Post job

What does a vehicle operator do?

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

The vehicle operator focuses on operating various kinds of vehicles, ranging from 4-wheels to heavy trucks and vans. Usually, vehicle operators deliver supplies, materials, and personnel to the intended destination. It is the responsibility of the vehicle operator that all deliverables are shipped safely and on time. It is also required for the vehicle operator to maintain vehicles assigned to them and ensure their safety on the road. The vehicle operator must have a professional license and adequate experience handling heavy vehicles such as trucks and vans.

On this page

Vehicle operator responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real vehicle operator resumes:

  • Obtain military CDL license and OSHA forklift license.
  • Comply with the highest standards of safety, and HAZMAT handling procedures.
  • Provide shuttle service to wound service members, their family and DOD civilians.
  • Obtain CDL licenses [] and become operator and responsible for the safe transportation of all vehicles.
  • Utilize a GPS navigation system, street maps, and self-knowledge of areas to maneuver through routes efficiently.
  • Secure cargo against damage and inclement weathers, and operate vehicle component material handling equipment (MHE).
  • Well train on UAV fault diagnosis, navigation with an emphasis on severely degrade systems, and emergency procedures.
  • Play an integral part of all mission planning, takeoff and landing sequences, and crew coordination aspects of UAV flight.
  • Maintain pristine interior and exterior cleanliness.
  • Operate GPS and automatic vehicle locator technology.
  • Collect all patients billing information and require signatures.
  • Support senior ranking officials in logistics decision making.
  • Maintain accountability and cleanliness of all vehicles and equipment.
  • Operate assigned vehicles over vary terrain in support of combat operations.
  • Load and transport patients in military ambulance minimizing discomfort to prevent shock or further injury.

Vehicle operator skills and personality traits

We calculated that 25% of Vehicle Operators are proficient in CDL, Tractor Trailer, and Safety Regulations.

We break down the percentage of Vehicle Operators that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • CDL, 25%

    Required License: Class B CDL with Passenger endorsement

  • Tractor Trailer, 13%

    Developed and provided training to local nationals on Tractor Trailer operations in Somalia.

  • Safety Regulations, 12%

    Operated a commercial vehicle in accordance with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.

  • Cleanliness, 6%

    Maintain in-route cleanliness of vehicle-basic customer debris removal Provide excellent customer service to customers including maintaining a friendly and professional demeanor

  • Routine Maintenance, 4%

    Conducted routine maintenance on assigned equipment to maintain operational readiness.

  • Forklifts, 3%

    Operated various vehicles within the warehouse facilities including Forklifts.

"cdl," "tractor trailer," and "safety regulations" are among the most common skills that vehicle operators use at work. You can find even more vehicle operator responsibilities below, including:

All vehicle operator skills

The three companies that hire the most vehicle operators are:

Choose from 10+ customizable vehicle operator resume templates

Build a professional vehicle operator resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your vehicle operator resume.
Vehicle Operator Resume
Vehicle Operator Resume
Vehicle Operator Resume
Vehicle Operator Resume
Vehicle Operator Resume
Vehicle Operator Resume
Vehicle Operator Resume
Vehicle Operator Resume
Vehicle Operator Resume
Vehicle Operator Resume
Vehicle Operator Resume
Vehicle Operator Resume
Vehicle Operator Resume
Vehicle Operator Resume
Vehicle Operator Resume
Vehicle Operator Resume

Compare different vehicle operators

Vehicle operator vs. Assembly line driver

A motor transport operator is responsible for the maintenance of wheel vehicles for carrying goods and personnel safely from one place to another. Motor transport operators must have a broad knowledge of the mechanical industry to operate wheel vehicles and conduct repairs for malfunctions and engine faults. Their duties also include administering convoy defense techniques, loading equipment securely, and following safety procedures and standard protocols. A motor transport operator must have excellent driving and defense skills, especially for military roles.

We looked at the average vehicle operator salary and compared it with the wages of an assembly line driver. Generally speaking, assembly line drivers are paid $72 higher than vehicle operators per year.

While similarities exist, there are also some differences between vehicle operators and assembly line driver. For instance, vehicle operator responsibilities require skills such as "cdl," "tractor trailer," "safety regulations," and "cleanliness." Whereas a assembly line driver is skilled in "line assembly," "office furniture," "product specifications," and "load trucks." This is part of what separates the two careers.

Assembly line drivers tend to reach similar levels of education than vehicle operators. In fact, assembly line drivers are 1.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.

Vehicle operator vs. Street sweeper

A career as a street sweeper brings a higher average salary when compared to the average annual salary of a vehicle operator. In fact, street sweepers salary is $47 higher than the salary of vehicle operators per year.

Each career also uses different skills, according to real vehicle operator resumes. While vehicle operator responsibilities can utilize skills like "tractor trailer," "safety regulations," "cleanliness," and "routine maintenance," street sweepers use skills like "construction sites," "customer expectations," "water tanks," and "blowers."

Street sweepers earn similar levels of education than vehicle operators in general. They're 2.3% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Vehicle operator vs. Motor transport operator

On average, motor transport operators earn lower salaries than vehicle operators, with a $7 difference per year.vehicle operators and motor transport operators both have job responsibilities that require similar skill sets. These similarities include skills such as "cdl," "safety regulations," and "routine maintenance," but they differ when it comes to other required skills.

The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, vehicle operators are more likely to have skills like "tractor trailer," "cleanliness," "forklifts," and "preventative maintenance." But a motor transport operator is more likely to have skills like "customer service," "reservations," "patients," and "excellent organizational."

When it comes to education, motor transport operators tend to earn similar degree levels compared to vehicle operators. In fact, they're 1.3% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.0% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Vehicle operator vs. Street sweeper operator

Street sweeper operators average a higher salary than the annual salary of vehicle operators. The difference is about $25 per year.While both vehicle operators and street sweeper operators complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like cdl, gps, and sweepers, the two careers vary in some skills.

Even though a few skill sets overlap between vehicle operators and street sweeper operators, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a vehicle operator might have more use for skills like "tractor trailer," "safety regulations," "cleanliness," and "routine maintenance." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of street sweeper operators require skills like "asphalt," "city streets," "traffic control," and "snow plow. "

In general, street sweeper operators hold similar degree levels compared to vehicle operators. Street sweeper operators are 1.3% less likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.2% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of vehicle operator

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse transportation jobs