Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between escort vehicle drivers and tractor-trailer drivers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an escort vehicle driver and a tractor-trailer driver. Additionally, a tractor-trailer driver has an average salary of $58,498, which is higher than the $34,684 average annual salary of an escort vehicle driver.
The top three skills for an escort vehicle driver include motor vehicle, maintenance checks and CPR. The most important skills for a tractor-trailer driver are DOT, CDL, and OTR.
| Escort Vehicle Driver | Tractor-Trailer Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $34,684 | $58,498 |
| Hourly rate | $16.68 | $28.12 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 617,503 | 690,787 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | High School Diploma, 44% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Escort vehicle drivers drive ahead of big trucks to warn motorists and clear the traffic in the truck's way. They must communicate with drivers and inform them about changes of route, speed, or traffic congestion underway. Also, in aviation, the escort vehicle driver is needed in guiding planes along the runway. They also need a driver's license and excellent hand-eye coordination to quickly manage sudden turns.
A tractor-trailer driver is responsible for picking up and delivering goods and services from distribution centers and warehouses to different locations across the country as required. Tractor-trailer drivers manage the best route planning to prevent delays. They should also have extensive knowledge of the mechanical industry, inspecting the vehicle's condition regularly, repairing any inconsistencies, and replacing defective components to ensure smooth operations. A tractor-trailer driver must have excellent communication and organizational skills, responding to the clients' inquiries and concerns and escalating complaints to management for immediate resolution.
Escort vehicle drivers and tractor-trailer drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Escort Vehicle Driver | Tractor-Trailer Driver | |
| Average salary | $34,684 | $58,498 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $51,000 | Between $40,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | Middletown, NY | Atlanta, GA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | Xoriant | Exel Inc. |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Transportation |
There are a few differences between an escort vehicle driver and a tractor-trailer driver in terms of educational background:
| Escort Vehicle Driver | Tractor-Trailer Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | High School Diploma, 44% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between escort vehicle drivers' and tractor-trailer drivers' demographics:
| Escort Vehicle Driver | Tractor-Trailer Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.5% Female, 20.5% | Male, 93.2% Female, 6.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 20.4% Asian, 3.6% White, 58.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 13.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 3.6% White, 59.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |