Transportation Inspectors

Government and Public AdministrationO*NET 53-6051.00United States

Inspect equipment or goods in connection with the safe transport of cargo or people. Includes rail transportation inspectors, such as freight inspectors, rail inspectors, and other inspectors of transportation vehicles not elsewhere classified.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning

Median annual earnings: $91,991
Projected change: +3.7%
Typical education: Bachelor's degree
Employment: 29.24K jobs

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Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

The work

What transportation inspectors do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

Prepare and submit reports after completion of freight shipments.
Inspect shipments to ensure that freight is securely braced and blocked.
Record details about freight conditions, handling of freight, and any problems encountered.
Advise crews in techniques of stowing dangerous and heavy cargo.
Observe loading of freight to ensure that crews comply with procedures.
Recommend remedial procedures to correct any violations found during inspections.
Inspect loaded cargo, cargo lashed to decks or in storage facilities, and cargo handling devices to determine compliance with health and safety regulations and need for maintenance.
Notify workers of any special treatment required for shipments.
Direct crews to reload freight or to insert additional bracing or packing as necessary.
Check temperatures and humidities of shipping and storage areas to ensure that they are at appropriate levels to protect cargo.
Determine cargo transportation capabilities by reading documents that set forth cargo loading and securing procedures, capacities, and stability factors.
Read draft markings to determine depths of vessels in water.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile: $40,275
25th percentile: $58,701
50th percentile: $91,991
75th percentile: $108,833
90th percentile: $138,858

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $91,991 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+3.7%average or slower

202529,240 jobs

2035 projected30,312 jobs

1,072 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

Bachelor's degree: 50.7%
Certificate: 26%
Some college: 13.6%
High school diploma or less: 5.3%
Master's or Professional degree: 4.4%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

Construction
Civil Engineering
Vehicle Inspection
Lifting Ability
Traffic Control
Construction Inspection
Bridge Construction
Field Inspection
Construction Management
Project Management
Good Driving Record
Highway Construction
Mechanics
Quality Management Systems
Balancing (Ledger/Billing)
Auditing
Structural Engineering
Working at Heights
Densitometry
Safety Standards

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Systems Evaluation: Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Management of Personnel Resources: Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Operations Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

01Bridge Inspectors541 postings
02Transportation Technicians294 postings
03Inspectors268 postings
04Mobile Technicians196 postings
05Cei Inspectors79 postings
06Boiler Inspectors72 postings
07State Inspectors72 postings
08Safety Inspectors57 postings
09Transportation Supervisors49 postings
10Transportation Equipment Operators48 postings
11Chief Inspectors38 postings
12Inspections Specialists37 postings
13Transportation Generalists34 postings
14Petroleum Inspectors32 postings
15Freight Specialists29 postings
16Marine Inspectors27 postings
17Motor Vehicle Operators26 postings
18Certified Welding Inspectors25 postings
19Receiving Inspectors25 postings
20Vehicle Inspectors25 postings

Top employers

01Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson207 postings
02Carinspect186 postings
03Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania92 postings
04WSP Global54 postings
05Jmt Technology Group53 postings
06Prime Ae Group41 postings
07State Of Texas41 postings
08Volkert41 postings
09HNTB40 postings
10AECOM39 postings
11State of Florida35 postings
12U-Haul35 postings
13State of Washington31 postings
14United States Department of Transportation31 postings
15GEO Group29 postings
16Ces Agency28 postings
17Actalent27 postings
18Greenman & Pedersen27 postings
19Bureau Veritas26 postings
20Rimkus Consulting Group24 postings

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