Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers

What the job really is

Drive a tractor-trailer combination or a truck with a capacity of at least 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW). May be required to unload truck. Requires commercial drivers' license. Includes tow truck drivers.

At a glance

• Sector: Transportation & Material Moving
• O*NET-SOC code: 53-3032
• O*NET job zone: 2 — some preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Check all load-related documentation for completeness and accuracy.
• Inspect loads to ensure that cargo is secure.
• Check vehicles to ensure that mechanical, safety, and emergency equipment is in good working order.
• Crank trailer landing gear up or down to safely secure vehicles.
• Obtain receipts or signatures for delivered goods and collect payment for services when required.
• Maintain logs of working hours or of vehicle service or repair status, following applicable state and federal regulations.
• Read bills of lading to determine assignment details.
• Report vehicle defects, accidents, traffic violations, or damage to the vehicles.
• Perform basic vehicle maintenance tasks, such as adding oil, fuel, or radiator fluid, performing minor repairs, or washing trucks.
• Couple or uncouple trailers by changing trailer jack positions, connecting or disconnecting air or electrical lines, or manipulating fifth-wheel locks.
• Maneuver trucks into loading or unloading positions, following signals from loading crew and checking that vehicle and loading equipment are properly positioned.
• Collect delivery instructions from appropriate sources, verifying instructions and routes.

Tools and technology

Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Word, SAP software, 3M Post-it App, 4-ranger tower trucks, ADP ezLaborManager, ALK Technologies PC*Miler, Air compressors, Blocks and tackle

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators
• Light Truck Drivers
• Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders
• Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists
• Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining
• Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors
• Taxi Drivers
• Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 2 (some preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.