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The differences between flatbed truck drivers and cdl 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 flatbed truck driver and a cdl driver. Additionally, a cdl driver has an average salary of $63,112, which is higher than the $61,065 average annual salary of a flatbed truck driver.
The top three skills for a flatbed truck driver include CDL, flatbed and OTR. The most important skills for a cdl driver are DOT, CDL-A, and customer service.
A flatbed truck driver is primarily responsible for the transport and delivery of goods, ensuring efficiency and timeliness. Their duties mainly revolve around coordinating with logistics staff, planning deliveries, managing paperwork, responding to calls and inquiries from clients, and maintaining their vehicles in good condition by regularly conducting maintenance checks. There are are also instances when a driver must collect and process payments, making sure to keep records of all transactions. Furthermore, it is essential to load and unload goods to the location of deliveries and abide by all the traffic laws and regulations.
A CDL driver is responsible for the transportation of goods from the manufacturing warehouse to specific store locations. CDL drivers' duties include inspecting the items before and after the delivery to ensure that the orders are correct with the right quantity, providing proof of delivery from the receiving customers, following the delivery schedule and report any delays immediately, monitoring the vehicle's engine for efficiency, and escalating concerns of incorrect deliveries and defective items. A CDL driver must have excellent time-management and multi-tasking skills, following safety procedures and road rules at all times.
Flatbed truck drivers and cdl drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Flatbed Truck Driver | CDL Driver | |
| Average salary | $61,065 | $63,112 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $91,000 | Between $41,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | Dover, NH | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Montana | Wyoming |
| Best paying company | Jordan Company | GCP Applied Technologies |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Retail |
There are a few differences between a flatbed truck driver and a cdl driver in terms of educational background:
| Flatbed Truck Driver | CDL Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 41% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between flatbed truck drivers' and cdl drivers' demographics:
| Flatbed Truck Driver | CDL Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.2% Female, 4.8% | Male, 92.8% Female, 7.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 14.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 3.6% White, 60.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 12.7% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 3.4% White, 58.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |