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The differences between truck driver-over the roads 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-over-the-road and a commercial truck driver. Additionally, a truck driver-over-the-road has an average salary of $69,158, which is higher than the $64,512 average annual salary of a commercial truck driver.
The top three skills for a truck driver-over-the-road include CDL, OTR and PET. The most important skills for a commercial truck driver are CDL, good time management, and safety issues.
| Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | Commercial Truck Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $69,158 | $64,512 |
| Hourly rate | $33.25 | $31.02 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 689,630 | 719,069 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 40% | High School Diploma, 35% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A truck driver-over-the-road (OTR) is an individual driver who specializes in hauling items such as heavy freight, machinery, or construction materials from a home terminal to delivery points. OTR truck drivers usually spend more time on the road due to the long distances they are required to reach. To avoid vehicular breakdowns and delays, OTR drivers are required to inspect their trucks and review shipping and transport documents. They are also responsible for unloading freights and collect charges from customers.
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 driver-over the roads and commercial truck drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | Commercial Truck Driver | |
| Average salary | $69,158 | $64,512 |
| Salary range | Between $50,000 And $95,000 | Between $41,000 And $100,000 |
| Highest paying City | Des Moines, WA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New York |
| Best paying company | Walmart | Tyson Foods |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a truck driver-over-the-road and a commercial truck driver in terms of educational background:
| Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | Commercial Truck Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 40% | High School Diploma, 35% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between truck driver-over the roads' and commercial truck drivers' demographics:
| Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | Commercial Truck Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.1% Female, 11.9% | Male, 91.0% Female, 9.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 3.9% White, 60.0% 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% |