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The differences between owner/operators and transportation drivers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an owner/operator and a transportation driver. Additionally, an owner/operator has an average salary of $167,288, which is higher than the $43,236 average annual salary of a transportation driver.
The top three skills for an owner/operator include CDL, PET and customer service. The most important skills for a transportation driver are CDL, DOT, and tractor trailer.
| Owner/Operator | Transportation Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $167,288 | $43,236 |
| Hourly rate | $80.43 | $20.79 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 119,599 | 1,006,562 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 42% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Owners/operators manage the business in all aspects, especially in those related to operations. They ensure that every aspect of the business is running smoothly. They oversee finance, marketing, logistics, sales, and even the human resources of the whole organization. They set business goals, create action plans to achieve them, and make sure that the plans are followed through. They set strategic direction and make business decisions that would be the most beneficial to the organization. They ensure that the business has enough funds to continue operating and that the quality of the products and services they offer continuously improve.
A transportation driver is responsible for transporting people and goods from one place to another. A transportation driver must have a clean driving record to operate vehicles carefully and efficiently. Transportation drivers must ensure that the passengers are safe and comfortable during the trip and that goods are in proper condition to avoid damage and defects. They should strictly adhere to the transport schedules and assigned routes to avoid delays of operations. A transportation driver should also understand maintenance basics of vehicles to perform repair and reconditioning of any engine malfunction.
Owner/operators and transportation drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Owner/Operator | Transportation Driver | |
| Average salary | $167,288 | $43,236 |
| Salary range | Between $105,000 And $264,000 | Between $26,000 And $70,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bridgeport, CT | Cheyenne, WY |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | Wyoming |
| Best paying company | Reddy Ice | West Tennessee Healthcare |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between an owner/operator and a transportation driver in terms of educational background:
| Owner/Operator | Transportation Driver | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 42% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between owner/operators' and transportation drivers' demographics:
| Owner/Operator | Transportation Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.8% Female, 33.2% | Male, 72.8% Female, 27.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 3.6% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 12.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 3.6% White, 59.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |