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Date: 07/11/2026

Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders

Load and unload chemicals and bulk solids, such as coal, sand, and grain, into or from tank cars, trucks, or ships, using material moving equipment. May perform a variety of other tasks relating to shipment of products. May gauge or sample shipping tanks and test them for leaks.

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    Work Activities

    Work Activities

    • Copy and attach load specifications to loaded tanks.
    • Lower gauge rods into tanks or read meters to verify contents, temperatures, and volumes of liquid loads.
    • Unload cars containing liquids by connecting hoses to outlet plugs and pumping compressed air into cars to force liquids into storage tanks.
    • Operate conveyors and equipment to transfer grain or other materials from transportation vehicles.
    • Start pumps and adjust valves or cables to regulate the flow of products to vessels, using knowledge of loading procedures.
    • Monitor product movement to and from storage tanks, coordinating activities with other workers to ensure constant product flow.
    • Record operating data such as products and quantities pumped, gauge readings, and operating times, manually or using computers.
    • Clean interiors of tank cars or tank trucks, using mechanical spray nozzles.
    • Remove and replace tank car dome caps, or direct other workers in their removal and replacement.
    • Check conditions and weights of vessels to ensure cleanliness and compliance with loading procedures.
    • Monitor product movement to and from storage tanks, coordinating activities with other workers to ensure constant product flow.
    • Observe positions of cars passing loading spouts, and swing spouts into the correct positions at the appropriate times.
    • Observe positions of cars passing loading spouts, and swing spouts into the correct positions at the appropriate times.
    • Operate ship loading and unloading equipment, conveyors, hoists, and other specialized material handling equipment such as railroad tank car unloading equipment.
    • Perform general warehouse activities, such as opening containers and crates, filling warehouse orders, assisting in taking inventory, and weighing and checking materials.
    • Perform general warehouse activities, such as opening containers and crates, filling warehouse orders, assisting in taking inventory, and weighing and checking materials.
    • Test vessels for leaks, damage, and defects, and repair or replace defective parts as necessary.
    • Connect ground cables to carry off static electricity when unloading tanker cars.
    • Test vessels for leaks, damage, and defects, and repair or replace defective parts as necessary.
    • Test samples for specific gravity, using hydrometers, or send samples to laboratories for testing.
    • Remove and replace tank car dome caps, or direct other workers in their removal and replacement.
    • Operate industrial trucks, tractors, loaders, and other equipment to transport materials to and from transportation vehicles and loading docks, and to store and retrieve materials in warehouses.
    • Seal outlet valves on tank cars, barges, and trucks.
    • Verify tank car, barge, or truck load numbers to ensure car placement accuracy based on written or verbal instructions.

    Skills

    • Quality Control Analysis

      Testing how well a product or service works.

    • Programming

      Writing computer programs.

    • Monitoring

      Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

    • Troubleshooting

      Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

    • Mathematics

      Using math to solve problems.

    • Persuasion

      Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

    • Instructing

      Teaching people how to do something.

    • Active Learning

      Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

    • Operation and Control

      Using equipment or systems.

    • Learning Strategies

      Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.

    • Active Listening

      Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

    • Equipment Selection

      Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.

    • Social Perceptiveness

      Understanding people's reactions.

    • Coordination

      Changing what is done based on other people's actions.

    • Repairing

      Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

    • Installation

      Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

    • Systems Evaluation

      Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

    • Systems Analysis

      Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.

    • Time Management

      Managing your time and the time of other people.

    • Operations Analysis

      Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.

    • Management of Material Resources

      Managing equipment and materials.

    • Speaking

      Talking to others.

    • Reading Comprehension

      Reading work-related information.

    • Complex Problem Solving

      Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

    • Equipment Maintenance

      Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.

    • Management of Financial Resources

      Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.

    • Writing

      Writing things for co-workers or customers.

    • Technology Design

      Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

    • Management of Personnel Resources

      Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

    • Judgment and Decision Making

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

    • Critical Thinking

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

    • Operations Monitoring

      Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.

    • Service Orientation

      Looking for ways to help people.

    • Science

      Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

    • Negotiation

      Bringing people together to solve differences.

    WorkKeys®

    Applied Math
    3
    Workplace Documents
    4
    Graphic Literacy
    4

    Abilities

    • Written Expression

      Communicating by writing.

