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The differences between tractor-trailer drivers and water 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 tractor-trailer driver and a water truck driver. Additionally, a tractor-trailer driver has an average salary of $58,498, which is higher than the $50,440 average annual salary of a water truck driver.
The top three skills for a tractor-trailer driver include DOT, CDL and OTR. The most important skills for a water truck driver are CDL, asphalt, and post-trip inspections.
| Tractor-Trailer Driver | Water Truck Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $58,498 | $50,440 |
| Hourly rate | $28.12 | $24.25 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 690,787 | 860,835 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | High School Diploma, 50% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A tractor-trailer driver is responsible for picking up and delivering goods and services from distribution centers and warehouses to different locations across the country as required. Tractor-trailer drivers manage the best route planning to prevent delays. They should also have extensive knowledge of the mechanical industry, inspecting the vehicle's condition regularly, repairing any inconsistencies, and replacing defective components to ensure smooth operations. A tractor-trailer driver must have excellent communication and organizational skills, responding to the clients' inquiries and concerns and escalating complaints to management for immediate resolution.
Water truck drivers are professional drivers who are required to drive trucks to transport water for construction projects, oil rigs, and crews working in remote sites. These drivers must demonstrate their ability by driving their trucks in unpredictable weather conditions and navigating in heavy traffics. They must conduct pre-trip and post-trip inspections while performing preventive maintenance on their trucks to ensure safety while driving. Water truck drivers must also check all load documents to ensure that they are accurate and received the required signatures for pickup and delivery.
Tractor-trailer drivers and water truck drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Tractor-Trailer Driver | Water Truck Driver | |
| Average salary | $58,498 | $50,440 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $84,000 | Between $35,000 And $70,000 |
| Highest paying City | Atlanta, GA | San Diego, CA |
| Highest paying state | North Dakota | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | Exel Inc. | MBI Energy Services |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a tractor-trailer driver and a water truck driver in terms of educational background:
| Tractor-Trailer Driver | Water Truck Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | High School Diploma, 50% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between tractor-trailer drivers' and water truck drivers' demographics:
| Tractor-Trailer Driver | Water Truck Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.2% Female, 6.8% | Male, 89.4% Female, 10.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 3.6% White, 59.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 21.4% Asian, 3.7% White, 58.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |