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Cargo/Freight Agent

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JOB OUTLOOK

Stable

What They Do

Cargo and Freight Agents Career Video

About This Career

Expedites and routes movement of incoming and outgoing cargo and freight shipments in airline, train, and trucking terminals and shipping docks. Takes orders from customers and arranges pickup of freight and cargo for delivery to loading platform. Prepares and examines bills of lading to determine shipping charges and tariffs.

This career is part of the Transportation, Distribution and Logistics cluster Sales and Service pathway.

A person in this career:

  • Negotiates and arranges transport of goods with shipping or freight companies.
  • Determines method of shipment and prepares bills of lading, invoices, and other shipping documents.
  • Tracks delivery progress of shipments.
  • Advises clients on transportation and payment methods.
  • Estimates freight or postal rates and records shipment costs and weights.
  • Keeps records of all goods shipped, received, and stored.
  • Notifies consignees, passengers, or customers of freight or baggage arrival and arranges for delivery.
  • Retrieve stored items and traces lost shipments as necessary.
  • Enters shipping information into a computer by hand or by a hand-held scanner that reads bar codes on goods.
  • Prepares manifests showing numbers of airplane passengers and baggage, mail, and freight weights, transmitting data to destinations.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

  • You would often handle loads up to 50 lbs., sometimes up to 100 lbs. You will need a lot of strength at this level.
  • Work in this occupation involves sitting more than one-third of the time

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

  • Seeing clearly up close
  • Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
  • Identifying and understanding the speech of another person

Work Hours and Travel

  • Overtime work
  • Regular working hours and limited travel
  • Weekend work

Specialty and Similar Careers

Careers that are more detailed or close to this career:

  • Ship Broker
  • Air Export Specialist
  • Traffic and Documentation Clerk
  • Drop Shipment Clerk
  • Freight Broker
  • Intermodal Dispatcher
  • International Coordinator
  • Load Planner
  • Logistics Coordinator
  • Logistics Service Representative

Contact

  • Email Support
  • 1-800-GO-TO-XAP (1-800-468-6927)
    From outside the U.S., please call +1 (424) 750-3900
  • North Dakota Career Resource Network
    ndcrn@nd.gov | (701) 328-9733

Support