (Caterpillar Driver), CAT Operator (Caterpillar Operator), CAT Skinner (Caterpillar Skinner), CAT Tender (Caterpillar Tender), CAT Tractor Operator (Caterpillar Tractor Operator)
Median pay
$46,420
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$36,840 – $62,520
People employed
774,420
Holland code
RCI
Realistic · Conventional · Investigative
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you work well under tight deadlines?
- 2.Are you OK working more than 40 hours a week?
- 3.Would you rather not deal with customers or the public?
- 4.Are you OK with hours that change?
- 5.Are you OK working outdoors in all kinds of weather?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
- Mistakes can have serious consequences
- Long hours on your feet
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators salary in every state →
What industrial truck and tractor operators do
- 01Move 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.
- 02Move controls to drive gasoline- or electric-powered trucks, cars, or tractors and transport materials between loading, processing, and storage areas.
- 03Manually or mechanically load or unload materials from pallets, skids, platforms, cars, lifting devices, or other transport vehicles.
- 04Position lifting devices under, over, or around loaded pallets, skids, or boxes and secure material or products for transport to designated areas.
- 05Inspect product load for accuracy and safely move it around the warehouse or facility to ensure timely and complete delivery.
- 06Weigh materials or products and record weight or other production data on tags or labels.
Skills that matter most
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
Knowledge
- Mathematics
- English Language
- Production and Processing
- Transportation
- Customer and Personal Service
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a high school diploma (O*NET Job Zone 2).
- Related work experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years.
- On-the-job training: over 1 month, up to and including 3 months.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from industrial truck and tractor operators
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators87% · +29%
- Pile Driver Operators85% · +58%
- Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining83% · +60%
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers82% · +26%
- Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining81% · +24%
Change into industrial truck and tractor operators
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Light Truck Drivers82% · $44,860
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers81% · $58,640
- Agricultural Equipment Operators80% · $41,730
- Aircraft Service Attendants79% · $40,450
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators79% · $59,850
Majors that lead here
- Forklift Operation/Operator
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.