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The differences between class a drivers and flatbed 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 flatbed driver. Additionally, a flatbed driver has an average salary of $57,099, which is higher than the $56,620 average annual salary of a class a driver.
The top three skills for a class a driver include CDL, customer service and OTR. The most important skills for a flatbed driver are CDL, OTR, and customer service.
| Class A Driver | Flatbed Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $56,620 | $57,099 |
| Hourly rate | $27.22 | $27.45 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 706,950 | 781,449 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| 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 flatbed driver is responsible for operating flatbed trucks to manage distribution and deliveries of goods and services from the warehouse to various assigned designations. Flatbed drivers assist in loading and unloading items, maintain a copy of receipt orders, process payments, and respond to the customers' inquiries and concerns. They also inspect the stability and performance of the truck's engine before and after operations and perform necessary repairs to prevent delivery delays and avoid potential road hazards.
Class a drivers and flatbed drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Class A Driver | Flatbed Driver | |
| Average salary | $56,620 | $57,099 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $80,000 | Between $39,000 And $83,000 |
| Highest paying City | Philadelphia, PA | Chicago, IL |
| Highest paying state | Vermont | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | Mid-South Management | Hub Group |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a class a driver and a flatbed driver in terms of educational background:
| Class A Driver | Flatbed Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between class a drivers' and flatbed drivers' demographics:
| Class A Driver | Flatbed Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.8% Female, 5.2% | Male, 95.0% Female, 5.0% |
| 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, 13.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 3.5% White, 60.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |