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The differences between cdl class a drivers and truck driver-over the roads 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 truck driver-over-the-road. Additionally, a truck driver-over-the-road has an average salary of $69,158, 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 truck driver-over-the-road are CDL, OTR, and PET.
| CDL Class A Driver | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Yearly salary | $52,203 | $69,158 |
| Hourly rate | $25.10 | $33.25 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 696,903 | 689,630 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 39% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| 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 truck driver-over-the-road (OTR) is an individual driver who specializes in hauling items such as heavy freight, machinery, or construction materials from a home terminal to delivery points. OTR truck drivers usually spend more time on the road due to the long distances they are required to reach. To avoid vehicular breakdowns and delays, OTR drivers are required to inspect their trucks and review shipping and transport documents. They are also responsible for unloading freights and collect charges from customers.
Cdl class a drivers and truck driver-over the roads have different pay scales, as shown below.
| CDL Class A Driver | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Average salary | $52,203 | $69,158 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $75,000 | Between $50,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, NJ | Des Moines, WA |
| Highest paying state | North Dakota | Washington |
| Best paying company | Mid-South Management | Walmart |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a cdl class a driver and a truck driver-over-the-road in terms of educational background:
| CDL Class A Driver | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 39% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between cdl class a drivers' and truck driver-over the roads' demographics:
| CDL Class A Driver | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.2% Female, 6.8% | Male, 88.1% Female, 11.9% |
| 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, 13.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 3.9% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |