Headline risk
1%
Very Low RiskIndustrial truck and tractor operators
AI displacement pressure score for United States AI Work Index, combining global AI task overlap with local wages, employment trends, and demand signals.
Why This Score
Share of job tasks that overlap with current AI capabilities
Median annual wage
Projected employment change over 10 years
Typical preparation needed for this occupation
Occupation profile
Operate industrial trucks or tractors equipped to move materials around a warehouse, storage yard, factory, construction site, or similar location.
Task evidence
100% weighted task match · 0% effective coverage
Scores combine AI task overlap, human advantages, and local demand. How it works
United States Now
Median Wage
USD 46,390
Employment 2024
792.5K
Projected Change (2024–34)
1.1%
Openings (2024–34)
76.4K
Wage distribution
Demand outlook
Overall employment of material moving machine operators is projected to show little or no change from 2024 to 2034.
Role Profile
Tasks
- 1. Manually or mechanically load or unload materials from pallets, skids, platforms, cars, lifting devices, or other transport vehicles. AI use: 0%
- 2. Inspect product load for accuracy and safely move it around the warehouse or facility to ensure timely and complete delivery. AI use: 0%
- 3. Move levers or controls that operate lifting devices, such as forklifts, lift beams with swivel-hooks, hoists, or elevating platforms, to load, unload, transport, or stack material. AI use: 0%
- 4. Position lifting devices under, over, or around loaded pallets, skids, or boxes and secure material or products for transport to designated areas. AI use: 0%
- 5. Move controls to drive gasoline- or electric-powered trucks, cars, or tractors and transport materials between loading, processing, and storage areas. AI use: 0%
- 6. Weigh materials or products and record weight or other production data on tags or labels. AI use: 0%
Technologies
Requirements
Work context
Worker profile
Median age 41.8 · 640K employed
Under 25: 10% · 25–54: 71% · 55+: 19%
Related
No direct US role match is available yet for this occupation.
Source coverage
11/11 source families · O*NET 30.2 / OEWS 2024 / ORS 2025 / OOH 2025-08-28 / Projections 2024-34 / CPS 2025 / Anthropic task penetration
Data quality
Employment data available
Narrative & sources
Material moving machine operators use equipment to transport objects.
Most material moving machine operators work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. Because materials are shipped around the clock, some operators work overnight shifts.
Education requirements vary by occupation. Crane and tower operators typically need work experience in a related occupation.
The median annual wage for material moving machine operators was $46,620 in May 2024.
Overall employment of material moving machine operators is projected to show little or no change from 2024 to 2034.
Important context
This score measures structural AI displacement pressure, not actual job losses. Local wages and demand data are specific to United States AI Work Index; the underlying AI task overlap analysis is consistent across all countries.