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The differences between garbage truck drivers and local 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 local driver. Additionally, a local driver has an average salary of $48,160, 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 local driver are CDL, DOT, and post-trip inspections.
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 local driver is responsible for transporting people and goods and services from the distribution centers to various destinations. Local drivers operate vehicles and inspect the engine for any inconsistencies and system defects that may cause delays with the operations. They also schedule vehicle maintenance and repairs, keeping a record of receipts for the management's validation. A local driver must have excellent driving skills and a clean driving record. Additionally, a local driver should possess excellent communication skills, especially on handling customers' inquiries and concerns and escalating high-level complaints.
Garbage truck drivers and local drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Garbage Truck Driver | Local Driver | |
| Average salary | $38,257 | $48,160 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $50,000 | Between $33,000 And $69,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Montana |
| Best paying company | Trucking Partners | Mid-South Management |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a garbage truck driver and a local driver in terms of educational background:
| Garbage Truck Driver | Local Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 60% | High School Diploma, 41% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between garbage truck drivers' and local drivers' demographics:
| Garbage Truck Driver | Local Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.9% Female, 7.1% | Male, 91.3% Female, 8.7% |
| 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, 13.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 3.6% White, 60.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |