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The differences between class a drivers and line haul drivers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a class a driver and a line haul driver. Additionally, a class a driver has an average salary of $56,620, which is higher than the $53,992 average annual salary of a line haul driver.
The top three skills for a class a driver include CDL, customer service and OTR. The most important skills for a line haul driver are CDL, hazmat, and safety regulations.
| Class A Driver | Line Haul Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $56,620 | $53,992 |
| Hourly rate | $27.22 | $25.96 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 706,950 | 871,646 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A Class A driver is an individual driver who has acquired a commercial driver's license (CDL) to operate trucks or commercial vehicles to transport materials and heavy equipment. Class A drivers are required to plan over-the-road (OTR) travel by using GPS and ensure that they follow bulk cargo transportation laws, regulations, and guidelines. They must conduct proper maintenance of the company vehicles and provide accurate daily logs to stay in compliance with the company's regulations. Class A drivers should also know how to operate equipment such as citizen band (CB) radios and telephones.
A line haul truck driver is in charge of transporting heavy materials using large vehicles such as tractor-trailers, ensuring timeliness and efficiency. Their responsibilities typically revolve around securing documents or invoices, adhering to specific routes, driving for long durations, liaising and building positive relationships with companies, and ensuring the safety and quality of all cargo. Furthermore, as a line haul truck driver, it is essential to abide by all the traffic laws and perform regular vehicle maintenance checks to ensure a safe and productive work environment.
Class a drivers and line haul drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Class A Driver | Line Haul Driver | |
| Average salary | $56,620 | $53,992 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $80,000 | Between $37,000 And $78,000 |
| Highest paying City | Philadelphia, PA | Fargo, ND |
| Highest paying state | Vermont | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Mid-South Management | Tyson Foods |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a class a driver and a line haul driver in terms of educational background:
| Class A Driver | Line Haul Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between class a drivers' and line haul drivers' demographics:
| Class A Driver | Line Haul Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.8% Female, 5.2% | Male, 90.8% Female, 9.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 22.7% Asian, 3.7% White, 56.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 3.6% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |