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The differences between lead drivers and drivers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a lead driver has an average salary of $43,769, which is higher than the $34,771 average annual salary of a driver.
The top three skills for a lead driver include DOT, work ethic and CDL. The most important skills for a driver are math, basic math, and CDL.
| Lead Driver | Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $43,769 | $34,771 |
| Hourly rate | $21.04 | $16.72 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 821,463 | 1,017,998 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.33 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 40% | High School Diploma, 43% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 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.
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.
Lead drivers and drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Driver | Driver | |
| Average salary | $43,769 | $34,771 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $68,000 | Between $22,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, NJ | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | Vermont |
| Best paying company | Univar | Air Liquide |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a lead driver and a driver in terms of educational background:
| Lead Driver | Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 40% | High School Diploma, 43% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between lead drivers' and drivers' demographics:
| Lead Driver | Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.7% Female, 13.3% | Male, 83.0% Female, 17.0% |
| 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, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 3.5% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |