Forklift Operator Jobs in New York, NY
Forklift operators in New York move freight for big-box stores, City storehouses and the subway system's supply depots. Home Depot's Brooklyn store posts freight jobs at $20.50 to $21.50 an hour, and MTA stock workers who drive lift trucks climb to $38.55 by year six. Here are the current openings, then who is hiring and how to get certified.
Current forklift operator Openings in New York, NY
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Forklift Operator Work in New York
New York has little room for the giant distribution centers that ring other metros, so forklift work concentrates in the city's Industrial Business Zones: Hunts Point and Port Morris in the Bronx, Maspeth and the JFK Industrial Corridor in Queens, and Southwest Brooklyn and the Navy Yard. The Hunts Point Food Distribution Center alone holds more than 100 businesses and about 8,500 jobs. Warehouse clubs and home improvement stores in Brooklyn and Staten Island also hire their own forklift drivers.
The other big employer is government. City agencies run their own warehouses, such as the Department of Transportation's auto supply storeroom on Harper Street in Corona, and the MTA and NYC Health + Hospitals fill lift truck jobs through civil service exams. Those titles usually pay more, but you get in through an exam, not a resume.
Top New York Employers Hiring Forklift Operators
These employers have posted forklift or lift truck work inside the five boroughs on their own career sites:
- Costco - the warehouse club posts Forklift Driver openings at its Brooklyn and Staten Island warehouses on its own careers site.
- Home Depot - the Hamilton Avenue store in Brooklyn hires freight and receiving associates to unload trucks, a role that can include running a forklift.
- NYC Department of Transportation - Stock Workers in Corona and at St. George on Staten Island receive and load fleet parts, and the Corona job lists forklift loading and unloading.
- MTA New York City Transit - Railroad Stock Workers receive and distribute transit parts and run hydraulic diesel and electric lift trucks.
- NYC Health + Hospitals - the public hospital system hires Stock Workers from its own exam list and trains them on forklifts and lift trucks.
Forklift Operator Salaries in New York
- Entry level: about $18 to $21 per hour for new operators at stores and warehouses.
- Experienced: roughly $22 to $29 per hour, including City Stock Worker salaries of about $40,000 to $60,000 a year.
- Senior / top step: $30 to $38 per hour or more, with MTA Railroad Stock Workers reaching $38.55 an hour in their sixth year.
These are estimates from posted pay and federal wage data for the New York metro, where industrial truck operators earn a median of about $22.56 an hour and the top tenth earn more than $36. Pay climbs with night and overnight shifts, reach truck and high-rack experience, union membership and civil service seniority.
How to Become a Forklift Operator in New York
There is no New York State or New York City forklift license. Federal OSHA rules require your employer to train you, watch you operate, and certify you on each type of truck you will drive, with a new evaluation at least every three years and refresher training after an accident or a change of equipment. Civil service jobs work differently: the MTA's Railroad Stock Worker exam asks for three years of industrial warehouse experience or four of specialized retail stock work, and City and hospital Stock Worker jobs are filled from DCAS or NYC Health + Hospitals exam lists. The free Workforce1 Industrial and Transportation Career Centers at the Brooklyn Army Terminal, in Jamaica, Long Island City, the South Bronx and St. George connect job seekers with warehouse employers. A New York State driver license helps, and some City stock jobs prefer it.
What the Job Involves
Forklift operators load and unload trailers, move pallets from the dock to storage, put stock away on high racking, and pull it down again for orders or the sales floor. Each shift starts with a pre-use inspection of the truck, and operators count and check what they move, record it on a scanner or in inventory software, and watch constantly for coworkers and customers on foot.
Skills Employers Look For
- Safe, smooth operation of sit-down, stand-up or reach trucks
- Daily pre-use truck inspections
- Accurate counting and checking of incoming freight
- Handheld scanner and inventory system use
- Steady footing around pedestrians and tight aisles
- Willingness to work early, overnight or weekend shifts
Career Path and Advancement
Many New York operators start as stockers or freight associates, get certified on the store or warehouse truck, and move into forklift driver jobs. From there the strongest move is into a civil service Stock Worker title with the City, the MTA or NYC Health + Hospitals, where pay rises on a set schedule. Experienced operators can advance to supervisor of stock workers, inventory control or receiving lead, and some add a CDL to drive.
Related Careers in New York
If forklift work interests you, these related New York roles are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to drive a forklift in New York?
No. New York State and New York City do not issue forklift licenses. OSHA requires your employer to train, evaluate and certify you on each type of truck you operate, and many employers do that on the job.
How much do forklift operators make in New York?
New operators usually start around $18 to $21 an hour, and experienced operators earn about $22 to $29. MTA and other civil service stock jobs pay more and rise with years of service.
How long is a forklift certification good for?
OSHA requires your employer to re-evaluate you at least once every three years. You also need refresher training after an accident, a near miss, an unsafe evaluation or a move to a different kind of truck.
How do I get a forklift job with the City or the MTA?
Watch for Stock Worker exam filing periods from DCAS, NYC Health + Hospitals and the MTA, apply and pay the exam fee, and get hired from the resulting list.
What should I bring to a forklift job interview in New York?
Bring a government ID, proof that you can work in the United States, and any forklift certification card or training record from a past employer. Bring your New York State driver license if you have one.
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