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The differences between trailer truck drivers and local 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 trailer truck driver and a local driver. Additionally, a trailer truck driver has an average salary of $57,200, which is higher than the $48,160 average annual salary of a local driver.
The top three skills for a trailer truck driver include CDL, commodities and DOT. The most important skills for a local driver are CDL, DOT, and post-trip inspections.
Trailer truck drivers and local drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Trailer Truck Driver | Local Driver | |
| Average salary | $57,200 | $48,160 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $87,000 | Between $33,000 And $69,000 |
| Highest paying City | New Brunswick, NJ | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Montana |
| Best paying company | Copart | Mid-South Management |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a trailer truck driver and a local driver in terms of educational background:
| Trailer Truck Driver | Local Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 46% | High School Diploma, 41% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between trailer truck drivers' and local drivers' demographics:
| Trailer Truck Driver | Local Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.7% Female, 6.3% | Male, 91.3% Female, 8.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 14.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.8% Asian, 3.9% White, 57.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 13.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 3.6% White, 60.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |