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The differences between garbage truck drivers and tow 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 tow truck driver. Additionally, a tow truck driver has an average salary of $38,555, 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 tow truck driver are transport vehicles, CDL, and customer service.
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.
Typically working upon the directives of dispatchers, a tow truck driver is in charge of driving to areas where a vehicle accident or breakdown took place, connecting the vehicle to the tow truck, and transporting them to repair stations or particular places. Their responsibilities include communicating with clients to identify their needs, answering inquiries, providing assistance by performing minor repairs, changing tires or jump-starting cars, and recommending solutions when necessary. Furthermore, as a tow truck driver, it is essential to perform regular maintenance checks on towing trucks for a safe and efficient service.
Garbage truck drivers and tow truck drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Garbage Truck Driver | Tow Truck Driver | |
| Average salary | $38,257 | $38,555 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $50,000 | Between $29,000 And $50,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Auburn, WA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Washington |
| Best paying company | Trucking Partners | City of Detroit |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a garbage truck driver and a tow truck driver in terms of educational background:
| Garbage Truck Driver | Tow Truck Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 60% | High School Diploma, 57% |
| Most common major | Business | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between garbage truck drivers' and tow truck drivers' demographics:
| Garbage Truck Driver | Tow Truck Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.9% Female, 7.1% | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% |
| 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, 11.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 20.2% Asian, 3.9% White, 58.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |