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The differences between route drivers and line haul drivers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a line haul driver has an average salary of $53,992, which is higher than the $45,492 average annual salary of a route driver.
The top three skills for a route driver include CDL, DOT and pickup. The most important skills for a line haul driver are CDL, hazmat, and safety regulations.
| Route Driver | Line Haul Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $45,492 | $53,992 |
| Hourly rate | $21.87 | $25.96 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 266,899 | 871,646 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 47% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
A Route Driver is responsible for delivering and transporting supplies or goods within an allotted time. The tasks will vary upon the organization or industry that a Route Driver works for, however, most of the time, the duties will revolve around picking up and dropping off packages at particular destinations ranging from homes to establishments, and communicating with customers. Furthermore, Route Drivers must keep their vehicles in clean and sound condition, report to supervisors should there be any issue, and adhere to the company policies and regulations at all times.
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.
Route drivers and line haul drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Route Driver | Line Haul Driver | |
| Average salary | $45,492 | $53,992 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $67,000 | Between $37,000 And $78,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Fargo, ND |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Blank Rome | Tyson Foods |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a route driver and a line haul driver in terms of educational background:
| Route Driver | Line Haul Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 47% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between route drivers' and line haul drivers' demographics:
| Route Driver | Line Haul Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% | Male, 90.8% Female, 9.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 3.8% White, 60.2% 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% |