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What does a class a driver do?

Updated January 8, 2025
8 min read
Quoted expert
Don Lefeve
What does a class a driver do

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.

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Class a driver responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real class a driver resumes:

  • Pick up and deliver LTL freight
  • Inspect tractor and trailers daily per CDL regulations.
  • Deliver pet products to veterinarian and pet supply stores.
  • Pick up and delivery as a truckload, OTR driver.
  • Drive OTR and load and unload truck full of household goods.
  • Deliver and pick up freight and hazmat materials in bay area and central valley.
  • Demonstrate ability to follow specify routes and reading maps, atlas and GPS accurately.
  • Fork lift operator responsible for receiving and unloading in bound shipments from LTL common carriers.
  • Deliver various cargo throughout the east and west coast regions of the U.S. using maps and GPS skills.
  • Transport hazardous material following all organizational and OSHA rules and guidelines.
  • Utilize quality assurance principles and incorporate OSHA standards to meet work requirements.
  • Deliver pallets to various customers including Wal-Mart, Stanley tools office mart to their distribution locations
  • Drive vans that are equip for taking members that use electric scooters, wheelchairs or are mobile.
  • Assist in the boarding of passengers using wheelchairs or other mobility aids and is required to properly secure wheelchairs and scooters.
  • Drive flatb with sand sacs from train depot to load site.

Class a driver skills and personality traits

We calculated that 33% of Class A Drivers are proficient in CDL, Customer Service, and OTR. They’re also known for soft skills such as Hearing ability, Physical health, and Hand-eye coordination.

We break down the percentage of Class A Drivers that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • CDL, 33%

    Completed all training for CDL Certification and immediately hired to drive cross-county routes, carrying refrigerated goods and hazardous materials.

  • Customer Service, 12%

    Encourage good relationships with store management and personnel and provide superior customer service.

  • OTR, 9%

    Started doing OTR for the summer into the fall and transferred to Regional in the winter to spring (current)

  • Post-Trip Inspections, 7%

    Conducted pre-trip and post-trip inspections daily validating alignment with safety protocols.

  • Hazmat, 5%

    Attended Professional Training Classes to receive my Commercial License with Endorsements in Doubles/Triples, Air Brake and HazMat.

  • Delivery Schedules, 4%

    Coordinated delivery schedules with customers.

Most class a drivers use their skills in "cdl," "customer service," and "otr" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential class a driver responsibilities here:

Hearing ability. The most essential soft skill for a class a driver to carry out their responsibilities is hearing ability. This skill is important for the role because "truck drivers need good hearing." Additionally, a class a driver resume shows how their duties depend on hearing ability: "provided clients with transportation to their medical appointments including therapy, dentistry, hearing and dialysis. "

Physical health. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling class a driver duties is physical health. The role rewards competence in this skill because "federal regulations do not allow people to become truck drivers if they have a medical condition, such as high blood pressure or epilepsy, which may interfere with their ability to operate a truck." According to a class a driver resume, here's how class a drivers can utilize physical health in their job responsibilities: "maintained current cdl class a license and dot physical fitness certifications. "

Hand-eye coordination. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of class a drivers is hand-eye coordination. This skill is critical to many everyday class a driver duties, as "drivers of heavy trucks and tractor-trailers must be able to coordinate their legs, hands, and eyes simultaneously so that they will react appropriately to the situation around them and drive the vehicle safely." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "provided extensive customer service support and logistics coordination with major food industry distributors. "

Visual ability. A big part of what class a drivers do relies on "visual ability." You can see how essential it is to class a driver responsibilities because "truck drivers must be able to pass vision tests." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical class a driver tasks: "assist clients with walkers and the visually impaired in and out of vehicle. "

See the full list of class a driver skills

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Compare different class a drivers

Class a driver vs. Truck driver class a

The responsibilities of a Truck Driver Class A mainly revolves around driving heavy vehicles and ensuring that all transported goods meet the expected delivery deadlines and quality. The Driver needs to have a Class A license and be emotionally and physically healthy to qualify. Among the duties of a Truck Driver Class A will also revolve around securing and monitoring the quantity and quality of items, maintaining the vehicle in good condition, abide by the traffic rules and regulations, adhere to the company standards and policies, and have precise coordination with every workforce involved.

We looked at the average class a driver salary and compared it with the wages of a truck driver class a. Generally speaking, truck drivers class a are paid $6,650 higher than class a drivers per year.While the two careers have a salary gap, they share some of the same responsibilities. Employees in both class a driver and truck driver class a positions are skilled in cdl, customer service, and otr.

There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, class a driver responsibilities require skills like "delivery schedules," "pallets," "punctuality," and "cleanliness." Meanwhile a typical truck driver class a has skills in areas such as "pallet jack," "perseverance," "mile radius," and "good time management." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.

