At a car dealership, the auto porter is the employee who is assigned primary responsibility for parking vehicles and moving them from place to place. Auto porter duties include cleaning cars, performing light maintenance and other tasks as instructed by managers.

Dealership Auto Porter Jobs

When you buy a new or used car at a dealership, it is the auto porter who brings it to a pick-up location. It's his job to make sure your new vehicle is ready, so you can get behind the wheel and drive away. This is actually the car porter's final task. While a car is at the dealership, auto porters move and park it as needed. Porters wash cars and clean the interiors so that customers see an attractive vehicle. Dealerships usually have auto porters check a car's oil and other fluids, and fill them if necessary. They also fill up the gas tank. The auto porter keeps track of vehicle locations on the lot. Managers assign auto porters other duties as well. For example, they are usually responsible for keeping the car lot free of trash. In winter, they may have to remove snow and ice from the cars.

Auto Porters in the Service Department

When a car porter is assigned to the dealership's service department, she has additional duties. Auto porter responsibilities in the service area start with driving the car from the point where a customer or tow truck drops it off to a parking space to wait for a service technician to start work. Once a car is serviced, the porter cleans up any grease or dirt, and checks to make sure all work is completed. At some service departments, porters may perform simple maintenance tasks such as changing a battery. The porter brings the car to a service drive and delivers it when the customer arrives to pick it up.

Auto Porter Job Requirements

You don't need formal training to become an auto porter. You'll be trained on the job, although some prior automotive knowledge is helpful. Dealerships usually want you to have a high school diploma or equivalency certificate. A responsible attitude is essential. You will be entrusted with moving and caring for valuable property. You must have a valid driver's license and a good driving record. A good auto porter is detail-oriented and willing to do a wide range of tasks when the manager asks. Some dealerships also require drug screening and a background check.

Auto Porter Salaries

Auto porter salaries are set by individual dealerships, so they vary a lot. In 2017, Glassdoor.com found that most car porters earn between $17,000 and $28,000 per year. They estimated the average annual pay was about $20,000. Indeed.com says that the average hourly wage for auto porters in June 2017 was $10.34. The average annual salary was $22,972.