The job of an industrial truck and tractor operator involves, as the title implies, the general operation of industrial transportation machinery. Typically, the operator would be involved in the loading, packaging and stacking procedures in the operation of an industrial truck, and may additionally be required to help coordinate other workers. For example, an industrial truck and tractor operator could be tasked with giving signals for when to start the various stages of the truck’s operation – the loading and discharging of materials, etc.
Good knowledge of the different machines used in an industrial environment is very important, and working experience in the field is a common requirement for becoming an industrial truck and tractor operator. Some basic mathematics skills are also vital to the success of an operator, as the job may sometimes require performing some calculations on the fly. Knowledge of electronics isn’t a strict requirement in most cases but can definitely be beneficial depending on the company.
An industrial truck and tractor operator can earn between $33,000 – $65,000 a year, depending mainly on the types of machines they’re tasked to work on, as well as the specific duties they have related to those machines – for example, those who’re only assigned a particular small range of tasks will earn smaller salaries, while operators who work on a wide range of machines and perform various duties will be compensated accordingly higher.