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The differences between tow truck operators and company 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 operator and a company driver. Additionally, a company driver has an average salary of $65,430, which is higher than the $43,448 average annual salary of a tow truck operator.
The top three skills for a tow truck operator include transport vehicles, tow truck and DOT. The most important skills for a company driver are CDL, OTR, and PET.
| Tow Truck Operator | Company Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $43,448 | $65,430 |
| Hourly rate | $20.89 | $31.46 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 72,416 | 708,157 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 53% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A Tow Truck Operator works with a towing company and assists with removing damaged vehicles from accident scenes or broken down vehicles that have been abandoned at the request of the owner of the vehicle or the owner of the property. Typically, the tow truck operator's duties start first by receiving a call from a dispatcher and then driving to the accident or breakdown scene. He/She connects the vehicle to the tow truck and transports it to its final destination, a junkyard or a service station.
A company driver helps an organization with all transport-related duties and ensures that these are carried out on time. Company drivers transport and deliver goods, equipment, products, and staff members to locations required by the organization. They maintain the cleanliness of their vehicles and are responsible for informing the organization about repairs and maintenance. Company drivers must also obtain the appropriate licenses and should have clean driving records with no accidents and traffic violations.
Tow truck operators and company drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Tow Truck Operator | Company Driver | |
| Average salary | $43,448 | $65,430 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $62,000 | Between $45,000 And $93,000 |
| Highest paying City | Longview, WA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | 7th Street Casino | Air Products |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a tow truck operator and a company driver in terms of educational background:
| Tow Truck Operator | Company Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 53% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between tow truck operators' and company drivers' demographics:
| Tow Truck Operator | Company Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.6% Female, 3.4% | Male, 90.5% Female, 9.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 20.6% Asian, 3.5% White, 59.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 13.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.8% Asian, 3.8% White, 59.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |