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What does a professional truck driver do?

Updated January 8, 2025
8 min read
Quoted expert
Don Lefeve
What does a professional truck driver do

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.

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Professional truck driver responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real professional truck driver resumes:

  • Maintain current commercial driver's license (CDL).
  • Perform equipment inspections, load and unload liquid HazMat.
  • Select as OTR driver certify in tanker, double and triple.
  • Diversify freight transportation OTR, as well as business and home delivery.
  • Train students and company employees in professional truck driving leading to student acquiring CDL.
  • Truck driving/safety checks on all equipment and cargo/The on time pickup and delivery of cargo
  • Drive eighteen wheeler pulling tankers load with liquid HazMat in the lower 48 and Canada.
  • Chart out daily routes by using atlas, maps, or provide company issue GPS.
  • Collect delivery instructions from appropriate sources, verifying instructions and routes by map, GPS, and contacting customers.
  • Expedite all over-the-road functions for transportation of commercial commodities.
  • Provide transportation services for major commercial shipping customers, including Walmart and Budweiser.

Professional truck driver skills and personality traits

We calculated that 17% of Professional Truck Drivers are proficient in CDL, Safety Regulations, and On-Time Delivery. They’re also known for soft skills such as Hand-eye coordination, Hearing ability, and Physical health.

We break down the percentage of Professional Truck Drivers that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • CDL, 17%

    Observed speed limits and driving laws as over-the-road driver with a Class A CDL.

  • Safety Regulations, 15%

    Unload product at destination following all company guidelines and safety regulations.

  • On-Time Delivery, 10%

    Communicated with dispatch to confirm delivery destination and provide real time updates on location to ensure on-time delivery.

  • OTR, 7%

    Attended Truck driving school with 4 weeks in class training, and then 35 days OTR with truck driver trainer.

  • Vehicle Service, 6%

    Maintain logs of working hours or of vehicle service/repair status.

  • Semi, 5%

    Worked as a team driver in a flatbed Semi.

"cdl," "safety regulations," and "on-time delivery" are among the most common skills that professional truck drivers use at work. You can find even more professional truck driver responsibilities below, including:

Hand-eye coordination. One of the key soft skills for a professional truck driver to have is hand-eye coordination. You can see how this relates to what professional truck drivers do because "drivers of heavy trucks and tractor-trailers must be able to coordinate their legs, hands, and eyes simultaneously so that they will react appropriately to the situation around them and drive the vehicle safely." Additionally, a professional truck driver resume shows how professional truck drivers use hand-eye coordination: "maintain accurate and safe log book.load unload freight.communicate with brokers dispatch and coordination of loads"

Hearing ability. Many professional truck driver duties rely on hearing ability. "truck drivers need good hearing," so a professional truck driver will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways professional truck driver responsibilities rely on hearing ability: "transport and deliver customer goods while adhearing to strict deadlines and safety regulations for professional drivers. "

Physical health. professional truck drivers are also known for physical health, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to professional truck driver responsibilities, because "federal regulations do not allow people to become truck drivers if they have a medical condition, such as high blood pressure or epilepsy, which may interfere with their ability to operate a truck." A professional truck driver resume example shows how physical health is used in the workplace: "drive trucks to weigh stations before and after loading and along routes in compliance with state regulations performing general physical activities"

Visual ability. professional truck driver responsibilities often require "visual ability." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "truck drivers must be able to pass vision tests." This resume example shows what professional truck drivers do with visual ability on a typical day: "maintained education in successfully, handling hazardous materials; visually recognized colored labels and placards. "

All professional truck driver skills

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Compare different professional truck drivers

Professional truck driver vs. Driver

Drivers are responsible for safely transporting people, packages, or goods from one destination to another. They should be familiar with the different routes that may be taken to reach the desired goal. They should be expert navigators and may use navigation apps to help them along the way. They should also be familiar with the basic mechanics of the vehicle they are using and the proper maintenance and cleaning needed to ensure that the car is running well. Drivers are expected to have excellent customer relation skills, a strong sense of direction, and superb organizations.

The annual salary of drivers is $13,806 lower than the average salary of professional truck drivers.While their salaries may differ, the common ground between professional truck drivers and drivers are a few of the skills required in each roleacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities. In both careers, employee duties involve skills like cdl, safety regulations, and otr.

While similarities exist, there are also some differences between professional truck drivers and driver. For instance, professional truck driver responsibilities require skills such as "on-time delivery," "semi," "dot regulations," and "pickup." Whereas a driver is skilled in "math," "basic math," "safety rules," and "cleanliness." This is part of what separates the two careers.

Drivers earn the highest salaries when working in the manufacturing industry, with an average yearly salary of $39,688. On the other hand, professional truck drivers are paid more in the transportation industry with an average salary of $56,975.On average, drivers reach similar levels of education than professional truck drivers. Drivers are 0.6% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.2% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Professional truck driver vs. Cdl driver

A CDL driver is responsible for the transportation of goods from the manufacturing warehouse to specific store locations. CDL drivers' duties include inspecting the items before and after the delivery to ensure that the orders are correct with the right quantity, providing proof of delivery from the receiving customers, following the delivery schedule and report any delays immediately, monitoring the vehicle's engine for efficiency, and escalating concerns of incorrect deliveries and defective items. A CDL driver must have excellent time-management and multi-tasking skills, following safety procedures and road rules at all times.

Cdl driver positions earn higher pay than professional truck driver roles. They earn a $14,535 higher salary than professional truck drivers per year.While the salary may differ for these jobs, they share a few skills needed to perform their duties. Based on resume data, both professional truck drivers and cdl drivers have skills such as "safety regulations," "otr," and "vehicle service. "

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that professional truck driver responsibilities requires skills like "cdl," "on-time delivery," "semi," and "dot regulations." But a cdl driver might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "dot," "cdl-a," "customer service," and "pet."

Cdl drivers may earn a higher salary than professional truck drivers, but cdl drivers earn the most pay in the retail industry with an average salary of $63,457. On the other hand, professional truck drivers receive higher pay in the transportation industry, where they earn an average salary of $56,975.In general, cdl drivers achieve similar levels of education than professional truck drivers. They're 0.5% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for professional truck drivers in the next 3-5 years?

Don LefeveDon Lefeve LinkedIn profile

President & Chairman of the Board, CVTA

Technology is changing very fast, which is great news for trucking (and all transportation) as it's making vehicles safer. The next 3-5 years will see the expansion of electric vehicles, better safety systems, and greater efficiency in transportation networks. While autonomous technology is advancing rapidly, it will not replace humans anytime soon. Certainly not in the next 3-5 years. There's a lot of testing, security concerns, and limitations that need to be worked out. Beyond the next five years, as technology continues advancing, and jobs will change and be enhanced, but driving jobs will not be replaced by machines. Like airline pilots, the technology relies upon humans, and the human will retain a central role in the control of the truck because we possess the fastest, most capable computers of all -- our brains. I think driver training will always be required, and in fact, it will likely expand to cover not only the fundamentals but also incorporate more technical training centered around autonomous systems and how to operate them.

Professional truck driver vs. Mixer driver

A mixer driver is responsible for operating mixer trucks to deliver construction materials and concrete mixtures to construction and industrial site. Mixer drivers must inspect the condition of the truck's engine before and after operations to ensure its stability and performance that would prevent operational delays and avoid potential hazards. They should also dispense the mixtures properly and clean spills after delivery. A mixer driver must have excellent organizational skills to control the truck safely and ensure that the correct materials are delivered.

An average mixer driver eans a higher salary compared to the average salary of professional truck drivers. The difference in salaries amounts to mixer drivers earning a $3,427 higher average salary than professional truck drivers.professional truck drivers and mixer drivers both have job responsibilities that require similar skill sets. These similarities include skills such as "cdl," "safety regulations," and "vehicle service," but they differ when it comes to other required skills.

The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, professional truck drivers are more likely to have skills like "on-time delivery," "otr," "semi," and "dot regulations." But a mixer driver is more likely to have skills like "dot," "customer service," "ladders," and "asphalt."

Mixer drivers make a very good living in the construction industry with an average annual salary of $51,169. On the other hand, professional truck drivers are paid the highest salary in the transportation industry, with average annual pay of $56,975.When it comes to education, mixer drivers tend to earn similar degree levels compared to professional truck drivers. In fact, they're 1.4% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.3% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Professional truck driver vs. Van driver

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.

Van drivers typically earn lower pay than professional truck drivers. On average, van drivers earn a $12,323 lower salary per year.While their salaries may vary, professional truck drivers and van drivers both use similar skills to perform their duties. Resumes from both professions include skills like "cdl," "otr," and "log book. "While some skills are required in each professionacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities, there are some differences to note. "safety regulations," "on-time delivery," "vehicle service," and "semi" are skills that commonly show up on professional truck driver resumes. On the other hand, van drivers use skills like customer service, patients, pet, and cpr on their resumes.van drivers enjoy the best pay in the transportation industry, with an average salary of $37,113. For comparison, professional truck drivers earn the highest salary in the transportation industry.In general, van drivers hold similar degree levels compared to professional truck drivers. Van drivers are 0.3% more likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of professional truck driver

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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