How to become a First-Line Supervisor of Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators

Official title: First-Line Supervisors of Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators

Also called: Cargo Manager, DC Supervisor (Distribution Center Supervisor), Dock Supervisor, Driver Manager, Fleet Manager, Shipping Manager, Street Supervisor, Trainmaster, Transportation Supervisor, Warehouse Supervisor

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of material-moving machine and vehicle operators and helpers.

Main tasks

• Enforce safety rules and regulations.
• Interpret transportation or tariff regulations, shipping orders, safety regulations, or company policies and procedures for workers.
• Resolve worker problems or collaborate with employees to assist in problem resolution.
• Confer with customers, supervisors, contractors, or other personnel to exchange information or to resolve problems.
• Plan work assignments and equipment allocations to meet transportation, operations or production goals.
• Examine, measure, or weigh cargo or materials to determine specific handling requirements.
• Explain and demonstrate work tasks to new workers or assign training tasks to experienced workers.
• Review orders, production schedules, blueprints, or shipping or receiving notices to determine work sequences and material shipping dates, types, volumes, or destinations.

How to become one

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Ways in

• Apprenticeship: Driver Manager.

Pay · Outlook

• About 621,500 people work in this job now, and about 640,300 are projected by 2035. (+3%)

Related jobs

• Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors
• First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand
• Recycling Coordinators
• First-Line Supervisors of Passenger Attendants

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Questions people ask

How do I become a First-Line Supervisor of Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators?

Ways in include: Driver Manager.

Is a First-Line Supervisor of Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 3% by 2035, from about 621,500 to about 640,300 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a First-Line Supervisor of Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators?

Usually not. Only 17% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Driver Manager.

Sources

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

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.