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The differences between residential drivers and over the road 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 residential driver and an over the road driver. Additionally, an over the road driver has an average salary of $62,119, which is higher than the $36,713 average annual salary of a residential driver.
The top three skills for a residential driver include CDL, safety equipment and clean waste. The most important skills for an over the road driver are CDL, PET, and post-trip inspections.
| Residential Driver | Over The Road Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $36,713 | $62,119 |
| Hourly rate | $17.65 | $29.86 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 751,657 | 711,143 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 47% | High School Diploma, 37% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
The duties of a residential driver depend on their line of work or employer. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around providing private transport to clients or providing public transportation services within residential areas. There are instances where they must communicate with clients, establish contracts, or be on call any time of the day. Furthermore, as a residential driver, it is essential to abide by all the traffic laws and perform regular vehicle maintenance checks to ensure a safe and healthy service to clients.
Over the road, (OTR) drivers are the truckers driving the big semi-trailer truck that hauls all types of goods to their destinations across the states. Their journey typically begins with loading the freight onto the trailer, requiring them to lift heavy materials and load the cargo properly to avoid shifting while in transit. They often sleep in the sleeper berth at a truck stop to eat, freshen up and refuel. They are allowed to go on a 30-minute break after an eight-hour drive.
Residential drivers and over the road drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Residential Driver | Over The Road Driver | |
| Average salary | $36,713 | $62,119 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $48,000 | Between $43,000 And $88,000 |
| Highest paying City | Plymouth, MA | Camden, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Waste Management | Walmart |
| Best paying industry | Government | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a residential driver and an over the road driver in terms of educational background:
| Residential Driver | Over The Road Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 47% | High School Diploma, 37% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between residential drivers' and over the road drivers' demographics:
| Residential Driver | Over The Road Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.7% Female, 5.3% | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.2% Asian, 3.7% White, 57.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 13.7% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 3.9% White, 60.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |