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The differences between driver/owner operators and transportation 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 transportation driver. Additionally, a driver/owner operator has an average salary of $169,793, which is higher than the $43,236 average annual salary of a transportation driver.
The top three skills for a driver/owner operator include CDL, DOT and OTR. The most important skills for a transportation driver are CDL, DOT, and tractor trailer.
| Driver/Owner Operator | Transportation Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $169,793 | $43,236 |
| Hourly rate | $81.63 | $20.79 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 170,784 | 1,006,562 |
| 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 transportation driver is responsible for transporting people and goods from one place to another. A transportation driver must have a clean driving record to operate vehicles carefully and efficiently. Transportation drivers must ensure that the passengers are safe and comfortable during the trip and that goods are in proper condition to avoid damage and defects. They should strictly adhere to the transport schedules and assigned routes to avoid delays of operations. A transportation driver should also understand maintenance basics of vehicles to perform repair and reconditioning of any engine malfunction.
Driver/owner operators and transportation drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Driver/Owner Operator | Transportation Driver | |
| Average salary | $169,793 | $43,236 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $417,000 | Between $26,000 And $70,000 |
| Highest paying City | Savannah, GA | Cheyenne, WY |
| Highest paying state | Texas | Wyoming |
| Best paying company | Clean Harbors | West Tennessee Healthcare |
| Best paying industry | Energy | - |
There are a few differences between a driver/owner operator and a transportation driver in terms of educational background:
| Driver/Owner Operator | Transportation 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 transportation drivers' demographics:
| Driver/Owner Operator | Transportation Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.4% Female, 10.6% | Male, 72.8% Female, 27.2% |
| 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, 12.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 3.6% White, 59.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |