Transportation workers have varied duties, from operating buses, car, trucks, trains, planes and boats to coordinating traffic and providing customer service. They may also transport material and products on roads, rails and waterways.
When writing the skills section of the transportation worker job description, state that the most qualified candidates should have a high school diploma. More technical roles require an associate degree or higher, depending on the responsibilities of the role. Transportation workers should be active learners with good critical thinking and communications skills. Math and science abilities are needed for solving problems.
Transportation workers should also have technical skills, such as handling equipment, installations and repairs. Review the transportation worker job description below for more information on what should be included in your job listing.
Transportation Worker Job Summary
Looking for a career in transportation? Do you enjoy being on the move? We have an opening for a transportation worker where you can have a role in making sure the people and the things we transport arrive at their destinations safely and on time. If you have excellent social and communication skills and can learn the technical skills required for the position, we have a place for you. We offer many opportunities in our constantly-growing industry for progress and advancement. Depending on your role, you may be involved in providing services, driving, flying, navigating or even controlling air traffic. Become a valued member of our team and get incomparable on-the-job training, competitive pay and benefits.
Job Responsibilities
- For air traffic controllers: coordinate air traffic movement and ensure safe distances between aircraft
- For airline and commercial pilots: Safely fly and navigate airplanes, helicopters and other aircraft and transport people and cargo or handle other tasks, such as chartered flights, firefighting, rescue operations, aerial photography and crop dusting
- For bus drivers: Transport people between various places on regular, chartered or sightseeing trips
- For delivery truck drivers: Pick up, transport and deliver packages and shipments between businesses and households
- For flight attendants: Ensure the comfort and safety of airline passengers, providing services and responding to emergencies
- For railroad workers: Confirm that passenger and freight trains run on schedule and travel safely, drive trains, coordinate train activities and operate signals and switches in the rail yard
- For taxi drivers and chauffeurs: Drive people to and from places they request, including airports, homes, businesses and places of entertainment
- For water transportation workers: Operate and maintain vessels that transport people and cargo over water, traveling to and from domestic and international ports
Job Skills & Qualifications
Reqiured:
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Strong reading comprehension and written communication skills
- Able to learn new information quickly and apply information towards future decision making and problem solving
Preferred - Associate degree or higher
- For positions with greater responsibilities, bachelor’s degrees are usually required
Transportation Worker Job Responsibilities
The job responsibilities section is the bulkiest part of your transportation worker job description and should include those tasks that clearly specify whether your open position is for a patient transporter, a rail worker, a motor vehicle operator or a general transportation worker. When you’ve carefully chosen specific transportation worker job responsibilities, and avoided more mundane tasks common to many positions, you’ll have a better chance of spending time reviewing applications from jobseekers with the right background.
Improve the impact of the duties portion of your transportation worker job description by using descriptive action words. For example, “navigate sea routes” is more descriptive than “operate machinery.” The second example isn’t wrong, but the first is more specific. Choose between six and eight unique tasks for a concise and comprehensive listing. Finally, format the section in a bulleted list so applicants can quickly identify responsibilities.
Here is a variety of transportation worker duties to inspire you when creating your own job listing:
- Promote safety by complying with security protocols
- Drive armored vehicles, transport valuables and protect goods within vehicle
- Anticipate transportation obstacles and log a plan of action for avoiding and overcoming them
- Communicate with supervisors and clients, professionally representing company
- Maintain vehicles in good working condition
Transportation Worker Job Specifications
A strong and effective job qualifications and skills section of your transportation worker job description includes fundamental and preferred credentials. This is often a short list, but it is very influential in determining the type of jobseekers who apply. For example, this section is key in separating those jobseekers with experience in transporting goods by railway from those who have training in providing transportation for patients. Begin your list of transportation worker job specifications with minimum requirements, and then move to preferred qualifications that help candidates stand out from the pack.
Draw upon the expertise of the direct supervisor over the potential employee, or discuss the position with the hiring committee. As you come up with a list of qualifications, separate them into both “required” and “preferred” lists. This has the dual benefits of helping candidates know whether to apply and clarifying for them and the hiring personnel what skills workers need to properly perform the job.
Review some skills and qualifications required for general transportation workers that you could add to your transportation worker job description:
- Excellent physical condition
- Ability to stay alert for extended periods of time
- Superior verbal communication, speaking and listening skills
- Current license and permits to operate vehicle
- Mathematical knowledge and abilities
- Associate degree, preferred