Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between truck drivers and cdl 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 and a cdl driver. Additionally, a cdl driver has an average salary of $63,112, which is higher than the $60,326 average annual salary of a truck driver.
The top three skills for a truck driver include CDL, OTR and DOT. The most important skills for a cdl driver are DOT, CDL-A, and customer service.
| Truck Driver | CDL Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $60,326 | $63,112 |
| Hourly rate | $29.00 | $30.34 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 827,858 | 784,044 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 48% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 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.
A CDL driver is responsible for the transportation of goods from the manufacturing warehouse to specific store locations. CDL drivers' duties include inspecting the items before and after the delivery to ensure that the orders are correct with the right quantity, providing proof of delivery from the receiving customers, following the delivery schedule and report any delays immediately, monitoring the vehicle's engine for efficiency, and escalating concerns of incorrect deliveries and defective items. A CDL driver must have excellent time-management and multi-tasking skills, following safety procedures and road rules at all times.
Truck drivers and cdl drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Truck Driver | CDL Driver | |
| Average salary | $60,326 | $63,112 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $90,000 | Between $41,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | Wilmington, DE | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | Wyoming |
| Best paying company | W. R. Grace & Co | GCP Applied Technologies |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Retail |
There are a few differences between a truck driver and a cdl driver in terms of educational background:
| Truck Driver | CDL Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 48% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between truck drivers' and cdl drivers' demographics:
| Truck Driver | CDL Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.6% Female, 8.4% | Male, 92.8% Female, 7.2% |
| 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, 12.7% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 3.4% White, 58.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |