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The differences between lead drivers and truck driver-over the roads 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 truck driver-over-the-road. Additionally, a truck driver-over-the-road has an average salary of $69,158, 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 truck driver-over-the-road are CDL, OTR, and PET.
| Lead Driver | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Yearly salary | $43,769 | $69,158 |
| Hourly rate | $21.04 | $33.25 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 821,463 | 689,630 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 40% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| 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 truck driver-over-the-road (OTR) is an individual driver who specializes in hauling items such as heavy freight, machinery, or construction materials from a home terminal to delivery points. OTR truck drivers usually spend more time on the road due to the long distances they are required to reach. To avoid vehicular breakdowns and delays, OTR drivers are required to inspect their trucks and review shipping and transport documents. They are also responsible for unloading freights and collect charges from customers.
Lead drivers and truck driver-over the roads have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Driver | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Average salary | $43,769 | $69,158 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $68,000 | Between $50,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, NJ | Des Moines, WA |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | Washington |
| Best paying company | Univar | Walmart |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a lead driver and a truck driver-over-the-road in terms of educational background:
| Lead Driver | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 40% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between lead drivers' and truck driver-over the roads' demographics:
| Lead Driver | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.7% Female, 13.3% | Male, 88.1% Female, 11.9% |
| 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, 13.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 3.9% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |