AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 43-5011.00

Will AI replace Cargo and Freight Agents?

Cargo and Freight Agents: AI can already handle 14 of 24 tasks; the work mostly needs a standard-tier model.

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Every task, scored

The 24 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Cargo and Freight Agents, from most to least exposed. 14 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.

Task AI exposure Evidence Model tier Importance
Enter shipping information into a computer by hand or by a hand-held scanner that reads bar codes on goods. 90 Estimated Standard 3.0
Attach address labels, identification codes, and shipping instructions to containers. 90 Estimated Standard 2.6
Determine method of shipment and prepare bills of lading, invoices, and other shipping documents. 75 Estimated Standard 3.7
Track delivery progress of shipments. 75 Estimated Frontier 3.6
Arrange insurance coverage for goods. 75 Estimated Efficient 3.5
Estimate freight or postal rates and record shipment costs and weights. 75 Estimated Frontier 3.4
Keep records of all goods shipped, received, and stored. 75 Estimated Efficient 3.3
Notify consignees, passengers, or customers of freight or baggage arrival and arrange for delivery. 75 Estimated Standard 3.3
Check import or export documentation to determine cargo contents and use tariff coding system to classify goods according to fee or tariff group. 75 Estimated Standard 3.3
Retrieve stored items and trace lost shipments as necessary. 75 Estimated Standard 3.1
Direct or participate in cargo loading to ensure completeness of load and even distribution of weight. 75 Estimated Efficient 2.6
Pack goods for shipping, using tools such as staplers, strapping machines, and hammers. 75 Estimated Efficient 2.6
Open cargo containers and unwrap contents, using steel cutters, crowbars, or other hand tools. 75 Estimated Efficient 2.5
Advise clients on transportation and payment methods. 60 Estimated Frontier 3.5
Prepare manifests showing numbers of airplane passengers and baggage, mail, and freight weights, transmitting data to destinations. 50 Estimated Efficient 3.5
Coordinate and supervise activities of workers engaged in packing and shipping merchandise. 50 Estimated Frontier 3.2
Direct delivery trucks to shipping doors or designated marshaling areas and help load and unload goods safely. 50 Estimated Efficient 3.0
Negotiate and arrange transport of goods with shipping or freight companies. 35 Estimated Standard 3.9
Install straps, braces, and padding to loads to prevent shifting or damage during shipment. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.4
Contact vendors or claims adjustment departments to resolve shipment problems or contact service depots to arrange for repairs. 20 Estimated Standard 3.2
Inspect and count items received and check them against invoices or other documents, recording shortages and rejecting damaged goods. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.2
Maintain a supply of packing materials. 20 Estimated Standard 2.6
Assemble containers and crates used to transport items, such as machines or vehicles. 15 Estimated No tier 3.0
Route received goods to first available flight or to appropriate storage areas or departments, using forklifts, hand trucks, or other equipment. 8 Estimated No tier 3.1

Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 24 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 24 of 24. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.

The model tier this role needs

A standard-tier model or lower covers 74% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 92% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 8% is hands-on.

Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.

Wages, employment and outlook

US employment
97,670
Median annual wage
$52,260
Middle half of earners
$45,710 to $63,390
Projected change, 2024 to 2034
+8.5%

Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034. BLS publishes these figures by SOC code, so O*NET occupations that share a SOC code show the same figures.

Adjacent roles

The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.

Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.

Questions about Cargo and Freight Agents and AI

Will AI replace Cargo and Freight Agents?

AI already handles 14 of the 24 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 56 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by +8.5% from 2024 to 2034.

What is the AI exposure of Cargo and Freight Agents?

56 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 0 of the 24 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 24 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.

Which Cargo and Freight Agents tasks can AI already do?

The tasks with the highest exposure are: Enter shipping information into a computer by hand or by a hand-held scanner that reads bar codes on goods; Attach address labels, identification codes, and shipping instructions to containers; Determine method of shipment and prepare bills of lading, invoices, and other shipping documents. They are three of the 14 tasks that reach 60 or more.

What AI model tier does this role need?

A standard-tier model or lower covers 74% of the role's importance-weighted task work. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.

How many people work as Cargo and Freight Agents, and what do they earn?

97,670 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $52,260 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +8.5% from 2024 to 2034.

How to cite

Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.

JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Cargo and Freight Agents. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/cargo-and-freight-agents

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