Truck drivers class a earn the highest salaries when working in the transportation industry, with an average yearly salary of $62,650. On the other hand, class a drivers are paid more in the transportation industry with an average salary of $60,830.On average, truck drivers class a reach similar levels of education than class a drivers. Truck drivers class a are 0.4% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Class a driver vs. Tractor-trailer driver

A tractor-trailer driver is responsible for picking up and delivering goods and services from distribution centers and warehouses to different locations across the country as required. Tractor-trailer drivers manage the best route planning to prevent delays. They should also have extensive knowledge of the mechanical industry, inspecting the vehicle's condition regularly, repairing any inconsistencies, and replacing defective components to ensure smooth operations. A tractor-trailer driver must have excellent communication and organizational skills, responding to the clients' inquiries and concerns and escalating complaints to management for immediate resolution.

On average, tractor-trailer drivers earn a $1,878 higher salary than class a drivers a year.A few skills overlap for class a drivers and tractor-trailer drivers. Resumes from both professions show that the duties of each career rely on skills like "cdl," "customer service," and "otr. "

Each career also uses different skills, according to real class a driver resumes. While class a driver responsibilities can utilize skills like "pallets," "dot regulations," "pet," and "punctuality," tractor-trailer drivers use skills like "dot," "pallet jack," "fmcsa," and "tractor-trailer truck."

Tractor-trailer drivers may earn a higher salary than class a drivers, but tractor-trailer drivers earn the most pay in the transportation industry with an average salary of $58,745. On the other hand, class a drivers receive higher pay in the transportation industry, where they earn an average salary of $60,830.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Tractor-trailer drivers tend to reach similar levels of education than class a drivers. In fact, they're 0.4% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for class a drivers in the next 3-5 years?

Don LefeveDon Lefeve LinkedIn profile

President & Chairman of the Board, CVTA

Technology is changing very fast, which is great news for trucking (and all transportation) as it's making vehicles safer. The next 3-5 years will see the expansion of electric vehicles, better safety systems, and greater efficiency in transportation networks. While autonomous technology is advancing rapidly, it will not replace humans anytime soon. Certainly not in the next 3-5 years. There's a lot of testing, security concerns, and limitations that need to be worked out. Beyond the next five years, as technology continues advancing, and jobs will change and be enhanced, but driving jobs will not be replaced by machines. Like airline pilots, the technology relies upon humans, and the human will retain a central role in the control of the truck because we possess the fastest, most capable computers of all -- our brains. I think driver training will always be required, and in fact, it will likely expand to cover not only the fundamentals but also incorporate more technical training centered around autonomous systems and how to operate them.

Class a driver vs. Driver/mover

A driver/mover is responsible for preparing and arranging items for delivery from the distribution center to assigned destinations. Driver/movers assist with loading and unloading merchandise using various warehouse tools and equipment. They also inspect the packaging of items, ensuring that the products are free of any defects and immediately escalate damaged items to the management. A driver/mover checks the accuracy of inventory reports to determine the correct quantity of the delivered items before and after shipment to prevent client misunderstandings and complaints.

On average scale, driver/movers bring in lower salaries than class a drivers. In fact, they earn a $24,303 lower salary per year.By looking over several class a drivers and driver/movers resumes, we found that both roles require similar skills in their day-to-day duties, such as "cdl," "customer service," and "straight truck." But beyond that, the careers look very different.

Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from class a driver resumes include skills like "otr," "post-trip inspections," "hazmat," and "delivery schedules," whereas a driver/mover is more likely to list skills in "equipment inventory," "complete paperwork," "truck inspections," and "office furniture. "

Driver/movers make a very good living in the energy industry with an average annual salary of $33,850. On the other hand, class a drivers are paid the highest salary in the transportation industry, with average annual pay of $60,830.When it comes to education, driver/movers tend to earn similar degree levels compared to class a drivers. In fact, they're 1.0% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Class a driver vs. Line haul driver

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.

Line haul drivers tend to earn a lower pay than class a drivers by an average of $2,628 per year.While their salaries may vary, class a drivers and line haul drivers both use similar skills to perform their duties. Resumes from both professions include skills like "cdl," "customer service," and "otr. "Each job also requires different skills to carry out their responsibilities. A class a driver uses "pallets," "pet," "punctuality," and "customer locations." Line haul drivers are more likely to have duties that require skills in "line haul," "local regulations," "unload freight," and "pickup. "The manufacturing industry tends to pay the highest salaries for line haul drivers, with average annual pay of $53,344. Comparatively, the highest class a driver annual salary comes from the transportation industry.line haul drivers reach similar levels of education compared to class a drivers, in general. The difference is that they're 0.3% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of class a driver

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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