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The differences between garbage truck drivers and dump truck 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 garbage truck driver and a dump truck driver. Additionally, a dump truck driver has an average salary of $55,857, which is higher than the $38,257 average annual salary of a garbage truck driver.
The top three skills for a garbage truck driver include CDL, customer service and post-trip inspections. The most important skills for a dump truck driver are CDL, asphalt, and DOT.
Just as the name implies, a garbage truck driver is someone who drives a truck and uses it to collect trash, waste products, and recycling from dumpsters and trash cans on a set route. Their responsibilities include driving the truck along a designated route and handling lifting devices to collect trash. Furthermore, they may have to operate a front-end loader truck that lifts the waste into a container behind the vehicle.
A dump truck driver is responsible for transporting construction materials, such as rocks, sands, woods, heavy equipment, garbage collection, and junk supplies from one place to the assigned destination. Dump truck drivers must have excellent mechanical skills to inspect the vehicle before and after operations to prevent delays and possible engine failures, especially on working during different weather conditions. They should also have clean driving records, following the road's safety regulations at all times, ensuring the efficiency of deliveries within the agreed time.
Garbage truck drivers and dump truck drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Garbage Truck Driver | Dump Truck Driver | |
| Average salary | $38,257 | $55,857 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $50,000 | Between $43,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Ponca City, OK |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Trucking Partners | North Central Group |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a garbage truck driver and a dump truck driver in terms of educational background:
| Garbage Truck Driver | Dump Truck Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 60% | High School Diploma, 50% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between garbage truck drivers' and dump truck drivers' demographics:
| Garbage Truck Driver | Dump Truck Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.9% Female, 7.1% | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 4.0% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 13.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 3.8% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |