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Date: 08/13/2025

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers

Drive a tractor-trailer combination or a truck with a capacity of at least 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW). May be required to unload truck. Requires commercial drivers' license. Includes tow truck drivers.

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  • Work Activities
  • Skills
  • WorkKeys®
  • Abilities
  • Knowledge
  • Career Video
  • Pay
  • Ohio Employment Trends
  • Typical Education
  • Personality
  • Tools
  • Technology
  • Tags
  • Secure cargo for transport, using ropes, blocks, chain, binders, or covers.
  • Give directions to laborers who are packing goods and moving them onto trailers.
  • Report vehicle defects, accidents, traffic violations, or damage to the vehicles.
  • Load or unload trucks or help others with loading or unloading, using special loading-related equipment or other equipment as necessary.
  • Inspect loads to ensure that cargo is secure.
  • Collect delivery instructions from appropriate sources, verifying instructions and routes.
  • Inventory and inspect goods to be moved to determine quantities and conditions.
  • Drive trucks with capacities greater than 13 tons, including tractor-trailer combinations, to transport and deliver products, livestock, or other materials.
  • Maintain logs of working hours or of vehicle service or repair status, following applicable state and federal regulations.
  • Check conditions of trailers after contents have been unloaded to ensure that there has been no damage.
  • Plan or adjust routes based on changing conditions, using computer equipment, global positioning systems (GPS) equipment, or other navigation devices, to minimize fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
  • Check all load-related documentation for completeness and accuracy.
  • Couple or uncouple trailers by changing trailer jack positions, connecting or disconnecting air or electrical lines, or manipulating fifth-wheel locks.
  • Maintain logs of working hours or of vehicle service or repair status, following applicable state and federal regulations.
  • Plan or adjust routes based on changing conditions, using computer equipment, global positioning systems (GPS) equipment, or other navigation devices, to minimize fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
  • Report vehicle defects, accidents, traffic violations, or damage to the vehicles.
  • Wrap and secure goods using pads, packing paper, containers, or straps.
  • Follow special cargo-related procedures, such as checking refrigeration systems for frozen foods or providing food or water for livestock.
  • Wrap and secure goods using pads, packing paper, containers, or straps.
  • Follow appropriate safety procedures for transporting dangerous goods.
  • Collect delivery instructions from appropriate sources, verifying instructions and routes.
  • Perform basic vehicle maintenance tasks, such as adding oil, fuel, or radiator fluid, performing minor repairs, or washing trucks.
  • Remove debris from loaded trailers.
  • Operate idle reduction systems or auxiliary power systems to generate power from alternative sources, such as fuel cells, to reduce idling time, to heat or cool truck cabins, or to provide power for other equipment.
  • Check vehicles to ensure that mechanical, safety, and emergency equipment is in good working order.
  • Read and interpret maps to determine vehicle routes.
  • Perform emergency roadside repairs, such as changing tires or installing light bulbs, tire chains, or spark plugs.
  • Obtain receipts or signatures for delivered goods and collect payment for services when required.
  • Operate equipment, such as truck cab computers, CB radios, phones, or global positioning systems (GPS) equipment to exchange necessary information with bases, supervisors, or other drivers.
  • Maneuver trucks into loading or unloading positions, following signals from loading crew and checking that vehicle and loading equipment are properly positioned.
  • Crank trailer landing gear up or down to safely secure vehicles.
  • Install or remove special equipment, such as tire chains, grader blades, plow blades, or sanders.
  • Drive trucks to weigh stations before and after loading and along routes in compliance with state regulations.
  • Read bills of lading to determine assignment details.

