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What does a haul truck driver do?

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

Haul Truck Drivers are skilled professional drivers. They are licensed to drive around heavy vehicles such as trucks. They usually travel long distances to deliver goods from one place to another. They should be able to meet delivery time expectations. As such, Haul Truck Drivers should have good time management skills. They should also have the presence of mind while driving and must obey all traffic rules. They should know the best routes to take for each particular trip. They must also ensure that their trucks are well-maintained. Haul truck Drivers should be strong enough to assist in loading up the truck or reloading the content.

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Haul truck driver responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real haul truck driver resumes:

  • Maintain CDL and MSHA safety training.
  • Drop and hook doubles, OTR.
  • Maintain CDL and appropriate endorsements.
  • Attend annual re-licensing to learn about new laws and HAZMAT materials.
  • Move drilling rigs hauling oversize loads and hazmat loads using the winch line and loader to load.
  • Inspect equipment prior to start of run, drop off and pickup of trailers load or empty.
  • Follow GPS directives and maintain in constant communication with dispatch when necessary.
  • Keep track of logs, miles, and bol's.

Haul truck driver skills and personality traits

We calculated that 55% of Haul Truck Drivers are proficient in CDL, DOT, and Traffic Violations. They’re also known for soft skills such as Hand-eye coordination, Hearing ability, and Physical health.

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

  • CDL, 55%

    Design and implementation of training course to meet the State of Illinois skills course requirements for CDL testing.

  • DOT, 13%

    Reviewed shipping documents and maintained federally mandated DOT documents.

  • Traffic Violations, 6%

    Report any vehicle defects, accidents, traffic violations, or damage before or after route.

  • Asphalt, 3%

    Completed commercial asphalt delivery using 12 speed Mack dump truck through high traffic areas efficiently and safely.

  • Customer Service, 3%

    Demonstrated excellent customer service and communication skills when interacting with customers and suppliers.

  • OTR, 2%

    Lease Operator, OTR driver.

Most haul truck drivers use their skills in "cdl," "dot," and "traffic violations" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential haul truck driver responsibilities here:

Hand-eye coordination. The most essential soft skill for a haul truck driver to carry out their responsibilities is hand-eye coordination. This skill is important for the role 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." Additionally, a haul truck driver resume shows how their duties depend on hand-eye coordination: "required to use a paper log book with accordance to dot,accomplishmentsnot availableskills usedgood eye hand coordination. "

Hearing ability. Many haul truck driver duties rely on hearing ability. "truck drivers need good hearing," so a haul truck driver will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways haul truck driver responsibilities rely on hearing ability: "transport and deliver customer goods while adhearing to strict deadlines and safety regulations for professional drivers. "

Physical health. haul truck drivers are also known for physical health, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to haul truck driver responsibilities, 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." A haul truck driver resume example shows how physical health is used in the workplace: "clean mvr and i have a dot physical card employment"

Visual ability. A big part of what haul truck drivers do relies on "visual ability." You can see how essential it is to haul truck 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 haul truck driver tasks: "maintained education in successfully, handling hazardous materials; visually recognized colored labels and placards. "

Most common haul truck driver skills

The three companies that hire the most haul truck drivers are:

  • Hansen & Adkins Auto Transport
  • MD Logistics
  • R+L Carriers39 haul truck drivers jobs

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Compare different haul truck drivers

Haul truck driver vs. Cdl class a driver

A CDL Class A driver is a driver with a Class A commercial driver's license. A commercial driver's license is necessary to operate large, heavy, and placarded vehicles. There are several classifications of a commercial driver's license, and Class A is for a car towing a trailer with a gross vehicle weight of more than 10,000 pounds (5 t). Drivers with this type of license are entitled to operate a commercial motor vehicle such as passenger buses, tractor-trailers, semi-trucks, and dump trucks. They have the choice to add endorsements to their CDL, which allows them to operate particular types of commercial motor vehicles.

We looked at the average haul truck driver salary and compared it with the wages of a cdl class a driver. Generally speaking, cdl class a drivers are paid $8,729 lower than haul truck drivers per year.While their salaries may differ, the common ground between haul truck drivers and cdl class a drivers are a few of the skills required in each roleacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities. In both careers, employee duties involve skills like traffic violations, customer service, and otr.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a haul truck driver are more likely to require skills like "cdl," "dot," "asphalt," and "loaders." On the other hand, a job as a cdl class a driver requires skills like "math," "dot regulations," "basic math," and "pallets." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.

