Terminal operator vs operator

The differences between terminal operators and operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a terminal operator and an operator. Additionally, a terminal operator has an average salary of $39,948, which is higher than the $37,928 average annual salary of an operator.

The top three skills for a terminal operator include loaders, cranes and rail cars. The most important skills for an operator are safety procedures, CDL, and emergency calls.

Terminal operator vs operator overview

	Terminal Operator	Operator
Yearly salary	$39,948	$37,928
Hourly rate	$19.21	$18.23
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	43,328	159,077
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 34%	High School Diploma, 40%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

What does a terminal operator do?

A terminal operator is responsible for assisting daily operations within the transportation or manufacturing agencies. Terminal operators inspect the stability and efficiency of equipment and machinery to ensure its optimal performance during operational processes. They conduct quality control tests to determine inconsistencies in terminal functions and strategize techniques to enhance distribution policies. A terminal operator must have excellent organizational and mechanical skills to maintain terminal equipment and assist the team in performing duties to achieve business goals and objectives.

What does an operator do?

Operators are skilled workers who are in charge of working on an industrial machine or a specific aspect of the manufacturing business. They are trained to operate machines, learning how to use them. They are also responsible for the maintenance and repair of the machine, and they should be able to troubleshoot problems and provide remedies to them. They must be knowledgeable about the different parts of the machine and how to mitigate any challenges that may arise. Operators should be alert, detail-oriented, and familiar with safety and health guidelines.

Terminal operator vs operator salary

Terminal operators and operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Terminal Operator	Operator
Average salary	$39,948	$37,928
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $48,000	Between $27,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	Fargo, ND	San Jose, CA
Highest paying state	Hawaii	North Dakota
Best paying company	Land O'Lakes	Microsoft
Best paying industry	Construction	Technology

Differences between terminal operator and operator education

There are a few differences between a terminal operator and an operator in terms of educational background:

	Terminal Operator	Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 34%	High School Diploma, 40%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Terminal operator vs operator demographics

Here are the differences between terminal operators' and operators' demographics:

	Terminal Operator	Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 82.5% Female, 17.5%	Male, 73.0% Female, 27.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 15.3% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 2.9% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 16.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 2.5% White, 57.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between terminal operator and operator duties and responsibilities

Terminal operator example responsibilities.

Manage the efficient use of locomotives and fuel to ensure that freight car cycles are effectively manage while in the terminals.
Operate forklift, loaders, bulldozers, excavators, ship hydraulic cranes.
Pull LTL loads for shipment.
Experience in Lock-Out/Tag-Out (LOTO).
Operate forklifts and loaders for loading aircraft.
Complete and signs declaration of inspection (Doi).

Show more

Operator example responsibilities.

Assist in developing the company s short and long term training plans and managing yearly ammunition allocation.
Assist and manage the extrusion process of polyester raw material in pellet or chip form to produce finish rolls of plastic.
Manage day-to-day transportation and logistics services for multinational account base.
Manage the master calendar and schedule resources such as communication equipment, weapons, transportation and ammunition forecast and delivery.
Job require basic math skills: fractions and decimals.
Ensure safety of all equipment during production in compliance with strict OSHA and safety regulations.

Show more

Terminal operator vs operator skills

Common terminal operator skills

Loaders, 9%
Cranes, 9%
Rail Cars, 7%
Customer Service, 6%
TWIC, 5%
General Maintenance, 5%

Common operator skills

Safety Procedures, 15%
CDL, 6%
Emergency Calls, 6%
Preventative Maintenance, 4%
Quality Checks, 4%
Dozer, 4%

Terminal Operator vs. similar jobs

Terminal Operator related careers

Terminal Operator related jobs

What similar roles do

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse transportation jobs

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z