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The differences between operators and truck driver and lead drivers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an operator and truck driver and a lead driver. Additionally, an operator and truck driver has an average salary of $250,847, which is higher than the $43,769 average annual salary of a lead driver.
The top three skills for an operator and truck driver include CDL, OTR and DOT. The most important skills for a lead driver are DOT, work ethic, and CDL.
| Operator And Truck Driver | Lead Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $250,847 | $43,769 |
| Hourly rate | $120.60 | $21.04 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 483,014 | 821,463 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 51% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
An operator and truck driver is responsible for the safe and efficient transport of goods and services within a particular area. One must have the skills and credentials, such as a license for driving large vehicles, and stamina for the long drives. Aside from this, they must also abide by the traffic rules and regulations at all times, even conducting regular maintenance checks to ensure that the vehicle is in good condition. Furthermore, an operator and truck driver must coordinate with clients and other workers to ensure that all deliveries are accurate and timely.
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.
Operators and truck driver and lead drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Operator And Truck Driver | Lead Driver | |
| Average salary | $250,847 | $43,769 |
| Salary range | Between $126,000 And $497,000 | Between $27,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | Portland, OR | Newark, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | York | Univar |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Technology |
There are a few differences between an operator and truck driver and a lead driver in terms of educational background:
| Operator And Truck Driver | Lead Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 51% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between operators and truck driver' and lead drivers' demographics:
| Operator And Truck Driver | Lead Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.7% Female, 5.3% | Male, 86.7% Female, 13.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.7% Asian, 3.9% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |