What Is a Freight Inspector and How to Become One

By ZipRecruiter Marketplace Research Team

As a freight inspector, your duties are to inspect shipments to ensure that they are packed and secured correctly and loaded in the proper container. You also make sure that contents are in compliance with all freight regulations. You review cargo manifests and file reports after a shipment ua complete, inspect them when they arrive at a shipping location, such as a port, rail yard or freight depot, and advise shipping crews whenever freight is not stored correctly so that they avoid accidents. Your responsibilities differ slightly if you are dealing with ships, trucks, or trains.

The qualifications needed to become a freight inspector include an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in logistics, physics, or mathematics. In addition to education, you need several years of training and experience under a more senior inspector. This is a great time to learn the rules and regulations that shipping personnel need to comply with and how to manage paperwork and documentation of shipping material. Other skills include strong verbal and written communication and a strong eye for detail.