Cdl class a drivers earn the highest salaries when working in the transportation industry, with an average yearly salary of $57,733. On the other hand, haul truck drivers are paid more in the transportation industry with an average salary of $57,930.On average, cdl class a drivers reach similar levels of education than haul truck drivers. Cdl class a drivers are 0.3% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.3% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Haul truck driver vs. Cdl driver

A CDL driver is responsible for the transportation of goods from the manufacturing warehouse to specific store locations. CDL drivers' duties include inspecting the items before and after the delivery to ensure that the orders are correct with the right quantity, providing proof of delivery from the receiving customers, following the delivery schedule and report any delays immediately, monitoring the vehicle's engine for efficiency, and escalating concerns of incorrect deliveries and defective items. A CDL driver must have excellent time-management and multi-tasking skills, following safety procedures and road rules at all times.

Cdl driver positions earn higher pay than haul truck driver roles. They earn a $2,180 higher salary than haul truck drivers per year.A few skills overlap for haul truck drivers and cdl drivers. Resumes from both professions show that the duties of each career rely on skills like "dot," "traffic violations," and "asphalt. "

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that haul truck driver responsibilities requires skills like "cdl," "loaders," "msha," and "strong work ethic." But a cdl driver might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "cdl-a," "pet," "osha," and "safety equipment."

Cdl drivers earn a higher average salary than haul truck drivers. But cdl drivers earn the highest pay in the retail industry, with an average salary of $63,457. Additionally, haul truck drivers earn the highest salaries in the transportation with average pay of $57,930 annually.cdl drivers earn similar levels of education than haul truck drivers in general. They're 0.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for haul truck 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.

Haul truck driver vs. Driver

Drivers are responsible for safely transporting people, packages, or goods from one destination to another. They should be familiar with the different routes that may be taken to reach the desired goal. They should be expert navigators and may use navigation apps to help them along the way. They should also be familiar with the basic mechanics of the vehicle they are using and the proper maintenance and cleaning needed to ensure that the car is running well. Drivers are expected to have excellent customer relation skills, a strong sense of direction, and superb organizations.

On average scale, drivers bring in lower salaries than haul truck drivers. In fact, they earn a $26,161 lower salary per year.haul truck drivers and drivers both have job responsibilities that require similar skill sets. These similarities include skills such as "cdl," "dot," and "traffic violations," but they differ when it comes to other required skills.

The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, haul truck drivers are more likely to have skills like "asphalt," "loaders," "minor maintenance," and "msha." But a driver is more likely to have skills like "math," "basic math," "safety rules," and "cleanliness."

Drivers make a very good living in the manufacturing industry with an average annual salary of $39,688. On the other hand, haul truck drivers are paid the highest salary in the transportation industry, with average annual pay of $57,930.drivers typically earn similar educational levels compared to haul truck drivers. Specifically, they're 0.5% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Haul truck driver vs. Mixer driver

A mixer driver is responsible for operating mixer trucks to deliver construction materials and concrete mixtures to construction and industrial site. Mixer drivers must inspect the condition of the truck's engine before and after operations to ensure its stability and performance that would prevent operational delays and avoid potential hazards. They should also dispense the mixtures properly and clean spills after delivery. A mixer driver must have excellent organizational skills to control the truck safely and ensure that the correct materials are delivered.

Mixer drivers tend to earn a lower pay than haul truck drivers by an average of $8,928 per year.While their salaries may vary, haul truck drivers and mixer drivers both use similar skills to perform their duties. Resumes from both professions include skills like "cdl," "dot," and "traffic violations. "

Even though a few skill sets overlap between haul truck drivers and mixer drivers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a haul truck driver might have more use for skills like "otr," "loaders," "minor maintenance," and "msha." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of mixer drivers require skills like "ladders," "osha," "truck equipment," and "cleanliness. "

In general, mixer drivers earn the most working in the construction industry, with an average salary of $51,169. The highest-paying industry for a haul truck driver is the transportation industry.The average resume of mixer drivers showed that they earn similar levels of education compared to haul truck drivers. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 0.3% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.0%.

Types of haul truck 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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