Work Activities

Work Activities

  • Secure cargo for transport, using ropes, blocks, chain, binders, or covers.
  • Give directions to laborers who are packing goods and moving them onto trailers.
  • Report vehicle defects, accidents, traffic violations, or damage to the vehicles.
  • Load or unload trucks or help others with loading or unloading, using special loading-related equipment or other equipment as necessary.
  • Inspect loads to ensure that cargo is secure.
  • Collect delivery instructions from appropriate sources, verifying instructions and routes.
  • Inventory and inspect goods to be moved to determine quantities and conditions.
  • Drive trucks with capacities greater than 13 tons, including tractor-trailer combinations, to transport and deliver products, livestock, or other materials.
  • Maintain logs of working hours or of vehicle service or repair status, following applicable state and federal regulations.
  • Check conditions of trailers after contents have been unloaded to ensure that there has been no damage.
  • Plan or adjust routes based on changing conditions, using computer equipment, global positioning systems (GPS) equipment, or other navigation devices, to minimize fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
  • Check all load-related documentation for completeness and accuracy.
  • Couple or uncouple trailers by changing trailer jack positions, connecting or disconnecting air or electrical lines, or manipulating fifth-wheel locks.
  • Maintain logs of working hours or of vehicle service or repair status, following applicable state and federal regulations.
  • Plan or adjust routes based on changing conditions, using computer equipment, global positioning systems (GPS) equipment, or other navigation devices, to minimize fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
  • Report vehicle defects, accidents, traffic violations, or damage to the vehicles.
  • Wrap and secure goods using pads, packing paper, containers, or straps.
  • Follow special cargo-related procedures, such as checking refrigeration systems for frozen foods or providing food or water for livestock.
  • Wrap and secure goods using pads, packing paper, containers, or straps.
  • Follow appropriate safety procedures for transporting dangerous goods.
  • Collect delivery instructions from appropriate sources, verifying instructions and routes.
  • Perform basic vehicle maintenance tasks, such as adding oil, fuel, or radiator fluid, performing minor repairs, or washing trucks.
  • Remove debris from loaded trailers.
  • Operate idle reduction systems or auxiliary power systems to generate power from alternative sources, such as fuel cells, to reduce idling time, to heat or cool truck cabins, or to provide power for other equipment.
  • Check vehicles to ensure that mechanical, safety, and emergency equipment is in good working order.
  • Read and interpret maps to determine vehicle routes.
  • Perform emergency roadside repairs, such as changing tires or installing light bulbs, tire chains, or spark plugs.
  • Obtain receipts or signatures for delivered goods and collect payment for services when required.
  • Operate equipment, such as truck cab computers, CB radios, phones, or global positioning systems (GPS) equipment to exchange necessary information with bases, supervisors, or other drivers.
  • Maneuver trucks into loading or unloading positions, following signals from loading crew and checking that vehicle and loading equipment are properly positioned.
  • Crank trailer landing gear up or down to safely secure vehicles.
  • Install or remove special equipment, such as tire chains, grader blades, plow blades, or sanders.
  • Drive trucks to weigh stations before and after loading and along routes in compliance with state regulations.
  • Read bills of lading to determine assignment details.

Skills

  • Operations Monitoring

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

  • Installation

    Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

  • Negotiation

    Bringing people together to solve differences.

  • Management of Personnel Resources

    Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

  • Management of Material Resources

    Managing equipment and materials.

  • Active Listening

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

  • Technology Design

    Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

  • Management of Financial Resources

    Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.

  • Science

    Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

  • Social Perceptiveness

    Understanding people's reactions.

  • Repairing

    Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

  • Critical Thinking

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

  • Mathematics

    Using math to solve problems.

  • Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • Programming

    Writing computer programs.

  • Coordination

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

  • Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • Complex Problem Solving

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

  • Judgment and Decision Making

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

  • 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.

  • Monitoring

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

  • Systems Evaluation

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

  • Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • Reading Comprehension

    Reading work-related information.

  • Operations Analysis

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

  • Persuasion

    Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

  • Quality Control Analysis

    Testing how well a product or service works.

  • Learning Strategies

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

  • Service Orientation

    Looking for ways to help people.

  • Active Learning

    Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

  • Operation and Control

    Using equipment or systems.

  • Equipment Selection

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

  • Troubleshooting

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

  • Equipment Maintenance

    Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.

WorkKeys®

Applied Math
3
Workplace Documents
3
Graphic Literacy
4

Abilities

  • Dynamic Flexibility

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

  • Information Ordering

    Ordering or arranging things.

  • Auditory Attention

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

  • Flexibility of Closure

    Seeing hidden patterns.

  • Wrist-Finger Speed

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

  • Inductive Reasoning

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

  • Night Vision

    Seeing at night or under low light.

  • Time Sharing

    Doing two or more things at the same time.

  • Response Orientation

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

  • Explosive Strength

    Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

  • Mathematical Reasoning

    Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

  • Number Facility

    Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

  • Deductive Reasoning

    Using rules to solve problems.

  • Trunk Strength

    Using your lower back and stomach.

  • 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.

  • Depth Perception

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

  • Glare Sensitivity

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

  • Static Strength

    Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

  • Visualization

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

  • Dynamic Strength

    Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

  • Speed of Closure

    Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

  • Perceptual Speed

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

  • Oral Comprehension

    Listening and understanding what people say.

  • Written Comprehension

    Reading and understanding what is written.

  • Manual Dexterity

    Holding or moving items with your hands.

  • Visual Color Discrimination

    Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

  • Stamina

    Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

  • Spatial Orientation

    Knowing where things are around you.

  • Rate Control

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

  • Oral Expression

    Communicating by speaking.

  • Selective Attention

    Paying attention to something without being distracted.

  • Multilimb Coordination

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

  • Control Precision

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

  • Speech Clarity

    Speaking clearly.

  • Gross Body Coordination

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

  • Fluency of Ideas

    Coming up with lots of ideas.

  • Originality

    Creating new and original ideas.

  • Speech Recognition

    Recognizing spoken words.

  • Sound Localization

    Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

  • Finger Dexterity

    Putting together small parts with your fingers.

  • Near Vision

    Seeing details up close.

  • Memorization

    Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

  • Written Expression

    Communicating by writing.

  • Category Flexibility

    Grouping things in different ways.

  • Gross Body Equilibrium

    Keeping your balance or staying upright.

  • Peripheral Vision

    Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

  • Far Vision

    Seeing details that are far away.

  • Hearing Sensitivity

    Telling the difference between sounds.

  • Arm-Hand Steadiness

    Keeping your arm or hand steady.

  • Extent Flexibility

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

  • Problem Sensitivity

    Noticing when problems happen.

Knowledge

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Biology

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

  • 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.

  • Law and Government

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

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • English Language

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

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Food Production

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

  • 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.

  • Mathematics

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

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Transportation

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

  • Design

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

  • Sociology and Anthropology

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

  • Computers and Electronics

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

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Economics and Accounting

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

  • Telecommunications

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

  • 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.

  • Mechanical

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

  • Fine Arts

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

  • History and Archeology

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

  • 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.

Career Video

Additional videos and more information available on CareerOneStop

Pay

  • Typical Salary
  • $79,890
    $58,080
    $41,010
    Ohio
    US
    $78,800
    $57,440
    $38,640
  • Typical Hourly Wage
  • $38
    $28
    $20
    Ohio
    US
    $38
    $28
    $19

Ohio Employment Trends

  • Currently Employed 102,030
  • Yearly Projected Openings 10770

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:
  • Attention to Detail
  • Dependability
  • Self Control
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Cooperation
  • Integrity

Tools

  • Air compressors
  • Bar code reader equipment
  • Blocks or pulleys
  • Cargo trucks
  • Concrete transport truck
  • Container trailers
  • Delivery trucks
  • Dump trucks
  • Flatbed trailers
  • Forklifts
  • Global positioning system GPS receiver
  • Hand trucks or accessories
  • Hoists
  • Laser fax machine
  • Lifts
  • Location based messaging service platforms
  • Mobile phones
  • Notebook computers
  • Personal digital assistant PDAs or organizers
  • Scanners
  • Sludge or sewage handling trucks
  • Snowplow attachments
  • Telescoping boom lift
  • Thin client computers
  • Tower cranes
  • Track cranes
  • Trailer hitches
  • Two way radios
  • Wheel loaders
  • Winches

Technology

  • Analytical or scientific software
  • Data base user interface and query software
  • Desktop communications software
  • Electronic mail software
  • Enterprise resource planning ERP software
  • Inventory management software
  • Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software
  • Office suite software
  • Operating system software
  • Route navigation software
  • Spreadsheet software
  • Time accounting software
  • Video creation and editing software
  • Word processing software

Tags

  • InDemand occupations are considered a priority by the state of Ohio.
  • Apprenticeships are available for this occupation. These programs can help you get hands-on experience and build your skills.
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