    • Problem Sensitivity

      Noticing when problems happen.

    • Depth Perception

      Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.

    • Auditory Attention

      Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.

    • Rate Control

      Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

    • Time Sharing

      Doing two or more things at the same time.

    • Oral Comprehension

      Listening and understanding what people say.

    • Visualization

      Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

    • Peripheral Vision

      Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

    • Stamina

      Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

    • Static Strength

      Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

    • Dynamic Flexibility

      Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Mathematical Reasoning

      Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

    • Number Facility

      Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

    • Speed of Closure

      Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

    • Perceptual Speed

      Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

    • Explosive Strength

      Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

    • Fluency of Ideas

      Coming up with lots of ideas.

    • Selective Attention

      Paying attention to something without being distracted.

    • Written Comprehension

      Reading and understanding what is written.

    • Oral Expression

      Communicating by speaking.

    • Gross Body Equilibrium

      Keeping your balance or staying upright.

    • Far Vision

      Seeing details that are far away.

    • Night Vision

      Seeing at night or under low light.

    • Trunk Strength

      Using your lower back and stomach.

    • Glare Sensitivity

      Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.

    • Response Orientation

      Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.

    • Reaction Time

      Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.

    • Speed of Limb Movement

      Quickly moving your arms and legs.

    • Originality

      Creating new and original ideas.

    • Information Ordering

      Ordering or arranging things.

    • Category Flexibility

      Grouping things in different ways.

    • Flexibility of Closure

      Seeing hidden patterns.

    • Spatial Orientation

      Knowing where things are around you.

    • Deductive Reasoning

      Using rules to solve problems.

    • Manual Dexterity

      Holding or moving items with your hands.

    • Inductive Reasoning

      Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

    • Finger Dexterity

      Putting together small parts with your fingers.

    • Gross Body Coordination

      Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

    • Speech Recognition

      Recognizing spoken words.

    • Extent Flexibility

      Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Visual Color Discrimination

      Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

    • Control Precision

      Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

    • Dynamic Strength

      Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

    • Hearing Sensitivity

      Telling the difference between sounds.

    • Sound Localization

      Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

    • Near Vision

      Seeing details up close.

    • Wrist-Finger Speed

      Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.

    • Speech Clarity

      Speaking clearly.

    • Memorization

      Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

    • Multilimb Coordination

      Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness

      Keeping your arm or hand steady.

    Knowledge

    • Food Production

      Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

    • English Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

    • History and Archeology

      Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

    • Mechanical

      Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

    • Public Safety and Security

      Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

    • Production and Processing

      Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

    • Personnel and Human Resources

      Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

    • Economics and Accounting

      Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

    • Chemistry

      Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

    • Psychology

      Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

    • Physics

      Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

    • Telecommunications

      Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

    • Administration and Management

      Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

    • Mathematics

      Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

    • Law and Government

      Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

    • Customer and Personal Service

      Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

    • Medicine and Dentistry

      Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

    • Computers and Electronics

      Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

    • Transportation

      Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

    • Geography

      Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

    • Design

      Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

    • Communications and Media

      Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

    • Administrative

      Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

    • Engineering and Technology

      Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

    • Education and Training

      Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

    • Sales and Marketing

      Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

    • Sociology and Anthropology

      Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

    • Biology

      Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

    • Foreign Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

    • Building and Construction

      Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

    • Philosophy and Theology

      Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

    • Fine Arts

      Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

    • Therapy and Counseling

      Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

    Career Video

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    Pay

    • Ohio Annual Salary 51580/yr
    • Typical Salary
    • Ohio Hourly Wage 24.8/hr
    • Typical Hourly Wage

    Ohio Employment Trends

    • Currently Employed 880
    • Yearly Projected Openings 100

    Typical Education

    Personality

    Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.They do well at jobs that need:
    • Cautiousness
    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Integrity

    Tools

    • Belt conveyors
    • Floor or platform scales
    • Forklifts
    • Front end loaders
    • Hoists
    • Hydrometers
    • Laser printers
    • Loading equipment
    • Pallet trucks
    • Personal computers
    • Respirators
    • Skid steer loaders
    • Spray hose
    • Stackers
    • Tablet computers

    Technology

    • Data base user interface and query software
    • Enterprise resource planning ERP software
    • Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software
    • Office suite software
    • Operating system software
    • Spreadsheet software

    Tags

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