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The differences between commercial truck drivers and local truck 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 truck driver and a local truck driver. Additionally, a commercial truck driver has an average salary of $64,512, which is higher than the $59,069 average annual salary of a local truck driver.
The top three skills for a commercial truck driver include CDL, good time management and safety issues. The most important skills for a local truck driver are CDL, customer service, and OTR.
A commercial truck driver is primarily in charge of transporting and delivering cargo, ensuring efficiency and timeliness. Their responsibilities include driving for long durations, coordinating with logistics staff, handling documentation, and maintaining the safety of cargo. There are also instances where they must liaise with clients, unload and load cargo, and keep records of all transactions. Furthermore, as a commercial truck driver, it is essential to conduct regular maintenance checks on vehicles and adhere to the traffic laws and regulations for a safe and productive work environment.
A local truck driver is an employee who drives a company truck to transport goods to and from specified locations within a designated geographic area. Local truck drivers must ensure that the transported goods are well-secured and not damaged during the transit. They must liaise with dispatch to communicate any traffic issues and delays as well as notify the management of any accidents or vehicle damage. Local truck drivers must also assist in loading and unloading of goods by using hand trucks and electric lifts as required.
Commercial truck drivers and local truck drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Commercial Truck Driver | Local Truck Driver | |
| Average salary | $64,512 | $59,069 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $100,000 | Between $40,000 And $86,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Newark, DE |
| Highest paying state | New York | Delaware |
| Best paying company | Tyson Foods | Walmart |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a commercial truck driver and a local truck driver in terms of educational background:
| Commercial Truck Driver | Local Truck Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 35% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between commercial truck drivers' and local truck drivers' demographics:
| Commercial Truck Driver | Local Truck Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.0% Female, 9.0% | Male, 90.7% Female, 9.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 20.0% Asian, 3.6% White, 57.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 13.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 3.4% White, 60.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |