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The differences between cdl class a drivers and cdl drivers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a cdl class a driver and a cdl driver. Additionally, a cdl driver has an average salary of $63,112, which is higher than the $52,203 average annual salary of a cdl class a driver.
The top three skills for a cdl class a driver include OTR, customer service and hazmat. The most important skills for a cdl driver are DOT, CDL-A, and customer service.
| CDL Class A Driver | CDL Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $52,203 | $63,112 |
| Hourly rate | $25.10 | $30.34 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 696,903 | 784,044 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 39% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A CDL Class A driver is a driver with a Class A commercial driver's license. A commercial driver's license is necessary to operate large, heavy, and placarded vehicles. There are several classifications of a commercial driver's license, and Class A is for a car towing a trailer with a gross vehicle weight of more than 10,000 pounds (5 t). Drivers with this type of license are entitled to operate a commercial motor vehicle such as passenger buses, tractor-trailers, semi-trucks, and dump trucks. They have the choice to add endorsements to their CDL, which allows them to operate particular types of commercial motor vehicles.
A CDL driver is responsible for the transportation of goods from the manufacturing warehouse to specific store locations. CDL drivers' duties include inspecting the items before and after the delivery to ensure that the orders are correct with the right quantity, providing proof of delivery from the receiving customers, following the delivery schedule and report any delays immediately, monitoring the vehicle's engine for efficiency, and escalating concerns of incorrect deliveries and defective items. A CDL driver must have excellent time-management and multi-tasking skills, following safety procedures and road rules at all times.
Cdl class a drivers and cdl drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| CDL Class A Driver | CDL Driver | |
| Average salary | $52,203 | $63,112 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $75,000 | Between $41,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, NJ | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | North Dakota | Wyoming |
| Best paying company | Mid-South Management | GCP Applied Technologies |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Retail |
There are a few differences between a cdl class a driver and a cdl driver in terms of educational background:
| CDL Class A Driver | CDL Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 39% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between cdl class a drivers' and cdl drivers' demographics:
| CDL Class A Driver | CDL Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.2% Female, 6.8% | Male, 92.8% Female, 7.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.7% Asian, 3.6% White, 58.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 12.7% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 3.4% White, 58.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |