Bridge and Lock Tenders

Transportation and Material Moving Occupations

O*NET-SOC code: 53-6011.00

Operate and tend bridges, canal locks, and lighthouses to permit marine passage on inland waterways, near shores, and at danger points in waterway passages. May supervise such operations. Includes drawbridge operators, lock operators, and slip bridge operators.

Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
Low· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery high
Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
Source dataset (XLSX download)
Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.000
0.000Range of values carried here0.745
Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
Source dataset (CSV download)
Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.18
0.09Range of values carried here0.70
Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
Source dataset (PDF download)

What kind of figure this source publishes

The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.

Task-level exposure

18 rated tasks · 4 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (22.2%)

β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.

Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
All rated tasks are in the O*NET 31.0 task list.

Source: OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
Release: gh-main-0471612
License: MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI

Task (O*NET 30.2)	Claude.aiRaw / share %
Prepare accident reports. 53-6011.00	0.00000.0
Not observed on any surface — 17 task(s) — These tasks have no row in the source for this release. The 0 in the share row is a display-stage composition ratio; absence is what the — in the raw row states.
Move levers to activate traffic signals, navigation lights, and alarms.	—0
Record names, types, and destinations of vessels passing through bridge openings or locks, and numbers of trains or vehicles crossing bridges.	—0
Control machinery to open and close canal locks and dams, railroad or highway drawbridges, or horizontally or vertically adjustable bridges.	—0
Direct movements of vessels in locks or bridge areas, using signals, telecommunication equipment, or loudspeakers.	—0
Observe approaching vessels to determine size and speed, and listen for whistle signals indicating desire to pass.	—0
Observe position and progress of vessels to ensure best use of lock spaces or bridge opening spaces.	—0
Log data, such as water levels and weather conditions.	—0
Write and submit maintenance work requisitions.	—0
Perform maintenance duties, such as sweeping, painting, and yard work to keep facilities clean and in order.	—0
Maintain and guard stations in bridges to check waterways for boat traffic.	—0
Inspect canal and bridge equipment, and areas, such as roadbeds, for damage or defects, reporting problems to supervisors as necessary.	—0
Clean and lubricate equipment, and make minor repairs and adjustments.	—0
Check that bridges are clear of vehicles and pedestrians prior to opening.	—0
Turn valves to increase or decrease water levels in locks.	—0
Stop automobile and pedestrian traffic on bridges, and lower automobile gates prior to moving bridges.	—0
Raise drawbridges and observe passage of water traffic or lower drawbridges and raise automobile gates.	—0
Attach ropes or cable lines to bitts on lock decks or wharfs to secure vessels.	—0

Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.

Task (O*NET 27.2)	βE1 + 0.5 × E2
Record names, types, and destinations of vessels passing through bridge openings or locks, and numbers of trains or vehicles crossing bridges. O*NET Task ID 7151	1.0
Prepare accident reports. O*NET Task ID 7154	1.0
Log data, such as water levels and weather conditions. O*NET Task ID 7160	1.0
Write and submit maintenance work requisitions. O*NET Task ID 7161	1.0
Move levers to activate traffic signals, navigation lights, and alarms. O*NET Task ID 7150	0.0
Control machinery to open and close canal locks and dams, railroad or highway drawbridges, or horizontally or vertically adjustable bridges. O*NET Task ID 7152	0.0
Direct movements of vessels in locks or bridge areas, using signals, telecommunication equipment, or loudspeakers. O*NET Task ID 7153	0.0
Observe approaching vessels to determine size and speed, and listen for whistle signals indicating desire to pass. O*NET Task ID 7155	0.0
Observe position and progress of vessels to ensure best use of lock spaces or bridge opening spaces. O*NET Task ID 7156	0.0
Maintain and guard stations in bridges to check waterways for boat traffic. O*NET Task ID 7157	0.0
Inspect canal and bridge equipment, and areas, such as roadbeds, for damage or defects, reporting problems to supervisors as necessary. O*NET Task ID 7158	0.0
Clean and lubricate equipment, and make minor repairs and adjustments. O*NET Task ID 7159	0.0
Perform maintenance duties, such as sweeping, painting, and yard work to keep facilities clean and in order. O*NET Task ID 7162	0.0
Check that bridges are clear of vehicles and pedestrians prior to opening. O*NET Task ID 7163	0.0
Turn valves to increase or decrease water levels in locks. O*NET Task ID 7164	0.0
Stop automobile and pedestrian traffic on bridges, and lower automobile gates prior to moving bridges. O*NET Task ID 7165	0.0
Raise drawbridges and observe passage of water traffic or lower drawbridges and raise automobile gates. O*NET Task ID 7166	0.0
Attach ropes or cable lines to bitts on lock decks or wharfs to secure vessels. O*NET Task ID 7169	0.0

β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.

Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Anthropic Economic Index, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page

All O*NET 31.0 task statements (18)

All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.

Task (O*NET 31.0)	Type
Move levers to activate traffic signals, navigation lights, and alarms.	Core
Record names, types, and destinations of vessels passing through bridge openings or locks, and numbers of trains or vehicles crossing bridges.	Core
Control machinery to open and close canal locks and dams, railroad or highway drawbridges, or horizontally or vertically adjustable bridges.	Core
Direct movements of vessels in locks or bridge areas, using signals, telecommunication equipment, or loudspeakers.	Core
Prepare accident reports.	Core
Observe approaching vessels to determine size and speed, and listen for whistle signals indicating desire to pass.	Core
Observe position and progress of vessels to ensure best use of lock spaces or bridge opening spaces.	Core
Log data, such as water levels and weather conditions.	Core
Write and submit maintenance work requisitions.	Core
Perform maintenance duties, such as sweeping, painting, and yard work to keep facilities clean and in order.	Core
Maintain and guard stations in bridges to check waterways for boat traffic.	Supplemental
Inspect canal and bridge equipment, and areas, such as roadbeds, for damage or defects, reporting problems to supervisors as necessary.	Supplemental
Clean and lubricate equipment, and make minor repairs and adjustments.	Supplemental
Check that bridges are clear of vehicles and pedestrians prior to opening.	Supplemental
Turn valves to increase or decrease water levels in locks.	Supplemental
Stop automobile and pedestrian traffic on bridges, and lower automobile gates prior to moving bridges.	Supplemental
Raise drawbridges and observe passage of water traffic or lower drawbridges and raise automobile gates.	Supplemental
Attach ropes or cable lines to bitts on lock decks or wharfs to secure vessels.	Supplemental

