Post job

What is a transporter and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
introduction image

The primary duty of a transporter lies in taking a patient receiving medical treatment from one location to another, inside hospitals and health care facility centers. They use wheelchairs or stretchers, or accompany patients to the designated location on foot.

You will sometimes need to lift or carry patients and spend most of your time on your feet, so good physical condition is essential for patient transporter candidates. Calmness and compassion is also an important feature, as people in hospitals tend to be anxious and stressed. A cheerful and serene transporter can help ease some of the distress that go hand-in-hand with medical treatments.

As the baby boomers' generation is entering a fragile age, employment rates for transporter positions are expected to increase by 10% until 2024. Depending on their location, skills, and years spent on the job, transporters make something between $11 to $18 an hour.

ScoreTransporterUS Average
Salary
2.3

Avg. Salary $29,035

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
6.4

Growth rate 20%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.2
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.39%

Asian 9.30%

Black or African American 10.54%

Hispanic or Latino 22.33%

Unknown 4.43%

White 53.01%

Gender

female 34.61%

male 65.39%

Age - 48
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 48
Stress level
6.4

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
5.3

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance
7.7

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Transporter career paths

Key steps to become a transporter

  1. Explore transporter education requirements

    Most common transporter degrees

    High School Diploma

    39.8 %

    Bachelor's

    20.7 %

    Associate

    20.4 %
  2. Start to develop specific transporter skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Patients27.69%
    Safety Policies13.70%
    Professional Behavior11.41%
    Customer Service5.32%
    CPR4.88%
  3. Complete relevant transporter training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New transporters learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a transporter based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real transporter resumes.
  4. Gain additional transporter certifications

    Transporter certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific transporter certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for transporters include Medical Assistant and Basic Life Support for Healthcare and Public Safety (BLS).

    More About Certifications
  5. Research transporter duties and responsibilities

    • Transport patients to test, procedures, and assemble and remove traction.
    • Perform various support services as assigned including but not limit to running EKG's, vital signs and CPR.
    • Transport patients in the city hospital from patients room to testing sites by way of bed, wheelchair, and stretchers.
    • Used computer, gps, and other logs.
  6. Prepare your transporter resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your transporter resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a transporter resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable transporter resume templates

    Build a professional transporter resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your transporter resume.
    Transporter Resume
    Transporter Resume
    Transporter Resume
    Transporter Resume
    Transporter Resume
    Transporter Resume
    Transporter Resume
    Transporter Resume
    Transporter Resume
    Transporter Resume
    Transporter Resume
    Transporter Resume
    Transporter Resume
    Transporter Resume
    Transporter Resume
    Transporter Resume
  7. Apply for transporter jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a transporter job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first transporter job

Zippi

Are you a transporter?

Share your story for a free salary report.

Average transporter salary

The average transporter salary in the United States is $29,035 per year or $14 per hour. Transporter salaries range between $21,000 and $39,000 per year.

Average transporter salary
$29,035 Yearly
$13.96 hourly

What am I worth?

salary-calculator

How do transporters rate their job?

Working as a transporter? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall rating*
Career growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse transportation jobs