Inspect before driving, park unsafe trucks
Scan the forks and tires, test brakes and controls, then log any defect and tell your supervisor.
Career profile
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator
Forklift and industrial tractor operators move heavy loads around warehouses, plants, and storage yards.
Position a load, drive it where it belongs, and confirm that the correct goods reached their spot. It rewards precise moves with visible results.
A day in the life
Stack a pallet on racking
Square the forks with the pallet, lift it, and set it onto the racking or a stack.
Tow trailers with an industrial tractor
Some jobs have you tow loaded trailers of materials through a plant or storage site.
Log contents and weights
Verify what the load holds, and record production details or weights on labels or in an inventory system.
Quick facts
Learn on the job
United States · 2025
$46,420 a year
United States · May 2025
1.5% projected growth
United States · 2025–2035
Quick orientation
Preparation, pay & outlook
Preparation
Learn on the jobShort-term workplace training is typical. Some employers prefer a high school diploma.
Pay
$46,420 a yearNational median pay was $22.32 an hour in May 2025.
Outlook
1.5% projected growthAbout 64,700 openings a year are projected over 2025–35, including replacements.
Fit, tradeoffs & changing tools
You might like this if…
- You enjoy controlling a machine precisely.
- You can stay attentive through repeated trips.
- You are comfortable reporting a problem before continuing.
Things to weigh
- Repeated movements, noise, and hot or cold conditions can wear on you, especially when shipments are waiting.
- Some operations run overnight, so the available shift may affect your sleep and social schedule.
- A moving truck or falling load can seriously hurt someone nearby. Keeping people clear is part of the work.
Where AI may help
Computer-controlled forklifts can move pallets along planned routes. These automated guided vehicles can take over repetitive transport in suitable facilities.
What people still lead
People inspect equipment, report unsafe conditions, and troubleshoot problems. Working beside automated vehicles also takes training.
What we can’t predict yet
How much driving becomes automated depends on the site's layout and workflow. A job may shift toward handling exceptions and working with a mixed fleet.
Pay in context
Earnings
Use national wages as a starting point, then compare the hourly rate and schedule of jobs near you.
The middle and the spread
The May 2025 median was $46,420 a year, or $22.32 an hour. The lowest-paid 10% earned $36,840 or less; the highest-paid 10% earned $62,520 or more. Those cutoffs are not starting and experienced pay rates.
A warehouse pay benchmark
In warehousing and storage, operators had a 2025 median of $48,170 a year, or $23.16 an hour—above the occupation's national median. An individual warehouse may pay more or less.
Openings despite modest growth
Employment is projected to grow 1.5% over 2025–35, with about 64,700 openings annually. Most openings replace people leaving the occupation rather than represent newly created positions.
Getting started
Join an employer that trains operators
- What the route involves
- Learn from an experienced operator through instruction and directly supervised driving practice.
- What it can lead to
- Successful workplace evaluation allows the employer to put you to work operating the truck.
Take a hands-on forklift course
- What the route involves
- Complete classroom safety instruction, practice lifting and maneuvering, and take a practical skills evaluation.
- What it can lead to
- You gain assessed equipment practice and a course certificate to discuss with prospective employers.
- What to check
- The employer still checks that your training fits its truck and workplace and evaluates your competence.
A degree is not typically required. For nonagricultural forklift work, you must be at least 18.
After entry
Career paths
This starts where the entry routes leave off: early work, growing capability, and advancement or specialization. This path also has a credential or licensing boundary; see the requirements and limits.
Build consistency
Make inspections and accurate load placement dependable habits.
Learn another truck
Expand to another truck type with the relevant training.
Become an operator trainer
With sufficient knowledge, training, and experience, you could teach and evaluate new operators.
Where you can work
Warehouses and distribution buildings
Storage aisles meet loading docks here. You work around stacked goods and trailers, paying close attention to dock edges and the space between truck and building.
- Indoors
- Vehicle
- Safety-sensitive
Retail stores with forklift operations
Moving goods around a store adds a particular challenge: keeping customers and other pedestrians clear of the truck's route.
- Indoors
- Vehicle
- Safety-sensitive
Try it
See whether the job clicks before you commit to the path.
Sketch a warehouse with a loading dock, storage racks, and a pedestrian crossing. Trace a pallet's trip from delivery to storage, then mark where blocked views or people would make you pause. Notice whether this kind of spatial planning holds your attention.
Stay safe: Keep this exercise on paper; it is not preparation to operate a forklift.
Sources
- O*NET OnLine. Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators — 53-7051.00. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Material Moving Machine Operators. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Table 1.2 Occupational projections, 2025–35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- O*NET OnLine. Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators wages — United States rows. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Warehousing and Storage: NAICS 493. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration. 29 CFR 1910.178 — Powered industrial trucks. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Powered Industrial Trucks eTool — Pre-Operation. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Powered Industrial Trucks — Forklifts. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- Brookdale Community College. Forklift Operator Safety Certification. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- Toyota Material Handling. Automated Guided Vehicle FAQ. Accessed 2026-10-02.