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The differences between transportation drivers and commercial 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 transportation driver and a commercial driver. Additionally, a commercial driver has an average salary of $46,852, which is higher than the $43,236 average annual salary of a transportation driver.
The top three skills for a transportation driver include CDL, DOT and tractor trailer. The most important skills for a commercial driver are customer service, CDL, and ladders.
| Transportation Driver | Commercial Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $43,236 | $46,852 |
| Hourly rate | $20.79 | $22.52 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 1,006,562 | 1,016,123 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
A commercial driver is responsible for transporting people, goods, and services from one place to various destinations as required. Commercial drivers must have a clean driving record to ensure the safety and security of the passengers and the merchandise's quality while on the road. They should also know how to operate a vehicle's engine, inspect system defects, and repair system malfunctions to prevent any delays in transportation and deliveries. A commercial driver must have excellent knowledge of the mechanical industry and report any problems to management.
Transportation drivers and commercial drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Transportation Driver | Commercial Driver | |
| Average salary | $43,236 | $46,852 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $70,000 | Between $35,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | Cheyenne, WY | Auburn, WA |
| Highest paying state | Wyoming | Washington |
| Best paying company | West Tennessee Healthcare | Laramie County Community College |
| Best paying industry | - | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a transportation driver and a commercial driver in terms of educational background:
| Transportation Driver | Commercial Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between transportation drivers' and commercial drivers' demographics:
| Transportation Driver | Commercial Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.8% Female, 27.2% | Male, 75.8% Female, 24.2% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 12.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 23.1% Asian, 3.5% White, 55.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |