Mid-Level

Traffic Assistant

Supporting a traffic or transportation department, you help coordinate the movement of freight, equipment, or scheduling activity — entering shipment data, supporting carrier coordination, helping prepare routing or billing documentation, and learning the rhythms of the transportation function. The work tends to be detail-heavy and tied closely to the day's logistics flow.

Career Level
Junior
Mid
Senior
Director
VP
Executive
Work Personality
C
R
E
S
I
A
Conventionalorganizing, detail-oriented
Realistichands-on, practical
Based on Holland Code framework
Job markets for Traffic Assistants
Employment concentration · ~392 areas
Based on employment in related occupations
Mapped SOC categories:
BLS Occupational Employment Statistics
What it's like

What it's like to be a Traffic Assistant

Your day tends to revolve around the steady stream of administrative tasks supporting transportation operations — data entry, document preparation, helping with carrier communication, and supporting more senior traffic staff on coordination work. You'll often work with traffic managers, dispatchers, carriers, and internal logistics teams as the day's shipments move. Progress shows up in task completion, accuracy of data entry, and the steady learning that builds toward more responsibility.

The harder part is often the volume and variety of small tasks — paperwork that needs to be just right, calls that need quick handoffs, systems that have to be updated cleanly. Variance across employers is real: a small operation may give you broad exposure across functions; a larger logistics department runs specialized support roles with sharper but narrower focus.

People who tend to thrive here are organized, eager to learn, and steady with detail. The role rewards quiet competence and curiosity about the broader operation, and many traffic assistants grow into traffic clerk, coordinator, or dispatch paths over time as they learn the function.

RelationshipsAbove avg
SupportModerate
IndependenceLower
Working ConditionsLower
AchievementLower
RecognitionLower
O*NET Work Values survey
✦ Editorial — written by Truest from industry research and career patterns
Career Paths

Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.

$239K$179K$119K$60K$0KLower paying387 metro areas, sorted by salary level
All experience levels1
This level's estimated range
INDUSTRIES PAYING ABOVE AVERAGE
1 BLS OEWS May 2024 covers all Traffic Assistants (SOC 43-5071.00), not just this title · BEA RPP 2023
* Top salaries exceed this figure. BLS caps reported wages at ~$240K to protect individual privacy in high-earning roles.
Exploring the Traffic Assistant career path? Truest helps you figure out if it's the right fit — and plan your path forward.
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✦ Editorial — career progression and interview guidance based on industry patterns
The Broader Landscape

Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.

$33K–$60K
Salary Range
10th – 90th percentile
858K
U.S. Employment
-7.7%
10yr Growth
69K
Annual Openings

How this category is changing

$64K$61K$59K$56K$53K201920202021202220232024$53K$64K
BLS OEWS May 2024 · BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034

Skills & Requirements

SpeakingActive ListeningReading ComprehensionTime ManagementCritical ThinkingMonitoringCoordinationComplex Problem SolvingJudgment and Decision MakingSocial Perceptiveness
O*NET OnLine · Bureau of Labor Statistics
43-5071.00

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Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) · BLS Employment Projections · O*NET OnLine
Truest editorial: Fit check, role profile, things that vary, advancement analysis, lateral moves, interview questions.