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The differences between professional drivers and van drivers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a professional driver and a van driver. Additionally, a professional driver has an average salary of $49,556, which is higher than the $36,254 average annual salary of a van driver.
The top three skills for a professional driver include safety regulations, vehicle inspections and CDL. The most important skills for a van driver are CDL, customer service, and OTR.
| Professional Driver | Van Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $49,556 | $36,254 |
| Hourly rate | $23.82 | $17.43 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 1,043,986 | 791,293 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 27% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 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 van driver is responsible for operating a wide and a larger-sized vehicle than a regular car, usually used as a company shuttle to pick up and drop employees to designated areas. Van drivers should have a clean driving record, ensuring the safety and comfortability of the passengers while on the road. They should also be familiar with the location, considering alternative routes for any road complications to avoid delays. A van driver must have comprehensive knowledge of the mechanical industry, inspecting the engine's condition, and perform repairs as necessary.
Professional drivers and van drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Professional Driver | Van Driver | |
| Average salary | $49,556 | $36,254 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $73,000 | Between $24,000 And $52,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | - | Alaska |
| Best paying company | - | DVFSchool |
| Best paying industry | - | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a professional driver and a van driver in terms of educational background:
| Professional Driver | Van Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 27% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between professional drivers' and van drivers' demographics:
| Professional Driver | Van Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.2% Female, 20.8% | Male, 65.9% Female, 34.1% |
| 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, 12.2% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 3.6% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |