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What does a class b driver do?

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

A Class B driver is responsible for operating vehicles with weight requirements, usually used for commercial and industrial purposes. Class B drivers are typically employed as a school bus driver, delivery truck driver, public transit driver, ensuring that they meet a clean driving record. They should also have excellent knowledge of the mechanical industry, especially on inspecting the vehicle's engine condition and set maintenance repairs as necessary. A Class B driver must adhere to the safe road regulations at all times to prevent accidents and avoid delays in operation.

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Class b driver responsibilities

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

  • Maintain dot log books daily.
  • Used a RF scanner to maintain inventory.
  • Use of tow motors and RF scanners also.
  • Follow all rules and regulations while safely transporting HazMat cargo.
  • Follow all organizational and OSHA rules and guidelines regarding handling of hazardous waste materials.
  • Operate propane sit-down, electric stand-up, and special Hazmat forklifts to load and unload inventory.
  • Deliver products to job sites out of a 2 ton pick up class b CDL require automatic only
  • Warehouse duties include pick & pack various product onto pallets using forklift, wrap pallets for next day delivery.
  • Experience CDL driver for large commercial vehicle, collecting recyclables, trash, yard waste and bulk furniture/appliance pick ups.
  • Maintain safety and cleanliness of warehouse.
  • Complete necessary paperwork including daily invoices to pickup and deliver produce.
  • Maintain truck cleanliness while also handling in-house assignments as requested by management.
  • Operate QUALCOMM for logs and to communicate with driver manager and dispatch.
  • Experience in using QUALCOMM and keeping documentation on all bills of lading.
  • Answer commercials and general calls, also look for parts on AutoZone systems and place orders for customers.

Class b driver skills and personality traits

We calculated that 30% of Class B Drivers are proficient in CDL, DOT, and Customer Service. They’re also known for soft skills such as Hearing ability, Physical health, and Hand-eye coordination.

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

  • CDL, 30%

    Drive Class B CDL Scale Truck Calibrate Scales Test Wires & Troubleshoot Scale Replace Load Cells Use Test Weights to Calibrate Scales

  • DOT, 13%

    Tracked verification of inventory using computerized scanner and maintained daily DOT and stop manifest logs.

  • Customer Service, 9%

    Provide customer service and deliver products and equipment to customers on scheduled delivery days in the assigned territory.

  • Customer Locations, 5%

    Maintain safe operation and delivery of hazardous gases and hard good to customer locations.

  • Straight Truck, 5%

    Drive a Straight Truck, Sprinter and Cargo van to deliver freight to various Companies in the Eastern Us Region.

  • Post-Trip Inspections, 4%

    Conducted daily pre-trip and post-trip inspections on box truck and was subject to HOS regulations.

"cdl," "dot," and "customer service" are among the most common skills that class b drivers use at work. You can find even more class b driver responsibilities below, including:

Hearing ability. One of the key soft skills for a class b driver to have is hearing ability. You can see how this relates to what class b drivers do because "truck drivers need good hearing." Additionally, a class b driver resume shows how class b drivers use hearing ability: "provided clients with transportation to their medical appointments including therapy, dentistry, hearing and dialysis. "

Physical health. Many class b driver duties rely on physical health. "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," so a class b driver will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways class b driver responsibilities rely on physical health: "pass dot physical and random ua's. "

Hand-eye coordination. class b drivers are also known for hand-eye coordination, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to class b driver responsibilities, because "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." A class b driver resume example shows how hand-eye coordination is used in the workplace: "time management and customer location coordination key to ensuring many different deliveries occurred on time. "

Visual ability. class b driver responsibilities often require "visual ability." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "truck drivers must be able to pass vision tests." This resume example shows what class b drivers do with visual ability on a typical day: "assist riders on wheelchairs, walkers, canes and visually impaired. "

All class b driver skills

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Compare different class b drivers

Class b 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.

The annual salary of truck drivers class a is $19,037 higher than the average salary of class b drivers.While the two careers have a salary gap, they share some of the same responsibilities. Employees in both class b driver and truck driver class a positions are skilled in cdl, customer service, and customer locations.

There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, class b driver responsibilities require skills like "dot," "math," "cleanliness," and "good communication." Meanwhile a typical truck driver class a has skills in areas such as "pet," "otr," "dot regulations," and "pallet jack." 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 b drivers are paid more in the construction industry with an average salary of $46,087.truck drivers class a tend to reach similar levels of education than class b drivers. In fact, truck drivers class a are 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.3% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.

Class b driver vs. Loader/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.

A career as a loader/driver brings a lower average salary when compared to the average annual salary of a class b driver. In fact, loader/drivers salary is $4,787 lower than the salary of class b drivers per year.While the salary may differ for these jobs, they share a few skills needed to perform their duties. Based on resume data, both class b drivers and loader/drivers have skills such as "cdl," "dot," and "customer locations. "

Each career also uses different skills, according to real class b driver resumes. While class b driver responsibilities can utilize skills like "customer service," "hazmat," "vehicle inspections," and "math," loader/drivers use skills like "safety policies," "safety issues," "delivery truck," and "pallet jack."

Loader/drivers may earn a lower salary than class b drivers, but loader/drivers earn the most pay in the utilities industry with an average salary of $44,581. On the other hand, class b drivers receive higher pay in the construction industry, where they earn an average salary of $46,087.In general, loader/drivers achieve similar levels of education than class b drivers. They're 0.1% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for class b 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 b driver vs. Line haul driver

The truck driver transports goods and materials by land from and to manufacturing factories or retail businesses and distribution centers with the use of heavy trucks or tractor-trailers. Truck drivers assist and supervise the safe unloading of cargos to the destination. They must always check their cargo if complete and secured with cables, rope, or other materials. They should keep their truck clean, neat, and inspect prior the trip and ensure to be in good working condition to operate safely. It is very important that they follow with all appropriate safety procedures and comply with federal and state regulations. They must also be knowledgable and comfortable in using maps or GPS to navigate the safest and most efficient routes.

On average, line haul drivers earn higher salaries than class b drivers, with a $9,759 difference per year.class b drivers and line haul drivers both have job responsibilities that require similar skill sets. These similarities include skills such as "cdl," "customer service," and "post-trip inspections," but they differ when it comes to other required skills.

The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, class b drivers are more likely to have skills like "dot," "customer locations," "straight truck," and "math." But a line haul driver is more likely to have skills like "line haul," "dot regulations," "otr," and "ltl."

Line haul drivers earn the highest salary when working in the manufacturing industry, where they receive an average salary of $53,344. Comparatively, class b drivers have the highest earning potential in the construction industry, with an average salary of $46,087.line haul drivers typically earn similar educational levels compared to class b drivers. Specifically, they're 0.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Class b driver vs. Truck driver

Truck drivers tend to earn a higher pay than class b drivers by an average of $16,093 per year.While both class b drivers and truck drivers complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like cdl, dot, and customer service, the two careers vary in some skills.Each job also requires different skills to carry out their responsibilities. A class b driver uses "math," "cleanliness," "good communication," and "safety rules." Truck drivers are more likely to have duties that require skills in "otr," "pet," "english language," and "traffic violations. "In general, truck drivers earn the most working in the retail industry, with an average salary of $58,554. The highest-paying industry for a class b driver is the construction industry.truck drivers reach similar levels of education compared to class b drivers, in general. The difference is that they're 0.3% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of class b 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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