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The differences between lead drivers and cdl 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 lead driver and a cdl driver. Additionally, a cdl driver has an average salary of $63,112, which is higher than the $43,769 average annual salary of a lead driver.
The top three skills for a lead driver include DOT, work ethic and CDL. The most important skills for a cdl driver are DOT, CDL-A, and customer service.
| Lead Driver | CDL Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $43,769 | $63,112 |
| Hourly rate | $21.04 | $30.34 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 821,463 | 784,044 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 40% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Lead drivers are professionals who are responsible for supervising the staff drivers of either a logistics or trucking company. These lead drivers must manage the communication between drivers and personnel while generating dispatch reports base on their drivers' tracking logs. They must ensure that vehicles are fit for use according to the standards of the Department of Transportation (DOT) by checking engines and maintaining sufficient fluid levels of all vehicles. Lead drivers must also train and supervise new drivers about the company's policy and safety regulations.
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.
Lead drivers and cdl drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Driver | CDL Driver | |
| Average salary | $43,769 | $63,112 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $68,000 | Between $41,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, NJ | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | Wyoming |
| Best paying company | Univar | GCP Applied Technologies |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Retail |
There are a few differences between a lead driver and a cdl driver in terms of educational background:
| Lead Driver | CDL Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 40% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between lead drivers' and cdl drivers' demographics:
| Lead Driver | CDL Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.7% Female, 13.3% | Male, 92.8% Female, 7.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 20.9% Asian, 3.4% White, 58.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 12.7% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 3.4% White, 58.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |