Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between lead drivers and line haul 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 line haul driver. Additionally, a line haul driver has an average salary of $53,992, 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 line haul driver are CDL, hazmat, and safety regulations.
| Lead Driver | Line Haul Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $43,769 | $53,992 |
| Hourly rate | $21.04 | $25.96 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 821,463 | 871,646 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 40% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| 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 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.
Lead drivers and line haul drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Driver | Line Haul Driver | |
| Average salary | $43,769 | $53,992 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $68,000 | Between $37,000 And $78,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, NJ | Fargo, ND |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Univar | Tyson Foods |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a lead driver and a line haul driver in terms of educational background:
| Lead Driver | Line Haul Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 40% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between lead drivers' and line haul drivers' demographics:
| Lead Driver | Line Haul Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.7% Female, 13.3% | Male, 90.8% Female, 9.2% |
| 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, 12.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 3.6% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |