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Load planner vs dock supervisor

The differences between load planners and dock supervisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a load planner and a dock supervisor. Additionally, a load planner has an average salary of $40,526, which is higher than the $36,007 average annual salary of a dock supervisor.

The top three skills for a load planner include logistics, hub and DOT. The most important skills for a dock supervisor are work ethic, safety rules, and government regulations.

Load planner vs dock supervisor overview

Load PlannerDock Supervisor
Yearly salary$40,526$36,007
Hourly rate$19.48$17.31
Growth rate28%6%
Number of jobs16,05010,675
Job satisfaction1-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 52%Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Average age4444
Years of experience44

What does a load planner do?

Load Planners are responsible for optimizing and streamlining the process of freight transportation. Their duties include creating profitable network transport strategies involving routing, optimization, and load planning, implementing system parameters, attending to client's emails and calls, and executing corrective action. They are responsible for tracking pick-up and delivery time, participate in carrier negotiation, and carrying out shipment expeditions. Load Planners also produce service reports, chair meetings, and facilitate automation initiatives. They conduct carrier escalation, reports approval, and lead cross-training sessions to improve operational competency.

What does a dock supervisor do?

Dock supervisors are responsible for ensuring safety while managing dockworkers in the loading and unloading of materials from vessels on the water. They supervise and coordinate with the dockworkers and analyze the vessel's specifications and blueprints to identify the required size, shape, and number of bilge blocks and keel to support the vessel. Other tasks include supervising the dockworkers' tasks such as painting, cleaning, drydocking, and repairing vessels and overseeing flooding operations, and pulling out of vessels from drydock.

Load planner vs dock supervisor salary

Load planners and dock supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.

Load PlannerDock Supervisor
Average salary$40,526$36,007
Salary rangeBetween $27,000 And $60,000Between $31,000 And $41,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between load planner and dock supervisor education

There are a few differences between a load planner and a dock supervisor in terms of educational background:

Load PlannerDock Supervisor
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 52%Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Load planner vs dock supervisor demographics

Here are the differences between load planners' and dock supervisors' demographics:

Load PlannerDock Supervisor
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 63.9% Female, 36.1%Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 6.5% White, 57.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%Black or African American, 12.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 6.2% White, 58.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between load planner and dock supervisor duties and responsibilities

Load planner example responsibilities.

  • Partner with planner to manage inventory levels to meet turnover and open-to-buy objectives.
  • Charge with managing contracts for non-emergency and emergency transportation of Medicaid and Medicare members.
  • Create new part numbers, BOM's and routings for all new hinges.
  • Enter load information into TMW system.
  • Follow procedures according to FAA and OSHA standards.
  • Upgrade as foreman and run 5 man crews.
  • Show more

Dock supervisor example responsibilities.

  • Manage large team of outbound shipping loaders ensuring timely and proper loading of trailers.
  • Manage cleanliness and organization throughout the facility.
  • Manage logistics personnel and logistics systems and direct daily operations.
  • Train staff on company policies, safety procedures, and OSHA compliance.
  • Perform accurate and timely entries of all dock and line haul movement on the AS400 computer system.
  • Upload daily productivity and Kronos time.
  • Show more

Load planner vs dock supervisor skills

Common load planner skills
  • Logistics, 13%
  • Hub, 11%
  • DOT, 8%
  • Safety Regulations, 5%
  • Freight Loads, 5%
  • Strong Analytical, 5%
Common dock supervisor skills
  • Work Ethic, 15%
  • Safety Rules, 13%
  • Government Regulations, 13%
  • Customer Service, 8%
  • Necessary Paperwork, 6%
  • LTL, 5%

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