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The differences between owner/operators 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 owner/operator and a truck driver-over-the-road. Additionally, an owner/operator has an average salary of $167,288, which is higher than the $69,158 average annual salary of a truck driver-over-the-road.
The top three skills for an owner/operator include CDL, PET and customer service. The most important skills for a truck driver-over-the-road are CDL, OTR, and PET.
| Owner/Operator | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Yearly salary | $167,288 | $69,158 |
| Hourly rate | $80.43 | $33.25 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 119,599 | 689,630 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 42% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| 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 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.
Owner/operators and truck driver-over the roads have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Owner/Operator | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Average salary | $167,288 | $69,158 |
| Salary range | Between $105,000 And $264,000 | Between $50,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bridgeport, CT | Des Moines, WA |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | Washington |
| Best paying company | Reddy Ice | Walmart |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an owner/operator and a truck driver-over-the-road in terms of educational background:
| Owner/Operator | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 42% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between owner/operators' and truck driver-over the roads' demographics:
| Owner/Operator | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.8% Female, 33.2% | Male, 88.1% Female, 11.9% |
| 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, 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% |