Anthropic, "What work can robots do?"2026-09

1.08/ 3· Robot exposure index

0 none3 unstructured settings

Scale, basis and source

Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time

Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks

Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.

Source dataset

The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.

Tier of each physical task

Robot environment tiers (E0–E3)

E0 noneDetails
Rated not doable by robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated, even in a purpose-built setting
E1 purpose-built robot settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting built around the machine, such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line
E2 structured facilitiesDetails
Rated doable in a human work facility that an institution keeps to a working standard, such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port
E3 unstructured settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting that no institution keeps to a working standard, such as a private home or a construction site

Only tasks classified as physical are listed; other tasks have no tier in the source.

Task (O*NET 29.3)	Robot environment tier
Move levers to activate traffic signals, navigation lights, and alarms.	E2 structured facilities
Control machinery to open and close canal locks and dams, railroad or highway drawbridges, or horizontally or vertically adjustable bridges.	E1 purpose-built robot settings
Perform maintenance duties, such as sweeping, painting, and yard work to keep facilities clean and in order.	E2 structured facilities
Maintain and guard stations in bridges to check waterways for boat traffic.	E2 structured facilities
Inspect canal and bridge equipment, and areas, such as roadbeds, for damage or defects, reporting problems to supervisors as necessary.	E2 structured facilities
Clean and lubricate equipment, and make minor repairs and adjustments.	E1 purpose-built robot settings
Turn valves to increase or decrease water levels in locks.	E2 structured facilities
Stop automobile and pedestrian traffic on bridges, and lower automobile gates prior to moving bridges.	E2 structured facilities
Raise drawbridges and observe passage of water traffic or lower drawbridges and raise automobile gates.	E1 purpose-built robot settings
Attach ropes or cable lines to bitts on lock decks or wharfs to secure vessels.	E1 purpose-built robot settings

Employment outlook (BLS)

Employment, 2025: 3K
Projected employment, 2035: 3K
Change (2025–35): -2.3%
Median annual wage, 2025: $57,700
Typical education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent

lowest $30,890median wage across 825 detailed occupations, BLS EP 2025–35highest $559,030

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 — Employment by detailed occupation, 2025 and projected 2035

Korea classification links (KSCO)

Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.

KSCO code	KSCO title	Relation	Status
87502	등대원	This occupation is broader	confirmed

Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)

ILO occupational description

AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.

ISCO-08 8343Crane, hoist and related plant operators

The definition, tasks and examples below are the ILO's description of that unit group, not of this occupation.

Crane, hoist and related plant operators operate and monitor stationary and mobile cranes and other hoisting equipment.

Tasks

(a) operating and monitoring stationary or mobile cranes by raising and lowering jibs and booms, to lift, move, position or place equipment and materials;
(b) operating and monitoring equipment for hoisting, lowering or raising workers and materials on construction sites or in mines;
(c) operating and monitoring ski-lifts and similar equipment;
(d) operating and monitoring machinery used to haul ferry or barge with goods, passengers and vehicles across short stretches of water;
(e) operating and monitoring machinery to open and close bridge for the passage of road and water traffic;
(f) operating and monitoring cranes equipped with dredging attachments to dredge waterways and other areas;
(g) operating cranes mounted on boats or barges to lift, move and place equipment and materials.

Example occupations

Cable car operator · Chair-lift operator · Crane operator · Funicular driver · Hoist operator · Mine cage operator · Ski-lift operator

Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits

ESCO occupational vocabulary

Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.

bridge construction supervisorESCO 3123.1.2This occupation is broader
Bridge construction supervisors monitor the construction of bridges. They assign tasks and take quick decisions to resolve problems.
underwater construction supervisorESCO 3123.2This occupation is broader
Underwater construction supervisors monitor underwater construction projects such as tunnels, canal locks and bridge pillars. They guide and instruct construction commercial divers and make sure they adhere to safety regulations.

Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)

License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)

View original

ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.

France classification links (ROME)

AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.

ROME code	ROME title (French)	Relation
N1109	Eclusier-barragiste / Eclusière-barragiste	This occupation is narrowerprovisional
N1104	Pontier / Pontière	Related, not a matchprovisional

Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.

ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.

(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)

Spain classification links (CNO-11)

AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.

CNO-11 code	CNO-11 title (Spanish)	Relation
8199	Operadores de instalaciones y maquinaria fijas no clasificados bajo otros epígrafes	This occupation is narrower
8332	Operadores de grúas, montacargas y de maquinaria similar de movimiento de materiales	Related, not a match

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.

(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)

Germany classification links (KldB)

AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.

KldB code	KldB title (German)	Relation
51242	Wasserstraßen- und Brückenwärter/innen - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten	This occupation is narrower
51243	Wasserstraßen- und Brückenwärter/innen - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten	Related, not a matchprovisional

Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.

(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)

Japan classification links (JSCO)

AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.

JSCO code	JSCO title (Japanese)	Relation
592	生産類似作業従事者	This occupation is narrower

Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.

(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)

Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources