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The differences between professional drivers and transit drivers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a professional driver has an average salary of $49,556, which is higher than the $36,195 average annual salary of a transit driver.
The top three skills for a professional driver include safety regulations, vehicle inspections and CDL. The most important skills for a transit driver are reliable transportation, CDL, and defensive driving.
| Professional Driver | Transit Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $49,556 | $36,195 |
| Hourly rate | $23.82 | $17.40 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 1,043,986 | 362,919 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 27% | High School Diploma, 33% |
| Average age | 48 | 55 |
| Years of experience | 2 | - |
A professional driver is responsible for offering driving services as a way of living. Professional drivers are often employed by a company or private household, transporting the employees and clients from one location to another with the utmost safety and comfortability. To be a professional driver, one must have a valid professional driver's license, as well as a clean driving record for efficient job completion. A professional driver should also have comprehensive knowledge of the mechanical industry, especially on inspecting the vehicle's engine and conducting repairs as needed to avoid any delays in services.
A Transit Driver is tasked with driving passengers on already predetermined and specific routes along suburban or city streets and ensuring that they get to their destinations. He/She typically collects bus fares or tickets from passengers, answers questions on schedules and routes, and reports any traffic disruption or accidents to a central dispatcher. Aside from driving, you will need to also carry out routine check-ups of your bus tires, lights, oil, as well as perform other basic maintenance. You will also need to keep passengers informed of delays.
Professional drivers and transit drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Professional Driver | Transit Driver | |
| Average salary | $49,556 | $36,195 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $73,000 | Between $27,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | West Haven, CT |
| Highest paying state | - | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | - | Keurig Dr Pepper |
| Best paying industry | - | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a professional driver and a transit driver in terms of educational background:
| Professional Driver | Transit Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 27% | High School Diploma, 33% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between professional drivers' and transit drivers' demographics:
| Professional Driver | Transit Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 55 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.2% Female, 20.8% | Male, 59.3% Female, 40.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 3.6% White, 60.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 25.1% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 4.9% White, 47.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 9% |