Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between over the road 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 an over the road 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 $62,119 average annual salary of an over the road driver.
The top three skills for an over the road driver include CDL, PET and post-trip inspections. The most important skills for a truck driver-over-the-road are CDL, OTR, and PET.
| Over The Road Driver | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Yearly salary | $62,119 | $69,158 |
| Hourly rate | $29.86 | $33.25 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 711,143 | 689,630 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 37% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Over the road, (OTR) drivers are the truckers driving the big semi-trailer truck that hauls all types of goods to their destinations across the states. Their journey typically begins with loading the freight onto the trailer, requiring them to lift heavy materials and load the cargo properly to avoid shifting while in transit. They often sleep in the sleeper berth at a truck stop to eat, freshen up and refuel. They are allowed to go on a 30-minute break after an eight-hour drive.
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.
Over the road drivers and truck driver-over the roads have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Over The Road Driver | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Average salary | $62,119 | $69,158 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $88,000 | Between $50,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | Camden, NJ | Des Moines, WA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Washington |
| Best paying company | Walmart | Walmart |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an over the road driver and a truck driver-over-the-road in terms of educational background:
| Over The Road Driver | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 37% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between over the road drivers' and truck driver-over the roads' demographics:
| Over The Road Driver | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% | Male, 88.1% Female, 11.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.7% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 3.9% White, 60.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | 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% |