Tow motor operator vs terminal operator

The differences between tow motor operators and terminal 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 tow motor operator and a terminal operator. Additionally, a terminal operator has an average salary of $39,948, which is higher than the $29,544 average annual salary of a tow motor operator.

The top three skills for a tow motor operator include production lines, safety procedures and pallet jack. The most important skills for a terminal operator are loaders, cranes, and rail cars.

Tow motor operator vs terminal operator overview

	Tow Motor Operator	Terminal Operator
Yearly salary	$29,544	$39,948
Hourly rate	$14.20	$19.21
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	72,291	43,328
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 59%	High School Diploma, 34%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Tow motor operator vs terminal operator salary

Tow motor operators and terminal operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Tow Motor Operator	Terminal Operator
Average salary	$29,544	$39,948
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $36,000	Between $32,000 And $48,000
Highest paying City	-	Fargo, ND
Highest paying state	-	Hawaii
Best paying company	-	Land O'Lakes
Best paying industry	-	Construction

Differences between tow motor operator and terminal operator education

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

	Tow Motor Operator	Terminal Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 59%	High School Diploma, 34%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Tow motor operator vs terminal operator demographics

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

	Tow Motor Operator	Terminal Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 91.6% Female, 8.4%	Male, 82.5% Female, 17.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.1% Asian, 1.8% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	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%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between tow motor operator and terminal operator duties and responsibilities

Tow motor operator example responsibilities.

Use automate systems and RF units to pull, put away and load customer product, in addition to managing inventory
Fabricate and assemble products using CNC machine by keying in programs numbers and also codes.
Perform specialized production line and quality control duties in a professional production environment specializing in plastic extrusion.
Load and unload items from machines and dollies.

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).

Tow motor operator vs terminal operator skills

Common tow motor operator skills

Production Lines, 25%
Safety Procedures, 12%
Pallet Jack, 9%
RF Scanner, 7%
Line Assembly, 5%
Transport Vehicles, 4%

Common terminal operator skills

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

Tow Motor Operator vs. similar jobs

Tow Motor Operator related careers

Tow Motor Operator related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Transportation Industry
Tow Motor Operator
Tow Motor Operator vs Terminal Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse transportation jobs