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The differences between tank truck drivers and professional truck 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 tank truck driver and a professional truck driver. Additionally, a tank truck driver has an average salary of $59,007, which is higher than the $48,577 average annual salary of a professional truck driver.
The top three skills for a tank truck driver include CDL, tractor trailer and OTR. The most important skills for a professional truck driver are CDL, safety regulations, and on-time delivery.
A tank truck driver is responsible for delivering a large volume of products to the customers or warehouse centers, such as gasoline, oil, and other related chemicals. Tank truck drivers ensure the regular maintenance of the truck's engine, immediately repairing inconsistencies and glitches to avoid potential hazards and delays in deliveries. They should also abide by road regulations at all times, requiring them to have a clean driving record to handle their duties under strict conditions and deadlines.
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.
Tank truck drivers and professional truck drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Tank Truck Driver | Professional Truck Driver | |
| Average salary | $59,007 | $48,577 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $87,000 | Between $33,000 And $69,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Clara, CA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Wyoming | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Air Products | Wellpath |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a tank truck driver and a professional truck driver in terms of educational background:
| Tank Truck Driver | Professional Truck Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 41% | High School Diploma, 32% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between tank truck drivers' and professional truck drivers' demographics:
| Tank Truck Driver | Professional Truck Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.5% Female, 5.5% | Male, 84.3% Female, 15.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 3.5% White, 58.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |