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The differences between truck drivers class a and commercial 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 truck driver class a and a commercial truck driver. Additionally, a commercial truck driver has an average salary of $64,512, which is higher than the $63,270 average annual salary of a truck driver class a.
The top three skills for a truck driver class a include CDL, PET and OTR. The most important skills for a commercial truck driver are CDL, good time management, and safety issues.
| Truck Driver Class A | Commercial Truck Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $63,270 | $64,512 |
| Hourly rate | $30.42 | $31.02 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 709,900 | 719,069 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 48% | High School Diploma, 35% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
The responsibilities of a Truck Driver Class A mainly revolves around driving heavy vehicles and ensuring that all transported goods meet the expected delivery deadlines and quality. The Driver needs to have a Class A license and be emotionally and physically healthy to qualify. Among the duties of a Truck Driver Class A will also revolve around securing and monitoring the quantity and quality of items, maintaining the vehicle in good condition, abide by the traffic rules and regulations, adhere to the company standards and policies, and have precise coordination with every workforce involved.
A commercial truck driver is primarily in charge of transporting and delivering cargo, ensuring efficiency and timeliness. Their responsibilities include driving for long durations, coordinating with logistics staff, handling documentation, and maintaining the safety of cargo. There are also instances where they must liaise with clients, unload and load cargo, and keep records of all transactions. Furthermore, as a commercial truck driver, it is essential to conduct regular maintenance checks on vehicles and adhere to the traffic laws and regulations for a safe and productive work environment.
Truck drivers class a and commercial truck drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Truck Driver Class A | Commercial Truck Driver | |
| Average salary | $63,270 | $64,512 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $92,000 | Between $41,000 And $100,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, NJ | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | North Dakota | New York |
| Best paying company | Walmart | Tyson Foods |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a truck driver class a and a commercial truck driver in terms of educational background:
| Truck Driver Class A | Commercial Truck Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 48% | High School Diploma, 35% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between truck drivers class a' and commercial truck drivers' demographics:
| Truck Driver Class A | Commercial Truck Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.7% Female, 8.3% | Male, 91.0% Female, 9.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 19.3% Asian, 3.5% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 13.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 20.0% Asian, 3.6% White, 57.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |