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The differences between route drivers and truck drivers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a truck driver has an average salary of $60,326, which is higher than the $45,492 average annual salary of a route driver.
The top three skills for a route driver include CDL, DOT and pickup. The most important skills for a truck driver are CDL, OTR, and DOT.
| Route Driver | Truck Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $45,492 | $60,326 |
| Hourly rate | $21.87 | $29.00 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 266,899 | 827,858 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 47% | High School Diploma, 48% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
A Route Driver is responsible for delivering and transporting supplies or goods within an allotted time. The tasks will vary upon the organization or industry that a Route Driver works for, however, most of the time, the duties will revolve around picking up and dropping off packages at particular destinations ranging from homes to establishments, and communicating with customers. Furthermore, Route Drivers must keep their vehicles in clean and sound condition, report to supervisors should there be any issue, and adhere to the company policies and regulations at all times.
The truck driver transports goods and materials by land from and to manufacturing factories or retail businesses and distribution centers with the use of heavy trucks or tractor-trailers. Truck drivers assist and supervise the safe unloading of cargos to the destination. They must always check their cargo if complete and secured with cables, rope, or other materials. They should keep their truck clean, neat, and inspect prior the trip and ensure to be in good working condition to operate safely. It is very important that they follow with all appropriate safety procedures and comply with federal and state regulations. They must also be knowledgable and comfortable in using maps or GPS to navigate the safest and most efficient routes.
Route drivers and truck drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Route Driver | Truck Driver | |
| Average salary | $45,492 | $60,326 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $67,000 | Between $40,000 And $90,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Wilmington, DE |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Delaware |
| Best paying company | Blank Rome | W. R. Grace & Co |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Retail |
There are a few differences between a route driver and a truck driver in terms of educational background:
| Route Driver | Truck Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 47% | High School Diploma, 48% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between route drivers' and truck drivers' demographics:
| Route Driver | Truck Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% | Male, 91.6% Female, 8.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 3.8% White, 60.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 12.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 3.4% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |