Tow truck operator vs owner/operator

The differences between tow truck operators and owner/operators 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 an owner/operator. Additionally, an owner/operator has an average salary of $167,288, 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 an owner/operator are CDL, PET, and customer service.

Tow truck operator vs owner/operator overview

	Tow Truck Operator	Owner/Operator
Yearly salary	$43,448	$167,288
Hourly rate	$20.89	$80.43
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	72,416	119,599
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 42%
Average age	48	48
Years of experience	2	2

What does a tow truck operator do?

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.

What does an owner/operator do?

Owners/operators manage the business in all aspects, especially in those related to operations. They ensure that every aspect of the business is running smoothly. They oversee finance, marketing, logistics, sales, and even the human resources of the whole organization. They set business goals, create action plans to achieve them, and make sure that the plans are followed through. They set strategic direction and make business decisions that would be the most beneficial to the organization. They ensure that the business has enough funds to continue operating and that the quality of the products and services they offer continuously improve.

Tow truck operator vs owner/operator salary

Tow truck operators and owner/operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Tow Truck Operator	Owner/Operator
Average salary	$43,448	$167,288
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $62,000	Between $105,000 And $264,000
Highest paying City	Longview, WA	Bridgeport, CT
Highest paying state	Hawaii	Oregon
Best paying company	7th Street Casino	Reddy Ice
Best paying industry	Hospitality	Technology

Differences between tow truck operator and owner/operator education

There are a few differences between a tow truck operator and an owner/operator in terms of educational background:

	Tow Truck Operator	Owner/Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 42%
Most common major	Automotive Technology	Business
Most common college	-	-

Tow truck operator vs owner/operator demographics

Here are the differences between tow truck operators' and owner/operators' demographics:

	Tow Truck Operator	Owner/Operator
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 96.6% Female, 3.4%	Male, 66.8% Female, 33.2%
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, 12.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 3.6% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between tow truck operator and owner/operator duties and responsibilities

Tow truck operator example responsibilities.

Dispatch through ranger systems GPS.
Utilize and strongly encourage the proper use of PPE while on and off location.
Operate and drive tow trucks on CHP rotation calls alongside with police department and insurance calls.
Work with CHP and city police daily assisting with impounds, accidents, and vehicle recovery.
Promote AAA membership to non-members including benefits and safety program.
Assure positive customer experiences while representing AAA and other roadside assistance companies.

Owner/operator example responsibilities.

Create and manage a free subscription, advertising- base facsimile publication and franchising system.
Manage all inventory for eBay store, including its labeling, storage, sales, and overall organization.
Design, implement and manage processes base on ITIL best practices, standards and relate support tools across the organization.
Direct daily operations of four profit centers, managing all financial functions to include A/R, A/P, payroll and purchasing.
Create and manage print and electronic co-op advertising program
Manage end to end business operations including hiring, scheduling visits, conducting customer consultations and performing pet visits.

Tow truck operator vs owner/operator skills

Common tow truck operator skills

Transport Vehicles, 25%
Tow Truck, 14%
DOT, 8%
CDL, 7%
AAA, 7%
Customer Service, 5%

Common owner/operator skills

CDL, 57%
PET, 16%
Customer Service, 12%
Payroll, 4%
Human Resources, 1%
Windows, 1%

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Tow Truck Operator
Tow Truck Operator vs Owner/Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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