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The differences between tow truck drivers and haul 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 tow truck driver and a haul truck driver. Additionally, a haul truck driver has an average salary of $60,932, which is higher than the $38,555 average annual salary of a tow truck driver.
The top three skills for a tow truck driver include transport vehicles, CDL and customer service. The most important skills for a haul truck driver are CDL, DOT, and traffic violations.
| Tow Truck Driver | Haul Truck Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $38,555 | $60,932 |
| Hourly rate | $18.54 | $29.29 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 666,918 | 704,286 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 57% | High School Diploma, 47% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Typically working upon the directives of dispatchers, a tow truck driver is in charge of driving to areas where a vehicle accident or breakdown took place, connecting the vehicle to the tow truck, and transporting them to repair stations or particular places. Their responsibilities include communicating with clients to identify their needs, answering inquiries, providing assistance by performing minor repairs, changing tires or jump-starting cars, and recommending solutions when necessary. Furthermore, as a tow truck driver, it is essential to perform regular maintenance checks on towing trucks for a safe and efficient service.
Haul Truck Drivers are skilled professional drivers. They are licensed to drive around heavy vehicles such as trucks. They usually travel long distances to deliver goods from one place to another. They should be able to meet delivery time expectations. As such, Haul Truck Drivers should have good time management skills. They should also have the presence of mind while driving and must obey all traffic rules. They should know the best routes to take for each particular trip. They must also ensure that their trucks are well-maintained. Haul truck Drivers should be strong enough to assist in loading up the truck or reloading the content.
Tow truck drivers and haul truck drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Tow Truck Driver | Haul Truck Driver | |
| Average salary | $38,555 | $60,932 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $50,000 | Between $40,000 And $92,000 |
| Highest paying City | Auburn, WA | Tulsa, OK |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Oklahoma |
| Best paying company | City of Detroit | Tyson Foods |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a tow truck driver and a haul truck driver in terms of educational background:
| Tow Truck Driver | Haul Truck Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 57% | High School Diploma, 47% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between tow truck drivers' and haul truck drivers' demographics:
| Tow Truck Driver | Haul Truck Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% | Male, 87.4% Female, 12.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 20.2% Asian, 3.9% White, 58.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.6% Asian, 3.8% White, 59.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |