What does a truck loader do?
Truck loaders provide the necessary workforce in loading items for delivery and logistics. The truck loader focuses on ensuring all items are loaded safely into transport vehicles and on time. This position requires a license to operate heavy equipment such as forklifts and cargo handling machines. It is the responsibility of the truck loader that all materials are safe before delivery and after. There are instances where the loader accompanies the truck driver to the destination to help unload the items.
Truck loader responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real truck loader resumes:
- Prepare pallets by following prescribe stacking arrangement and properly tagging pallets.
- Load designated items onto a pallet and bring selected items to their designate loading area
- Move inventory in support of logistics management.
Truck loader skills and personality traits
We calculated that 20% of Truck Loaders are proficient in Pallets, Load Trucks, and Electric Pallet Jack. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Listening skills, and Physical strength.
We break down the percentage of Truck Loaders that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Pallets, 20%
Loaded and unloaded trucks wrapped and Staged pallets for delivery inventory adjustment
- Load Trucks, 13%
General Labor Unload trucks Shipping and receiving Inventory
- Electric Pallet Jack, 9%
Maneuver through warehouse using forklifts as well as loading and unloading assistance using electric pallet jack.
- Customer Orders, 8%
Fill customer orders* Work various machines like (chop saw, double disk grinder) * Work quickly and efficiently with others
- Safety Standards, 8%
Manage, organize and meet safety standards in roll storage warehouses.pull orders to be loaded on trucks and rail cars.
- Hand Trucks, 7%
Used pallet jacks and hand trucks to unload product to be sent to their next location.
"pallets," "load trucks," and "electric pallet jack" are among the most common skills that truck loaders use at work. You can find even more truck loader responsibilities below, including:
Customer-service skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a truck loader to have is customer-service skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "hand laborers and material movers who work with the public, such as grocery baggers or carwash attendants, must be pleasant and courteous to customers." Truck loaders often use customer-service skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "interact effectively with customer service, manufacturing, inventory control,quality assurance and receiving to resolve inventory and order discrepancies. "
Listening skills. Many truck loader duties rely on listening skills. "hand laborers and material movers follow instructions that a supervisor gives them.," so a truck loader will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways truck loader responsibilities rely on listening skills: "communicated effectively with customers, team members, and management to ensure excellent customer service. "
Physical strength. This is an important skill for truck loaders to perform their duties. For an example of how truck loader responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "some hand laborers and material movers must be able to lift and carry heavy objects." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a truck loader: "performed the duties of a loading bay associate by means of physically loading/unloading delivery trucks. ".
The three companies that hire the most truck loaders are:
- UniFirst27 truck loaders jobs
- 84 Lumber4 truck loaders jobs
- Henry Schein2 truck loaders jobs
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Compare different truck loaders
Truck loader vs. Material handler/forklift operator
A material handler and forklift operator is responsible for transporting and storing various kinds of goods, even including fragile or hazardous shipments. The duties and location will vary depending on the line of work or industry involved. However, most of the tasks will require efficiency in operating machinery, communication skills, and great attention to detail. Furthermore, a material handler and forklift operator must monitor products and keep an accurate record of overall activities, transport materials within allotted time and schedule, and maintain communication and coordination with co-workers and supervisors.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between truck loaders and material handler/forklift operator. For instance, truck loader responsibilities require skills such as "ex," "semi trailers," "conveyor belts," and "production sheets." Whereas a material handler/forklift operator is skilled in "forklift operation," "sit-down forklift," "production lines," and "stand-up forklift." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Material handler/forklift operators tend to make the most money working in the automotive industry, where they earn an average salary of $37,909. In contrast, truck loaders make the biggest average salary, $37,429, in the manufacturing industry.The education levels that material handler/forklift operators earn slightly differ from truck loaders. In particular, material handler/forklift operators are 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a truck loader. Additionally, they're 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Truck loader vs. Material handler
Material handlers are responsible for moving products, storing items, and managing supplies to proper shelf categories. A material handler also documents deliveries and ensures that all items for shipment are correct and free of any damage. Material handlers must also be a fast-learner to operate various warehouse equipment that would make the task more efficient and less time-consuming. A material handler must also check all the incoming deliveries to validate all purchases made. Material handlers must be able to analyze sheet orders and prepare the correct merchandise the client needs.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, truck loader responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "semi trailers," "conveyor belts," "semi trucks," and "load trailers." Meanwhile, a material handler has duties that require skills in areas such as "basic math," "forklifts," "math," and "customer service." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Material handlers earn a lower average salary than truck loaders. But material handlers earn the highest pay in the automotive industry, with an average salary of $36,166. Additionally, truck loaders earn the highest salaries in the manufacturing with average pay of $37,429 annually.material handlers earn similar levels of education than truck loaders in general. They're 0.6% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Truck loader vs. Forklift operator and receiver
A lift driver is responsible for operating warehouse machines and vehicles, especially on loading and unloading items from distribution trucks and transporting the merchandise to different parts of the warehouse. Lift drivers inspect the efficiency and reliability of the machines, ensuring its operational and optimal performance to avoid production delays. They also verify the number of products for distribution according to the order requests and shipment details. A lift driver must be highly-organized, as well as having excellent time-management skills to perform duties and meet strict production schedules.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from truck loader resumes include skills like "safety rules," "ex," "semi trailers," and "conveyor belts," whereas a forklift operator and receiver is more likely to list skills in "shipping receiving," "production lines," "forklift operation," and "stand-up forklift. "
Forklift operators and receiver make a very good living in the automotive industry with an average annual salary of $37,086. On the other hand, truck loaders are paid the highest salary in the manufacturing industry, with average annual pay of $37,429.forklift operators and receiver typically earn similar educational levels compared to truck loaders. Specifically, they're 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Truck loader vs. Lift driver
Types of truck loader
Updated January 8, 2025
