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Bureau of Labor Statistics > Occupational Requirements Survey > Publications > Factsheets

Transportation and material moving occupations

Forklift driver moving supplies on construction site This occupational group includes airline pilots, flight attendants, bus drivers, taxi drivers, chauffeurs, locomotive engineers, railroad conducts, ship engineers, parking lot attendants, crane operators, recyclable material collectors, mine shuttle car operators, and ship loaders.

For terms and definitions in this profile, see definitions of major terms.

Cognitive and mental requirements

The qualifications that workers need to use judgment, make decisions, interact with others, and adapt to changes in jobs.

In 2025, more than basic people skills were required for 14.5 percent of transportation and material moving workers. Basic people skills were required for 85.5 percent.

Table 1. Percentage of transportation and material moving workers with cognitive and mental requirements, 2025
Requirement	Yes	No
Work schedule varies	65.1	34.9
Ability to pause work (and take brief unscheduled breaks)	35.6	64.4
Working around crowds	<5	>95
Telework routinely allowed	<0.5	>99.5
Supervising others	4.1	95.9
Supervisor present in immediate work area	57.1	42.9
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Requirements Survey

Education, training, and experience requirements

The minimum level of formal education required, credentials necessary, on-the-job training, and prior work experience necessary for average performance in jobs. The time associated with these requirements is combined to calculate the specific vocational preparation level needed for the job.

In 2025, prior work experience was required for 21.6 percent of transportation and material moving workers and on-the-job training was required for 94.5 percent.

No minimum education was required for 65.5 percent of transportation and material moving workers and a high school diploma was required for 34.1 percent.

Environmental conditions

The various hazards or difficulties that are in the area where workers perform their critical tasks.

In 2025, a quiet noise exposure was present for 3.8 percent of transportation and material moving workers. Another 85.5 percent were exposed to moderate noise, 10.7 percent were exposed to loud noise, and less than 0.5 percent to very loud noise. Personal protective equipment (PPE) was used by 11.8 percent of workers to mitigate noise exposure and was not used by 88.2 percent.

Physical demands

The physical activities required to perform tasks in jobs. The presence and, in some cases, duration of these activities are published.

In 2025, reaching at or below the shoulder was required for 93.8 percent of transportation and material moving workers and was not required for 6.2 percent. For 8.8 percent of workers, reaching at or below the shoulder was seldom required, for 59.4 percent reaching at or below the shoulder was occasionally required, for 24.1 percent reaching at or below the shoulder was frequently required, and for 1.6 percent reaching at or below the shoulder was required constantly.

Performing work in low postures was required for 87.4 percent of transportation and material moving workers and was not required for 12.6 percent.

The choice to sit or stand when performing critical tasks was available to 4.6 percent of transportation and material moving workers. On average, workers spent 32.4 percent of the workday sitting and 67.6 percent of the workday standing.

Table 2. Percentage of transportation and material moving workers with physical demands, 2025
Requirement	Yes	No
Ability to choose to sit or stand for tasks	4.6	95.4
Driving	55.3	44.7
Climbing structure-related ramps or stairs	27.4	72.6
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Requirements Survey