Will “Freight Clerk” be Automated?

Core Skills & Abilities

• Open cargo containers and unwrap contents, using steel cutters, crowbars, or other hand tools.

• Retrieve stored items and trace lost shipments as necessary.

• Maintain a supply of packing materials.

• Enter shipping information into a computer by hand or by a hand-held scanner that reads bar codes on goods.

• Coordinate and supervise activities of workers engaged in packing and shipping merchandise.

• Direct or participate in cargo loading to ensure completeness of load and even distribution of weight.

• Inspect and count items received and check them against invoices or other documents, recording shortages and rejecting damaged goods.

• Estimate freight or postal rates and record shipment costs and weights.

• Check import or export documentation to determine cargo contents and use tariff coding system to classify goods according to fee or tariff group.

• Route received goods to first available flight or to appropriate storage areas or departments, using forklifts, hand trucks, or other equipment.

• Direct delivery trucks to shipping doors or designated marshaling areas and help load and unload goods safely.

• Contact vendors or claims adjustment departments to resolve shipment problems or contact service depots to arrange for repairs.

• Determine method of shipment and prepare bills of lading, invoices, and other shipping documents.

• Negotiate and arrange transport of goods with shipping or freight companies.

• Track delivery progress of shipments.

• Assemble containers and crates used to transport items, such as machines or vehicles.

• Notify consignees, passengers, or customers of freight or baggage arrival and arrange for delivery.

• Keep records of all goods shipped, received, and stored.

• Prepare manifests showing numbers of airplane passengers and baggage, mail, and freight weights, transmitting data to destinations.

• Arrange insurance coverage for goods.

• Advise clients on transportation and payment methods.

• Install straps, braces, and padding to loads to prevent shifting or damage during shipment.

• Pack goods for shipping, using tools such as staplers, strapping machines, and hammers.

• Attach address labels, identification codes, and shipping instructions to containers.