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The differences between truck drivers and bus drivers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a truck driver has an average salary of $60,326, which is higher than the $36,879 average annual salary of a bus driver.
The top three skills for a truck driver include CDL, OTR and DOT. The most important skills for a bus driver are CDL, DOT, and customer service.
| Truck Driver | Bus Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $60,326 | $36,879 |
| Hourly rate | $29.00 | $17.73 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 827,858 | 359,229 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | 4.5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 48% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Average age | 48 | 58 |
| Years of experience | 2 | - |
The truck driver transports goods and materials by land from and to manufacturing factories or retail businesses and distribution centers with the use of heavy trucks or tractor-trailers. Truck drivers assist and supervise the safe unloading of cargos to the destination. They must always check their cargo if complete and secured with cables, rope, or other materials. They should keep their truck clean, neat, and inspect prior the trip and ensure to be in good working condition to operate safely. It is very important that they follow with all appropriate safety procedures and comply with federal and state regulations. They must also be knowledgable and comfortable in using maps or GPS to navigate the safest and most efficient routes.
Bus drivers are mainly responsible for safely transporting passengers to their destinations. Bus drivers must be attentive and highly focused to monitor road situations at all times, avoiding any cause of accidents. A bus driver must also ensure to follow all safety policies and procedures during the travel. Bus drivers should also be knowledgeable in monitoring the engine's condition, spot any unusual signals and inconsistencies of the vehicle system that might compromise everyone's safety and comfortability.
Truck drivers and bus drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Truck Driver | Bus Driver | |
| Average salary | $60,326 | $36,879 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $90,000 | Between $29,000 And $45,000 |
| Highest paying City | Wilmington, DE | Nashua, NH |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | W. R. Grace & Co | Preston High School |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Education |
There are a few differences between a truck driver and a bus driver in terms of educational background:
| Truck Driver | Bus Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 48% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between truck drivers' and bus drivers' demographics:
| Truck Driver | Bus Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 58 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.6% Female, 8.4% | Male, 51.1% Female, 48.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 3.4% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 2.7% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 9% |