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The differences between garbage truck drivers and truck drivers class a 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 truck driver class a. Additionally, a truck driver class a has an average salary of $63,270, 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 truck driver class a are CDL, PET, and OTR.
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.
The responsibilities of a Truck Driver Class A mainly revolves around driving heavy vehicles and ensuring that all transported goods meet the expected delivery deadlines and quality. The Driver needs to have a Class A license and be emotionally and physically healthy to qualify. Among the duties of a Truck Driver Class A will also revolve around securing and monitoring the quantity and quality of items, maintaining the vehicle in good condition, abide by the traffic rules and regulations, adhere to the company standards and policies, and have precise coordination with every workforce involved.
Garbage truck drivers and truck drivers class a have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Garbage Truck Driver | Truck Driver Class A | |
| Average salary | $38,257 | $63,270 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $50,000 | Between $43,000 And $92,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Newark, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | Trucking Partners | Walmart |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a garbage truck driver and a truck driver class a in terms of educational background:
| Garbage Truck Driver | Truck Driver Class A | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 60% | High School Diploma, 48% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between garbage truck drivers' and truck drivers class a' demographics:
| Garbage Truck Driver | Truck Driver Class A | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.9% Female, 7.1% | Male, 91.7% Female, 8.3% |
| 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, 13.2% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 19.3% Asian, 3.5% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |