Transportation Inspectors
People classed as Transportation Inspectors inspect equipment or goods in connection with the safe transport of cargo or people. The skills rated most useful are writing, speaking, and reading comprehension. The job can ask you to prepare and submit reports after completion of freight shipments. On the six-type interest model it reads CRI, meaning orderly work with data, records and clear procedures comes first, followed by hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world. Getting in usually takes a bachelor’s degree plus a period of work experience, a level O*NET calls considerable preparation. If you want orderly work with data, records and clear procedures, keep it on your list. If you need creative work with room for original expression, it may feel thin.
What they do
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.
Main tasks
- 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.
Skills
- Writing
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Time Management
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You like clear rules and getting the details right.
- You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
- You are ready to spend around four years on a degree, then build experience.
- You are comfortable relying on writing and speaking.
May not suit you if
- You get restless with routine, records and exact procedures.
- You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
- You want to avoid a four-year degree or its equivalent.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code CRI takes the three highest, and Conventional comes first here.
Preparation
Considerable preparation. Most jobs here ask for a bachelor’s degree, and employers usually expect a few years of related experience as well.
Also called
- Cargo Surveyor
- Inspector
- Marine Cargo Surveyor
- Marine Surveyor
- Petroleum Inspector
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 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.