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The differences between driver/owner operators and flatbed 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 driver/owner operator and a flatbed driver. Additionally, a driver/owner operator has an average salary of $169,793, which is higher than the $57,099 average annual salary of a flatbed driver.
The top three skills for a driver/owner operator include CDL, DOT and OTR. The most important skills for a flatbed driver are CDL, OTR, and customer service.
| Driver/Owner Operator | Flatbed Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $169,793 | $57,099 |
| Hourly rate | $81.63 | $27.45 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 170,784 | 781,449 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Driver/owner-operators are self-employed commercial truck drivers who operate trucks to transport goods for their customers. Most of these operators started working as drivers for trucking companies to gain experience and decide if it's the right career path for them. They are allowed to haul freelance or agree to a lease agreement dedicating their equipment to one product or customer. To become an owner-operator, one should consider many things, including business set-up, vehicle type, and licenses.
A flatbed driver is responsible for operating flatbed trucks to manage distribution and deliveries of goods and services from the warehouse to various assigned designations. Flatbed drivers assist in loading and unloading items, maintain a copy of receipt orders, process payments, and respond to the customers' inquiries and concerns. They also inspect the stability and performance of the truck's engine before and after operations and perform necessary repairs to prevent delivery delays and avoid potential road hazards.
Driver/owner operators and flatbed drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Driver/Owner Operator | Flatbed Driver | |
| Average salary | $169,793 | $57,099 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $417,000 | Between $39,000 And $83,000 |
| Highest paying City | Savannah, GA | Chicago, IL |
| Highest paying state | Texas | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | Clean Harbors | Hub Group |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a driver/owner operator and a flatbed driver in terms of educational background:
| Driver/Owner Operator | Flatbed Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between driver/owner operators' and flatbed drivers' demographics:
| Driver/Owner Operator | Flatbed Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.4% Female, 10.6% | Male, 95.0% Female, 5.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.8% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 21.6% Asian, 3.8% White, 56.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 13.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 3.5% White, 60.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |