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How exposed to AI is a Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loader?

Of the 19 tasks O*NET lists for tank car, truck, and ship loaders, 0 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 15 cannot be sped up at all. Here is which.

Exposure means published research judged an AI could halve the time a task takes, at the same quality. It does not mean the task stops needing a person. How to read this

Also called
Load Out PersonLoaderLoader OperatorLoading OperatorOil Movements OperatorPVC Loader (Polyvinyl Chloride Loader)Rail Car LoaderTank Car LoaderTankermanTruck Loader
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
19
tasks rated for this occupation
2%
hold a degree, from a survey of 27
12k
people do this job in the US
34 of 52
least protected in transport

Every task, and what AI can do with it

These are O*NET's task statements for this occupation, exactly as written, sorted into the three bands by the ratings behind this report. Nothing has been reworded.

Only with software built on top

4
  • Verify tank car, barge, or truck load numbers to ensure car placement accuracy based on written or verbal instructions
  • 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
  • Copy and attach load specifications to loaded tanks

Cannot be sped up

15
  • Seal outlet valves on tank cars, barges, and trucks
  • Start pumps and adjust valves or cables to regulate the flow of products to vessels, using knowledge of loading procedures
  • Check conditions and weights of vessels to ensure cleanliness and compliance with loading procedures
  • 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
  • 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
  • Connect ground cables to carry off static electricity when unloading tanker cars
  • Remove and replace tank car dome caps, or direct other workers in their removal and replacement
  • Test samples for specific gravity, using hydrometers, or send samples to laboratories for testing
  • Test vessels for leaks, damage, and defects, and repair or replace defective parts as necessary
  • Unload cars containing liquids by connecting hoses to outlet plugs and pumping compressed air into cars to force liquids into storage tanks
  • Clean interiors of tank cars or tank trucks, using mechanical spray nozzles
  • Lower gauge rods into tanks or read meters to verify contents, temperatures, and volumes of liquid loads
  • Operate conveyors and equipment to transfer grain or other materials from transportation vehicles
  • Perform general warehouse activities, such as opening containers and crates, filling warehouse orders, assisting in taking inventory, and weighing and checking materials
What this does not say

This is not a prediction about your job

Nobody surveyed an employer. Tasks are counted equally, so a percentage here is a share of the list rather than a share of your week. And the ratings were made in 2023, which makes every figure a floor rather than a ceiling.

It must never be used to select anyone for redundancy. The full limits are here.

Where to go next

This is the standard task list for the title. The useful next question is which of the tasks you actually do should go near AI, and which should not.

Sort your own tasks Read the full report

Exposure ratings from Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs, Science 384, 1306–1308, 2024, used under the MIT licence. This page includes information from the O*NET Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. People Team AI has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Employment figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.