Trip pilot is a term applied to the captain

Captain (nautical)

A sea captain is a licensed mariner in ultimate command of the vessel. The captain is responsible for its safe and efficient operation, including cargo operations, navigation, crew management and ensuring that the vessel complies with local and international laws, as well as company and flag...

s of some inland waterway vessels in the United States of America. Trip pilots possess a Master of Towing Vessel USCG License and are in demand in the commercial tug

Tugboat

A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...

 and barge

Barge

A barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...

 industry. They are primarily employed in the inland brown water trade on push boats running the Mississippi River

Mississippi River

The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...

 and Gulf ICW.

There is controversy in the industry between company men that often work for much less to have the security of a regular rotation and steady job for less money. The net effect of the strong Trip Pilot Association has been to improve the day rates for all mariners.

As of January 2010 the typical rate for a Trip Pilot is between $550.00 and $750.00 per day.