Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

Task by task

Each task this job involves, as listed by O*NET, rated on whether a large language model like GPT-4 could cut the time it takes by at least half at the same quality. Tasks marked Seen in real AI use appeared in conversations with Claude in April–May 2026 (Anthropic Economic Index).

• AI can speed this up on its own: 1 (4%)
• AI can speed this up with extra software: 1 (4%)
• Little or no AI speed-up: 26 (93%)

• Keep records of material or equipment usage or problems encountered.AI can speed this up on its own · core task
• Compile cost estimates for jobs.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task
• Learn and follow safety regulations.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
• Take actions to avoid potential hazards or obstructions, such as utility lines, other equipment, other workers, or falling objects.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
• Start engines, move throttles, switches, or levers, or depress pedals to operate machines, such as bulldozers, trench excavators, road graders, or backhoes.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
• Coordinate machine actions with other activities, positioning or moving loads in response to hand or audio signals from crew members.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
• Align machines, cutterheads, or depth gauge makers with reference stakes and guidelines or ground or position equipment, following hand signals of other workers.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
• Locate underground services, such as pipes or wires, prior to beginning work.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
• Signal operators to guide movement of tractor-drawn machines.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
• Repair and maintain equipment, making emergency adjustments or assisting with major repairs as necessary.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
• Load and move dirt, rocks, equipment, or other materials, using trucks, crawler tractors, power cranes, shovels, graders, or related equipment.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
• Drive and maneuver equipment equipped with blades in successive passes over working areas to remove topsoil, vegetation, or rocks or to distribute and level earth or terrain.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
• Operate tractors or bulldozers to perform such tasks as clearing land, mixing sludge, trimming backfills, or building roadways or parking lots.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
• Monitor operations to ensure that health and safety standards are met.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
• Connect hydraulic hoses, belts, mechanical linkages, or power takeoff shafts to tractors.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
• Select and fasten bulldozer blades or other attachments to tractors, using hitches.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
• Operate loaders to pull out stumps, rip asphalt or concrete, rough-grade properties, bury refuse, or perform general cleanup.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
• Operate equipment to demolish or remove debris or to remove snow from streets, roads, or parking lots.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
• Adjust handwheels and depress pedals to control attachments, such as blades, buckets, scrapers, or swing booms.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
• Check fuel supplies at sites to ensure adequate availability.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
• Perform specialized work, using equipment, such as pile drivers, dredging rigs, drillers, or concrete pumpers.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
• Talk to clients and study instructions, plans, or diagrams to establish work requirements.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
• Drive tractor-trailer trucks to move equipment from site to site.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
• Push other equipment when extra traction or assistance is required.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
• Operate road watering, oiling, or rolling equipment, or street sealing equipment, such as chip spreaders.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
• Operate compactors, scrapers, or rollers to level, compact, or cover refuse at disposal grounds.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
• Test atmosphere for adequate oxygen or explosive conditions when working in confined spaces.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
• Turn valves to control air or water output of compressors or pumps.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task

Questions about operating engineers and other construction equipment operators and AI