Will AI replace transportation inspectors?

Unlikely, though parts of the work are changing. About 1h 7m of an 8-hour shift goes to tasks touched by robots. The other 6h 53m (86%) stays with people. Separately, BLS expects about 2.2% more of these jobs by 2035 (all jobs: +3.5%).

None of this job's tasks show regular AI use yet. That can mean the work is hands-on or in person, or simply that it rarely comes up in AI usage data.

For some tasks, yes. Robots have done 4 of this job's tasks in workplaces like this one, about 1h 7m of a typical shift. 3 more tasks have only been done in factory setups built around the machine, so they stay with people here. For 2 physical tasks, no robot has shown it can do the work yet.

• Visually inspect cargo for damage upon arrival or discharge. (36m a shift; e.g. VISY ADDS (Automatic Damage Detection System), in use)
• Check temperatures and humidities of shipping and storage areas to ensure that they are at appropriate levels to protect cargo. (12m a shift; e.g. DEEP Robotics X20/X30 and Lynx M20 quadrupeds, in use)
• Measure heights and widths of loads to ensure they will pass over bridges or through tunnels on scheduled routes. (12m a shift; e.g. Railroad wayside defect detectors (high/wide and shifted-load detectors), in use)
• Read draft markings to determine depths of vessels in water. (6m a shift; e.g. OMC International real-time air draft measurement system (RIEGL VZ-2000i LiDAR), in use)

6h 53m of a typical shift, or 86%, goes to tasks with no AI or robot evidence yet. No AI usage or robot deployment has shown up for these so far. The biggest:

• Prepare and submit reports after completion of freight shipments. (1h 13m a shift)
• Inspect loaded cargo, cargo lashed to decks or in storage facilities, and cargo handling devices to determine compliance with health and safety regulations and need for maintenance. (1h 1m a shift)
• Inspect shipments to ensure that freight is securely braced and blocked. (49m a shift)
• Record details about freight conditions, handling of freight, and any problems encountered. (49m a shift)
• Observe loading of freight to ensure that crews comply with procedures. (49m a shift)

The median pay is about $92,100 a year ($44.28 an hour), 81% above the median for all U.S. jobs ($50,980). Most people in this job earn between $40,330 and $138,670 a year; that range covers the middle 80%. Pay figures are from BLS, May 2025, and vary a lot by state and employer. Pick a state to compare:

BLS projects growth of 2.2% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% growth for all jobs. That's about 26,000 jobs in 2035. It expects about 2,300 openings a year, mostly from people retiring or changing careers. These projections don't single out AI as a cause.

About 25,000 people in the U.S., roughly 0.02% of all workers (BLS, May 2025). That makes it the 510th largest of the 796 jobs on this site. BLS expects about 26,000 in 2035.

O*NET rates the job at level 4 of 5 for preparation, which usually means: bachelor's degree. Requirements vary by state and employer, especially for licensed work.

These come from the job's official skill ratings and from the tasks that AI and robots touch least today. Building them keeps you strong in the parts of the work that still need a person:

• Skills that matter more here than in most jobs: Time Management, Writing, Systems Evaluation, Reading Comprehension
• Get strong at the parts of the job that stay with people (listed above), which take 6h 53m of a typical shift
• Tools employers list: Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Excel, Adobe Acrobat, Google Android, Microsoft Outlook

These use similar skills. Matches come from 109 official ratings of skills, knowledge and work activities, and each needs the same or less preparation unless the official list relates the jobs directly:

• Cargo and Freight Agents (30m touched, $52k median pay)
• Aviation Inspectors (59m touched, $92k median pay)

Each task carries its own evidence label. For this job: 4 with robots in real deployments, 13 with no AI or robot evidence found. The minutes per task are estimates, not measured hours, and "no evidence" doesn't prove a task is safe.