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The differences between yard jockeys and class a 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 yard jockey and a class a driver. Additionally, a class a driver has an average salary of $56,620, which is higher than the $44,440 average annual salary of a yard jockey.
The top three skills for a yard jockey include CDL, tractor trailer and work ethic. The most important skills for a class a driver are CDL, customer service, and OTR.
| Yard Jockey | Class A Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $44,440 | $56,620 |
| Hourly rate | $21.37 | $27.22 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 3,910 | 706,950 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 53% | High School Diploma, 44% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A yard jockey is responsible for identifying reliable and efficient equipment to support a warehouse or distribution center's daily operations, especially on manufacturing processes and delivery tasks. Yard jockeys negotiate with transportation and equipment suppliers with minimal costs but high-quality performance. They also assist in moving equipment, loading and unloading merchandise, and scheduling regular maintenance for vehicles and machinery. A yard jockey must have excellent time-management skills, as well as the ability to multitask to perform duties within the fast-paced environment under minimal supervision.
A Class A driver is an individual driver who has acquired a commercial driver's license (CDL) to operate trucks or commercial vehicles to transport materials and heavy equipment. Class A drivers are required to plan over-the-road (OTR) travel by using GPS and ensure that they follow bulk cargo transportation laws, regulations, and guidelines. They must conduct proper maintenance of the company vehicles and provide accurate daily logs to stay in compliance with the company's regulations. Class A drivers should also know how to operate equipment such as citizen band (CB) radios and telephones.
Yard jockeys and class a drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Yard Jockey | Class A Driver | |
| Average salary | $44,440 | $56,620 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $58,000 | Between $39,000 And $80,000 |
| Highest paying City | Albany, OR | Philadelphia, PA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Vermont |
| Best paying company | Fortune Brands Home & Security | Mid-South Management |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a yard jockey and a class a driver in terms of educational background:
| Yard Jockey | Class A Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 53% | High School Diploma, 44% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between yard jockeys' and class a drivers' demographics:
| Yard Jockey | Class A Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.2% Female, 7.8% | Male, 94.8% Female, 5.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 14.2% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.8% Asian, 3.5% White, 59.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 22.7% Asian, 3.7% White, 56.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |