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Driver vs route driver

The differences between drivers and route drivers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a route driver has an average salary of $45,492, which is higher than the $34,771 average annual salary of a driver.

The top three skills for a driver include math, basic math and CDL. The most important skills for a route driver are CDL, DOT, and pickup.

Driver vs route driver overview

DriverRoute Driver
Yearly salary$34,771$45,492
Hourly rate$16.72$21.87
Growth rate11%11%
Number of jobs1,017,998266,899
Job satisfaction4.33-
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 43%High School Diploma, 47%
Average age4848
Years of experience--

What does a driver do?

Drivers are responsible for safely transporting people, packages, or goods from one destination to another. They should be familiar with the different routes that may be taken to reach the desired goal. They should be expert navigators and may use navigation apps to help them along the way. They should also be familiar with the basic mechanics of the vehicle they are using and the proper maintenance and cleaning needed to ensure that the car is running well. Drivers are expected to have excellent customer relation skills, a strong sense of direction, and superb organizations.

What does a route driver do?

A Route Driver is responsible for delivering and transporting supplies or goods within an allotted time. The tasks will vary upon the organization or industry that a Route Driver works for, however, most of the time, the duties will revolve around picking up and dropping off packages at particular destinations ranging from homes to establishments, and communicating with customers. Furthermore, Route Drivers must keep their vehicles in clean and sound condition, report to supervisors should there be any issue, and adhere to the company policies and regulations at all times.

Driver vs route driver salary

Drivers and route drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.

DriverRoute Driver
Average salary$34,771$45,492
Salary rangeBetween $22,000 And $53,000Between $30,000 And $67,000
Highest paying CityBoston, MABoston, MA
Highest paying stateVermontMassachusetts
Best paying companyAir LiquideBlank Rome
Best paying industryManufacturingManufacturing

Differences between driver and route driver education

There are a few differences between a driver and a route driver in terms of educational background:

DriverRoute Driver
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 43%High School Diploma, 47%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Driver vs route driver demographics

Here are the differences between drivers' and route drivers' demographics:

DriverRoute Driver
Average age4848
Gender ratioMale, 83.0% Female, 17.0%Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 12.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 3.5% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 3.8% White, 60.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage4%4%

Differences between driver and route driver duties and responsibilities

Driver example responsibilities.

  • Haul asphalt, gravel, dirt, etc.
  • Maintain accurate logs and comply with all FMCSA regulations.
  • Deliver sand, rock, and asphalt across eastern NC.
  • Provide safe and timely transportation for students, utilizing CDL license and attendant endorsements.
  • Reduce carrier and customer risk by remaining proficiently knowledgeable of FMCSA rules and regulations.
  • Air brakes endorsement but willing and able to get others including tanker, HazMat, and passenger.
  • Show more

Route driver example responsibilities.

  • Manage 100 stores as a DSD vendor, entailing presales, delivery and basic account management.
  • Inspect vehicle and load for safety and HazMat regulations being meet.
  • DOT, local, state (provincial) and federal requirements.
  • Train new employees to read and follow route sheets, as well as prepare them for CDL testing.
  • Travel to and from designate areas to pickup and deliver parcels and packages to and from FedEx customers.
  • Record routes in the delivery vehicle GPS system to facilitate weekly route planning and to assist share route drivers.
  • Show more

Driver vs route driver skills

Common driver skills
  • Math, 14%
  • Basic Math, 14%
  • CDL, 10%
  • Safety Rules, 10%
  • Cleanliness, 10%
  • Customer Orders, 7%
Common route driver skills
  • CDL, 25%
  • DOT, 18%
  • Pickup, 4%
  • Customer Locations, 4%
  • Cleanliness, 3%
  • Necessary Paperwork, 3%

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