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The differences between garbage truck drivers and truck driver-over the roads 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-over-the-road. Additionally, a truck driver-over-the-road has an average salary of $69,158, 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-over-the-road are CDL, OTR, and PET.
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 truck driver-over-the-road (OTR) is an individual driver who specializes in hauling items such as heavy freight, machinery, or construction materials from a home terminal to delivery points. OTR truck drivers usually spend more time on the road due to the long distances they are required to reach. To avoid vehicular breakdowns and delays, OTR drivers are required to inspect their trucks and review shipping and transport documents. They are also responsible for unloading freights and collect charges from customers.
Garbage truck drivers and truck driver-over the roads have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Garbage Truck Driver | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Average salary | $38,257 | $69,158 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $50,000 | Between $50,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Des Moines, WA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Washington |
| Best paying company | Trucking Partners | Walmart |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a garbage truck driver and a truck driver-over-the-road in terms of educational background:
| Garbage Truck Driver | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 60% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between garbage truck drivers' and truck driver-over the roads' demographics:
| Garbage Truck Driver | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.9% Female, 7.1% | Male, 88.1% Female, 11.9% |
| 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, 13.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 3.9% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |