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The differences between commercial 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 commercial 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 $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 truck driver-over-the-road are CDL, OTR, and PET.
| Commercial Driver | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Yearly salary | $46,852 | $69,158 |
| Hourly rate | $22.52 | $33.25 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 1,016,123 | 689,630 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| 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 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.
Commercial drivers and truck driver-over the roads have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Commercial Driver | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Average salary | $46,852 | $69,158 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $62,000 | Between $50,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | Auburn, WA | Des Moines, WA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Laramie County Community College | Walmart |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a commercial driver and a truck driver-over-the-road in terms of educational background:
| Commercial Driver | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between commercial drivers' and truck driver-over the roads' demographics:
| Commercial Driver | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.8% Female, 24.2% | Male, 88.1% Female, 11.9% |
| 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, 13.6% 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% |