The person who handles administrative and operational work supporting a transportation operation — entering shipment data, generating documentation, tracking shipments, communicating with drivers and customers, and supporting the dispatchers and managers running the operation. As a Transportation Clerk, you're the operational support function that keeps logistics running.
A typical day involves order entry into TMS or dispatch systems, generating bills of lading or shipping documents, communicating with drivers and customers about status, billing and rate documentation, and resolving routine exceptions. You'll often work the steady stream of small administrative tasks that accumulate from a busy operation. Documentation accuracy matters because errors flow downstream into billing and customer service.
Coordination involves dispatchers, drivers, customer service representatives, billing teams, and sometimes warehouse or terminal staff. The transportation industry runs on tight margins, which means efficiency in administrative work matters significantly. The role often runs in shifts that overlap operating hours.
People who tend to thrive here are detail-focused, comfortable with high transaction volumes, and patient with repetitive work. If you need varied creative work or strategic decision-making, the administrative rhythm can feel narrow. If you find satisfaction in being part of an operation that keeps freight moving and using the role as a stepping stone toward dispatch or operations roles, the work tends to feel meaningfully operational.
Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.
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.
Roles with similar work and overlapping career paths
View all Admin & Office roles →The person who handles administrative and operational work supporting a transportation operation — entering shipment data, generating documentation, tracking shipments, communicating with drivers and customers, and supporting the dispatchers and managers running the operation. As a Transportation Clerk, you're the operational support function that keeps logistics running.
Median pay for a Transportation Clerk is about $47K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $35K to $76K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).
Core skills for this role include Active Listening, Service Orientation, Speaking, Reading Comprehension, and Coordination.
Most people in this role hold a high school diploma.
Employment in this field is projected to grow about 6.6% through 2034, with roughly 323,040 people working in it today (BLS).
Closely related roles include Ticket Clerk, Ticket Seller, and Ticket Dispatcher.
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