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The differences between transportation drivers and contract 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 contract driver. Additionally, a transportation driver has an average salary of $43,236, which is higher than the $34,999 average annual salary of a contract driver.
The top three skills for a transportation driver include CDL, DOT and tractor trailer. The most important skills for a contract driver are DOT, CDL, and tractor trailer.
| Transportation Driver | Contract Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $43,236 | $34,999 |
| Hourly rate | $20.79 | $16.83 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 1,006,562 | 1,007,663 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| 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 contract driver mainly provides transport services on a contractual basis. Their duties typically depend on their contract or place of employment; they may deliver goods or provide private transport to clients. When it comes to delivering goods, a contract driver must adhere to schedules and guidelines, maintain documents, and coordinate with clients. Furthermore, a contract driver must perform regular maintenance checks on their vehicles and abide by the traffic laws and regulations to maintain a safe and efficient work environment.
Transportation drivers and contract drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Transportation Driver | Contract Driver | |
| Average salary | $43,236 | $34,999 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $70,000 | Between $23,000 And $51,000 |
| Highest paying City | Cheyenne, WY | - |
| Highest paying state | Wyoming | - |
| Best paying company | West Tennessee Healthcare | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a transportation driver and a contract driver in terms of educational background:
| Transportation Driver | Contract Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between transportation drivers' and contract drivers' demographics:
| Transportation Driver | Contract Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.8% Female, 27.2% | Male, 80.3% Female, 19.7% |
| 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, 13.3% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.8% Asian, 4.0% White, 58.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |