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The differences between transportation 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 transportation driver and a local driver. Additionally, a local driver has an average salary of $48,160, 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 local driver are CDL, DOT, and post-trip inspections.
| Transportation Driver | Local Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $43,236 | $48,160 |
| Hourly rate | $20.79 | $23.15 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 1,006,562 | 786,531 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | High School Diploma, 41% |
| 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 local driver is responsible for transporting people and goods and services from the distribution centers to various destinations. Local drivers operate vehicles and inspect the engine for any inconsistencies and system defects that may cause delays with the operations. They also schedule vehicle maintenance and repairs, keeping a record of receipts for the management's validation. A local driver must have excellent driving skills and a clean driving record. Additionally, a local driver should possess excellent communication skills, especially on handling customers' inquiries and concerns and escalating high-level complaints.
Transportation drivers and local drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Transportation Driver | Local Driver | |
| Average salary | $43,236 | $48,160 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $70,000 | Between $33,000 And $69,000 |
| Highest paying City | Cheyenne, WY | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Wyoming | Montana |
| Best paying company | West Tennessee Healthcare | Mid-South Management |
| Best paying industry | - | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a transportation driver and a local driver in terms of educational background:
| Transportation Driver | Local Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | High School Diploma, 41% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between transportation drivers' and local drivers' demographics:
| Transportation Driver | Local Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.8% Female, 27.2% | Male, 91.3% Female, 8.7% |
| 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, 13.4% 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% |