What does a pick up driver do?
Pick up driver responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real pick up driver resumes:
- Conduct deliveries of medical equipment throughout Florida, collect payments, and ensure proper cleanliness of medical equipment
- Employ wide variety of hand and power tools including hoists, drills, precision measuring instruments and electronic testing devices.
Pick up driver skills and personality traits
We calculated that 27% of Pick Up Drivers are proficient in Pallet Jack, DOT, and RF Scanner. They’re also known for soft skills such as Alertness, Mechanical skills, and Communication skills.
We break down the percentage of Pick Up Drivers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Pallet Jack, 27%
Drive box around dairies to pick-up cow colostrum, operated pallet jack in warehouse to move product to required locations.
- DOT, 19%
Provide auto parts delivery to assigned customer account while following DOT standards operating a semi-trailer.
- RF Scanner, 12%
Utilized RF Scanner to track merchandise from dock reception area, to warehouse storeroom, to picking and packing area.
- Hand Trucks, 9%
Deliver or route material to departments, using work devices, such as hand truck conveyor, or sorting bins.
- Customer Orders, 8%
drive cherry picker to pick up customer orders and place in the system.
- Computer System, 6%
Facilitate inventory management and inform management of low inventory; record inventory counts in company computer systems
Most pick up drivers use their skills in "pallet jack," "dot," and "rf scanner" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential pick up driver responsibilities here:
Mechanical skills. Another essential skill to perform pick up driver duties is mechanical skills. Pick up drivers responsibilities require that "material moving machine operators make minor adjustments to their machines and perform basic maintenance on them." Pick up drivers also use mechanical skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "recieved award badge for driving safely over 60,000 miles without violation of traffic laws, accident or mechanical failure of vehicle. "
Communication skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of pick up drivers is communication skills. This skill is critical to many everyday pick up driver duties, as "material moving machine operators signal and direct workers to load and unload material." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "received it training and became very familiar with computers, gps devices, and many communication devices. "
Visual ability. A big part of what pick up drivers do relies on "visual ability." You can see how essential it is to pick up driver responsibilities because "material moving machine operators must be able to see clearly where they are driving or what they are moving." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical pick up driver tasks: "transport of mobile center to locations, transport-vehicle maintenance, mobile center operation, customer service, & audio/visual equipment troubleshooting. "
The three companies that hire the most pick up drivers are:
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Pick up driver vs. Forklift
The primary job of a forklift operator is to operate and manage forklifts used for moving, locating, relocating, stacking, and counting merchandise in various settings, such as construction sites and warehouses. As a forklift operator, you will unload shipments properly and safely, and stack and store them in their designated areas. In addition, you will need to report any quality variances and assist in physical inventories. Other duties that you may perform include ensuring that stock rotation is done properly, inspecting and performing preventative maintenance of forklift and other equipment, and ensuring that inventory security and control are maintained.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, pick up driver responsibilities require skills like "pallet jack," "dot," "hand trucks," and "drive trucks." Meanwhile a typical forklift has skills in areas such as "pallets," "sit-down forklift," "basic math," and "shipping receiving." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Forklifts tend to make the most money working in the transportation industry, where they earn an average salary of $34,824. In contrast, pick up drivers make the biggest average salary, $51,642, in the transportation industry.The education levels that forklifts earn slightly differ from pick up drivers. In particular, forklifts are 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a pick up driver. Additionally, they're 0.5% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Pick up driver vs. Loader operator
A loader operator is responsible for operating and driving multi-wheeled heavy vehicles to transport goods and services from the distribution centers to various locations. Loader operators must have excellent driving skills and a clean driving record to ensure smooth operations and timely deliveries. They also maintain the stability and efficiency of the engine, conduct regular maintenance, and perform repairs for any inconsistencies to avoid potential hazards and prevent operational delays. A loader operator responds to the customers' inquiries and concerns and escalates their complaints to the management.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, pick up driver responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "dot," "rf scanner," "hand trucks," and "customer orders." Meanwhile, a loader operator has duties that require skills in areas such as "front end loader," "asphalt," "customer service," and "loaders." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Loader operators earn a lower average salary than pick up drivers. But loader operators earn the highest pay in the construction industry, with an average salary of $40,869. Additionally, pick up drivers earn the highest salaries in the transportation with average pay of $51,642 annually.loader operators earn similar levels of education than pick up drivers in general. They're 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.5% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Pick up driver vs. Material handler/forklift operator
A material handler and forklift operator is responsible for transporting and storing various kinds of goods, even including fragile or hazardous shipments. The duties and location will vary depending on the line of work or industry involved. However, most of the tasks will require efficiency in operating machinery, communication skills, and great attention to detail. Furthermore, a material handler and forklift operator must monitor products and keep an accurate record of overall activities, transport materials within allotted time and schedule, and maintain communication and coordination with co-workers and supervisors.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, pick up drivers are more likely to have skills like "pallet jack," "dot," "drive trucks," and "promotes safety." But a material handler/forklift operator is more likely to have skills like "pallets," "safety procedures," "electric pallet jack," and "forklift operation."
Material handler/forklift operators make a very good living in the automotive industry with an average annual salary of $37,909. On the other hand, pick up drivers are paid the highest salary in the transportation industry, with average annual pay of $51,642.material handler/forklift operators typically earn similar educational levels compared to pick up drivers. Specifically, they're 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 1.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Pick up driver vs. Machine operator/forklift operator
A machine operator/forklift operator is responsible for operating industrial trucks to move merchandise around the warehouse facilities and other assigned areas. Machine operators/forklift operators also assist with inventory tasks by scanning orders and ensuring the correct merchandise for shipment. They manage the stability of the vehicles, ensuring its efficiency and optimization during operations, performing engine repairs for any inconsistencies to avoid delays on deliveries. A machine operator/forklift operator should strictly follow the safety protocols of the business, as well as have knowledge of the mechanical industry.
Types of pick up driver
Updated January 8, 2025











