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The differences between class a drivers and contract 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 class a driver and a contract driver. Additionally, a class a driver has an average salary of $56,620, which is higher than the $34,999 average annual salary of a contract driver.
The top three skills for a class a driver include CDL, customer service and OTR. The most important skills for a contract driver are DOT, CDL, and tractor trailer.
| Class A Driver | Contract Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $56,620 | $34,999 |
| Hourly rate | $27.22 | $16.83 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 706,950 | 1,007,663 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A Class A driver is an individual driver who has acquired a commercial driver's license (CDL) to operate trucks or commercial vehicles to transport materials and heavy equipment. Class A drivers are required to plan over-the-road (OTR) travel by using GPS and ensure that they follow bulk cargo transportation laws, regulations, and guidelines. They must conduct proper maintenance of the company vehicles and provide accurate daily logs to stay in compliance with the company's regulations. Class A drivers should also know how to operate equipment such as citizen band (CB) radios and telephones.
A contract driver mainly provides transport services on a contractual basis. Their duties typically depend on their contract or place of employment; they may deliver goods or provide private transport to clients. When it comes to delivering goods, a contract driver must adhere to schedules and guidelines, maintain documents, and coordinate with clients. Furthermore, a contract driver must perform regular maintenance checks on their vehicles and abide by the traffic laws and regulations to maintain a safe and efficient work environment.
Class a drivers and contract drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Class A Driver | Contract Driver | |
| Average salary | $56,620 | $34,999 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $80,000 | Between $23,000 And $51,000 |
| Highest paying City | Philadelphia, PA | - |
| Highest paying state | Vermont | - |
| Best paying company | Mid-South Management | - |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | - |
There are a few differences between a class a driver and a contract driver in terms of educational background:
| Class A Driver | Contract Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between class a drivers' and contract drivers' demographics:
| Class A Driver | Contract Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.8% Female, 5.2% | Male, 80.3% Female, 19.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 22.7% Asian, 3.7% White, 56.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 13.3% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.8% Asian, 4.0% White, 58.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |