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The differences between truck driver-over the roads and tow 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 tow truck driver. Additionally, a truck driver-over-the-road has an average salary of $69,158, which is higher than the $38,555 average annual salary of a tow truck driver.
The top three skills for a truck driver-over-the-road include CDL, OTR and PET. The most important skills for a tow truck driver are transport vehicles, CDL, and customer service.
| Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | Tow Truck Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $69,158 | $38,555 |
| Hourly rate | $33.25 | $18.54 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 689,630 | 666,918 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 40% | High School Diploma, 57% |
| 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.
Typically working upon the directives of dispatchers, a tow truck driver is in charge of driving to areas where a vehicle accident or breakdown took place, connecting the vehicle to the tow truck, and transporting them to repair stations or particular places. Their responsibilities include communicating with clients to identify their needs, answering inquiries, providing assistance by performing minor repairs, changing tires or jump-starting cars, and recommending solutions when necessary. Furthermore, as a tow truck driver, it is essential to perform regular maintenance checks on towing trucks for a safe and efficient service.
Truck driver-over the roads and tow truck drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | Tow Truck Driver | |
| Average salary | $69,158 | $38,555 |
| Salary range | Between $50,000 And $95,000 | Between $29,000 And $50,000 |
| Highest paying City | Des Moines, WA | Auburn, WA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Walmart | City of Detroit |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a truck driver-over-the-road and a tow truck driver in terms of educational background:
| Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | Tow Truck Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 40% | High School Diploma, 57% |
| Most common major | Business | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between truck driver-over the roads' and tow truck drivers' demographics:
| Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | Tow Truck Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.1% Female, 11.9% | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% |
| 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, 11.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 20.2% Asian, 3.9% White, 58.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |