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The differences between driver/owner operators and truck driver-over the roads 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 truck driver-over-the-road. Additionally, a driver/owner operator has an average salary of $169,793, which is higher than the $69,158 average annual salary of a truck driver-over-the-road.
The top three skills for a driver/owner operator include CDL, DOT and OTR. The most important skills for a truck driver-over-the-road are CDL, OTR, and PET.
| Driver/Owner Operator | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Yearly salary | $169,793 | $69,158 |
| Hourly rate | $81.63 | $33.25 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 170,784 | 689,630 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| 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 truck driver-over-the-road (OTR) is an individual driver who specializes in hauling items such as heavy freight, machinery, or construction materials from a home terminal to delivery points. OTR truck drivers usually spend more time on the road due to the long distances they are required to reach. To avoid vehicular breakdowns and delays, OTR drivers are required to inspect their trucks and review shipping and transport documents. They are also responsible for unloading freights and collect charges from customers.
Driver/owner operators and truck driver-over the roads have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Driver/Owner Operator | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Average salary | $169,793 | $69,158 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $417,000 | Between $50,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | Savannah, GA | Des Moines, WA |
| Highest paying state | Texas | Washington |
| Best paying company | Clean Harbors | Walmart |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a driver/owner operator and a truck driver-over-the-road in terms of educational background:
| Driver/Owner Operator | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between driver/owner operators' and truck driver-over the roads' demographics:
| Driver/Owner Operator | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.4% Female, 10.6% | Male, 88.1% Female, 11.9% |
| 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, 13.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 3.9% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |