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The differences between commercial drivers and tractor-trailer 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 commercial driver and a tractor-trailer driver. Additionally, a tractor-trailer driver has an average salary of $58,498, which is higher than the $46,852 average annual salary of a commercial driver.
The top three skills for a commercial driver include customer service, CDL and ladders. The most important skills for a tractor-trailer driver are DOT, CDL, and OTR.
| Commercial Driver | Tractor-Trailer Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $46,852 | $58,498 |
| Hourly rate | $22.52 | $28.12 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 1,016,123 | 690,787 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | High School Diploma, 44% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A commercial driver is responsible for transporting people, goods, and services from one place to various destinations as required. Commercial drivers must have a clean driving record to ensure the safety and security of the passengers and the merchandise's quality while on the road. They should also know how to operate a vehicle's engine, inspect system defects, and repair system malfunctions to prevent any delays in transportation and deliveries. A commercial driver must have excellent knowledge of the mechanical industry and report any problems to management.
A tractor-trailer driver is responsible for picking up and delivering goods and services from distribution centers and warehouses to different locations across the country as required. Tractor-trailer drivers manage the best route planning to prevent delays. They should also have extensive knowledge of the mechanical industry, inspecting the vehicle's condition regularly, repairing any inconsistencies, and replacing defective components to ensure smooth operations. A tractor-trailer driver must have excellent communication and organizational skills, responding to the clients' inquiries and concerns and escalating complaints to management for immediate resolution.
Commercial drivers and tractor-trailer drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Commercial Driver | Tractor-Trailer Driver | |
| Average salary | $46,852 | $58,498 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $62,000 | Between $40,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | Auburn, WA | Atlanta, GA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | Laramie County Community College | Exel Inc. |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a commercial driver and a tractor-trailer driver in terms of educational background:
| Commercial Driver | Tractor-Trailer Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | High School Diploma, 44% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between commercial drivers' and tractor-trailer drivers' demographics:
| Commercial Driver | Tractor-Trailer Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.8% Female, 24.2% | Male, 93.2% Female, 6.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 23.1% Asian, 3.5% White, 55.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 13.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 3.6% White, 59.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |