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The differences between tow truck operators and transportation 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 transportation driver. Additionally, a tow truck operator has an average salary of $43,448, which is higher than the $43,236 average annual salary of a transportation driver.
The top three skills for a tow truck operator include transport vehicles, tow truck and DOT. The most important skills for a transportation driver are CDL, DOT, and tractor trailer.
| Tow Truck Operator | Transportation Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $43,448 | $43,236 |
| Hourly rate | $20.89 | $20.79 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 72,416 | 1,006,562 |
| 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 transportation driver is responsible for transporting people and goods from one place to another. A transportation driver must have a clean driving record to operate vehicles carefully and efficiently. Transportation drivers must ensure that the passengers are safe and comfortable during the trip and that goods are in proper condition to avoid damage and defects. They should strictly adhere to the transport schedules and assigned routes to avoid delays of operations. A transportation driver should also understand maintenance basics of vehicles to perform repair and reconditioning of any engine malfunction.
Tow truck operators and transportation drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Tow Truck Operator | Transportation Driver | |
| Average salary | $43,448 | $43,236 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $62,000 | Between $26,000 And $70,000 |
| Highest paying City | Longview, WA | Cheyenne, WY |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Wyoming |
| Best paying company | 7th Street Casino | West Tennessee Healthcare |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | - |
There are a few differences between a tow truck operator and a transportation driver in terms of educational background:
| Tow Truck Operator | Transportation 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 transportation drivers' demographics:
| Tow Truck Operator | Transportation Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.6% Female, 3.4% | Male, 72.8% Female, 27.2% |
| 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, 12.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 3.6% White, 59.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |