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The differences between professional truck 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 truck driver and a van driver. Additionally, a professional truck driver has an average salary of $48,577, which is higher than the $36,254 average annual salary of a van driver.
The top three skills for a professional truck driver include CDL, safety regulations and on-time delivery. The most important skills for a van driver are CDL, customer service, and OTR.
| Professional Truck Driver | Van Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $48,577 | $36,254 |
| Hourly rate | $23.35 | $17.43 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 739,437 | 791,293 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 32% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Professional truck drivers have skills in communication, organization, and navigation, as well as a motivated personality and a good sense of responsibility. Their services are absolutely essential, with the most basic task being driving commercial trucks for transportation of goods and materials to distribution centers. Truck drivers transport everything from automobiles to produce to machinery.
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 truck drivers and van drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Professional Truck Driver | Van Driver | |
| Average salary | $48,577 | $36,254 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $69,000 | Between $24,000 And $52,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Wellpath | DVFSchool |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a professional truck driver and a van driver in terms of educational background:
| Professional Truck Driver | Van Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 32% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between professional truck drivers' and van drivers' demographics:
| Professional Truck Driver | Van Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.3% Female, 15.7% | Male, 65.9% Female, 34.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 14.4% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.9% Asian, 3.7% White, 58.5% 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% |