Hi lift operator vs terminal operator

The differences between hi lift operators and terminal operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a hi lift operator and a terminal operator. Additionally, a terminal operator has an average salary of $39,948, which is higher than the $35,931 average annual salary of a hi lift operator.

The top three skills for a hi lift operator include pallets, operate hi-lo and SIT. The most important skills for a terminal operator are loaders, cranes, and rail cars.

Hi lift operator vs terminal operator overview

	Hi Lift Operator	Terminal Operator
Yearly salary	$35,931	$39,948
Hourly rate	$17.27	$19.21
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	42,577	43,328
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 58%	High School Diploma, 34%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Hi lift operator vs terminal operator salary

Hi lift operators and terminal operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Hi Lift Operator	Terminal Operator
Average salary	$35,931	$39,948
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $43,000	Between $32,000 And $48,000
Highest paying City	-	Fargo, ND
Highest paying state	-	Hawaii
Best paying company	-	Land O'Lakes
Best paying industry	-	Construction

Differences between hi lift operator and terminal operator education

There are a few differences between a hi lift operator and a terminal operator in terms of educational background:

	Hi Lift Operator	Terminal Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 58%	High School Diploma, 34%
Most common major	General Studies	Business
Most common college	-	-

Hi lift operator vs terminal operator demographics

Here are the differences between hi lift operators' and terminal operators' demographics:

	Hi Lift Operator	Terminal Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 92.4% Female, 7.6%	Male, 82.5% Female, 17.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 14.1% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 2.1% White, 63.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 15.3% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 2.9% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between hi lift operator and terminal operator duties and responsibilities

Hi lift operator example responsibilities.

Operate hi-low to transport products from building to dock areas.
Load or unload materials onto or off pallets, skids, or lifting devices.
Drop reserved pallets into empty selection pallets.
Maintain accurate and timely documentation as is required by organization and OSHA.
Move inventory in support of logistics management.

Terminal operator example responsibilities.

Manage the efficient use of locomotives and fuel to ensure that freight car cycles are effectively manage while in the terminals.
Operate forklift, loaders, bulldozers, excavators, ship hydraulic cranes.
Pull LTL loads for shipment.
Experience in Lock-Out/Tag-Out (LOTO).
Operate forklifts and loaders for loading aircraft.
Complete and signs declaration of inspection (Doi).

Hi lift operator vs terminal operator skills

Common hi lift operator skills

Pallets, 29%
Operate Hi-Lo, 13%
SIT, 8%
Safety Regulations, 7%
Select Cases, 4%
Warehouse Management System, 4%

Common terminal operator skills

Loaders, 9%
Cranes, 9%
Rail Cars, 7%
Customer Service, 6%
TWIC, 5%
General Maintenance, 5%

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Transportation Industry
Hi Lift Operator
Hi Lift Operator vs Terminal Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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