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The differences between driver assistants and truck drivers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a truck driver has an average salary of $60,326, which is higher than the $37,795 average annual salary of a driver assistant.
The top three skills for a driver assistant include delivery truck, customer service and safety procedures. The most important skills for a truck driver are CDL, OTR, and DOT.
| Driver Assistant | Truck Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $37,795 | $60,326 |
| Hourly rate | $18.17 | $29.00 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 387,080 | 827,858 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 4 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 46% | High School Diploma, 48% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
A driver assistant is responsible for helping the lead driver transport people, goods, and services from one place to various destinations as required with utmost safety and security. Driver assistants respond to the customers' delivery inquiries and concerns, update delivery receipts, inspect the quality of the merchandise before loading and unloading, report replacements to the distribution centers, and assist with the road navigation to prevent delivery delays. A driver assistant must have excellent organizational and time-management skills, ensuring smooth delivery operations professionally and efficiently.
The truck driver transports goods and materials by land from and to manufacturing factories or retail businesses and distribution centers with the use of heavy trucks or tractor-trailers. Truck drivers assist and supervise the safe unloading of cargos to the destination. They must always check their cargo if complete and secured with cables, rope, or other materials. They should keep their truck clean, neat, and inspect prior the trip and ensure to be in good working condition to operate safely. It is very important that they follow with all appropriate safety procedures and comply with federal and state regulations. They must also be knowledgable and comfortable in using maps or GPS to navigate the safest and most efficient routes.
Driver assistants and truck drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Driver Assistant | Truck Driver | |
| Average salary | $37,795 | $60,326 |
| Salary range | Between $21,000 And $66,000 | Between $40,000 And $90,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | Wilmington, DE |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Delaware |
| Best paying company | General Motors | W. R. Grace & Co |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Retail |
There are a few differences between a driver assistant and a truck driver in terms of educational background:
| Driver Assistant | Truck Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 46% | High School Diploma, 48% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between driver assistants' and truck drivers' demographics:
| Driver Assistant | Truck Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.3% Female, 15.7% | Male, 91.6% Female, 8.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.6% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 22.2% Asian, 3.4% White, 56.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 12.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 3.4% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |