Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks
Verify and maintain records on incoming and outgoing shipments. Prepare items for shipment. Duties include assembling, addressing, stamping, and shipping merchandise or material; receiving, unpacking, verifying and recording incoming merchandise or material; and arranging for the transportation of products.
AI Impact Summary
Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks faces high AI displacement risk with a score of 51/100. This occupation has higher AI displacement risk than 97% of all analyzed occupations. Of 11 analyzed tasks, 6 are highly automatable, particularly routine cognitive tasks. Strong protective factors — including social intelligence, creativity, or regulatory barriers — significantly reduce effective risk.
Skill Impact Analysis
AI-Vulnerable Skills (6)
High reliance on Information Ordering is a risk area. Consider developing complementary AI-resistant skills to maintain value.
High reliance on Reading Comprehension is a risk area. Consider developing complementary AI-resistant skills to maintain value.
Mathematics is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Mathematics is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Memorization is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Programming is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
AI-Resistant Skills (11)
Adaptability/Flexibility is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Leadership is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Coordination is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Manual Dexterity is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Social Perceptiveness is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Complex Problem Solving is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Service Orientation is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Persuasion is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
AI-Augmented Skills (7)
Recommended Courses
Courses matched to Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks skill gaps, ranked by relevance to your displacement risk profile.
Get personalized recommendations. Answer a few questions about your experience and skills to get course suggestions tailored specifically to you.
Upskill to Reduce Risk
Courses addressing your most AI-vulnerable skills
SQL Fundamentals Skill Track
by DataCamp
Estimated Impact
AI-Augmentation Tools
Learn to work alongside AI and boost your productivity
Google UX Design Professional Certificate
by Google
Estimated Impact
Strengthen Your Edge
Double down on skills AI can't replicate
Leading People and Teams Specialization
by University of Michigan
Estimated Impact
We may earn a commission when you enroll through our links, at no extra cost to you. This helps fund the Takeover Tracker.
Risk reduction and salary impact are estimates based on skill gap analysis, course relevance, and labor market data. Actual results vary by individual circumstance.
Education & Training
Percentage of workers at each education and training level
Education Level
Prior Experience Needed
Work experience required to enter this job
Training Provided After Hiring
How long it typically takes to learn on the job
How AI Impacts Each Task
11 tasks analyzed
Examine shipment contents and compare with records, such as manifests, invoices, or orders, to verify accuracy.
Record shipment data, such as weight, charges, space availability, damages, or discrepancies, for reporting, accounting, or recordkeeping purposes.
Prepare documents, such as work orders, bills of lading, or shipping orders, to route materials.
Confer or correspond with establishment representatives to rectify problems, such as damages, shortages, or nonconformance to specifications.
Pack, seal, label, or affix postage to prepare materials for shipping, using hand tools, power tools, or postage meter.
Contact carrier representatives to make arrangements or to issue instructions for shipping and delivery of materials.
Deliver or route materials to departments using handtruck, conveyor, or sorting bins.
Requisition and store shipping materials and supplies to maintain inventory of stock.
Determine shipping methods, routes, or rates for materials to be shipped.
Compute amounts, such as space available, shipping, storage, or demurrage charges, using computer or price list.
Compare shipping routes or methods to determine which have the least environmental impact.
| Task | AI Capability | Risk | Time % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Examine shipment contents and compare with records, such as manifests, invoices, or orders, to verify accuracy. | 72Estimated | 78.0% | 15% | |
| Record shipment data, such as weight, charges, space availability, damages, or discrepancies, for reporting, accounting, or recordkeeping purposes. | 92Estimated | 86.0% | 15% | |
| Prepare documents, such as work orders, bills of lading, or shipping orders, to route materials. | 59.03Observed | 72.8% | 12% | |
| Confer or correspond with establishment representatives to rectify problems, such as damages, shortages, or nonconformance to specifications. | 40Estimated | 31.0% | 10% | |
| Pack, seal, label, or affix postage to prepare materials for shipping, using hand tools, power tools, or postage meter. | 40Estimated | 49.0% | 12% | |
| Contact carrier representatives to make arrangements or to issue instructions for shipping and delivery of materials. | 90Estimated | 85.2% | 8% | |
| Deliver or route materials to departments using handtruck, conveyor, or sorting bins. | 70Estimated | 61.0% | 10% | |
| Requisition and store shipping materials and supplies to maintain inventory of stock. | 95Estimated | 87.2% | 6% | |
| Determine shipping methods, routes, or rates for materials to be shipped. | 47.62Observed | 68.3% | 6% | |
| Compute amounts, such as space available, shipping, storage, or demurrage charges, using computer or price list. | 100Estimated | 89.2% | 4% | |
| Compare shipping routes or methods to determine which have the least environmental impact. | 80Estimated | 59.0% | 2% |
Protective Factors
Total protective discount: 25.9%
Essential Soft Skills
Traits that are hard for AI to replicate
Wage & Employment (2024)
Median Wage
$43,190
per year
Mean Wage
$44,890
per year
Employment
858K
workers
Wage Range
$32,900 - $60,300
10th - 90th pct
Wage Distribution
Explore other career paths
Compare displacement risk across occupations and find careers with stronger long-term prospects.
Alternate Career Paths
See all transitionsInspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
32%Median salary: $47,460
Higher risk than 50% of other occupations
Print Binding and Finishing Workers
37%Median salary: $39,820
Higher risk than 71% of other occupations
Couriers and Messengers
39%Median salary: $38,340
Higher risk than 77% of other occupations
Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping
45%Median salary: $45,650
Higher risk than 90% of other occupations
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
45%Median salary: $38,940
Higher risk than 92% of other occupations
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators
46%Median salary: $46,390
Higher risk than 92% of other occupations
Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service
46%Median salary: $38,150
Higher risk than 93% of other occupations
Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators
46%Median salary: $56,530
Higher risk than 94% of other occupations
Marking Clerks
48%Higher risk than 96% of other occupations
Postal Service Clerks
48%Median salary: $61,630
Higher risk than 96% of other occupations
Sales Managers
25%Higher risk than 20% of other occupations
Chief Executives
26%Higher risk than 23% of other occupations
General and Operations Managers
28%Higher risk than 29% of other occupations
Marketing Managers
30%Higher risk than 38% of other occupations
Advertising and Promotions Managers
31%Higher risk than 43% of other occupations
Computer and Information Systems Managers
31%Higher risk than 45% of other occupations
Recommendations
Skills to Develop
These skills are at risk from AI automation. Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks professionals should diversify beyond them.
- Information Ordering
High reliance on Information Ordering is a risk area. Consider developing complementary AI-resistant skills to maintain value.
- Reading Comprehension
High reliance on Reading Comprehension is a risk area. Consider developing complementary AI-resistant skills to maintain value.
- Mathematics
Mathematics is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
- Mathematics
Mathematics is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
- Memorization
Memorization is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Skills to Leverage
These human-centric skills remain difficult for AI to replicate. Double down here.
- Adaptability/Flexibility
Adaptability/Flexibility is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
- Leadership
Leadership is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
- Coordination
Coordination is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
- Manual Dexterity
Manual Dexterity is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
- Social Perceptiveness
Social Perceptiveness is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Tools to Adopt
AI can amplify these skills. Learn the tools that augment rather than replace your work.
- Critical Thinking
Critical Thinking will be enhanced by AI. Develop expertise in using AI tools for this skill to increase productivity.
- Judgment and Decision Making
Judgment and Decision Making will be enhanced by AI. Develop expertise in using AI tools for this skill to increase productivity.
- Monitoring
Monitoring will be enhanced by AI. Develop expertise in using AI tools for this skill to increase productivity.
- Writing
Writing will be enhanced by AI. Develop expertise in using AI tools for this skill to increase productivity.
- Active Learning
Active Learning will be enhanced by AI. Develop expertise in using AI tools for this skill to increase productivity.
Score History
Risk score over 2 scoring runs
overall change