Yard jockey vs owner/operator

The differences between yard jockeys and owner/operators 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 an owner/operator. Additionally, an owner/operator has an average salary of $167,288, 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 an owner/operator are CDL, PET, and customer service.

Yard jockey vs owner/operator overview

	Yard Jockey	Owner/Operator
Yearly salary	$44,440	$167,288
Hourly rate	$21.37	$80.43
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	3,910	119,599
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 42%
Average age	48	48
Years of experience	2	2

What does a yard jockey do?

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.

What does an owner/operator do?

Owners/operators manage the business in all aspects, especially in those related to operations. They ensure that every aspect of the business is running smoothly. They oversee finance, marketing, logistics, sales, and even the human resources of the whole organization. They set business goals, create action plans to achieve them, and make sure that the plans are followed through. They set strategic direction and make business decisions that would be the most beneficial to the organization. They ensure that the business has enough funds to continue operating and that the quality of the products and services they offer continuously improve.

Yard jockey vs owner/operator salary

Yard jockeys and owner/operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Yard Jockey	Owner/Operator
Average salary	$44,440	$167,288
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $58,000	Between $105,000 And $264,000
Highest paying City	Albany, OR	Bridgeport, CT
Highest paying state	Hawaii	Oregon
Best paying company	Fortune Brands Home & Security	Reddy Ice
Best paying industry	Transportation	Technology

Differences between yard jockey and owner/operator education

There are a few differences between a yard jockey and an owner/operator in terms of educational background:

	Yard Jockey	Owner/Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 42%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Yard jockey vs owner/operator demographics

Here are the differences between yard jockeys' and owner/operators' demographics:

	Yard Jockey	Owner/Operator
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 92.2% Female, 7.8%	Male, 66.8% Female, 33.2%
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, 12.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 3.6% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between yard jockey and owner/operator duties and responsibilities

Yard jockey example responsibilities.

Assemble tire orders for loaders.
Used RF gun to scan merchandise.
Monitor crane operators and remove IBC from freights.
Train new hires and new cdl holders on the road operation.
Pick up and delivery of freight of all kinds including hazmat.
Train new hires and new cdl holders on company policies and procedures.

Owner/operator example responsibilities.

Create and manage a free subscription, advertising- base facsimile publication and franchising system.
Manage all inventory for eBay store, including its labeling, storage, sales, and overall organization.
Design, implement and manage processes base on ITIL best practices, standards and relate support tools across the organization.
Direct daily operations of four profit centers, managing all financial functions to include A/R, A/P, payroll and purchasing.
Create and manage print and electronic co-op advertising program
Manage end to end business operations including hiring, scheduling visits, conducting customer consultations and performing pet visits.

Yard jockey vs owner/operator skills

Common yard jockey skills

CDL, 30%
Tractor Trailer, 17%
Work Ethic, 7%
Dock Doors, 7%
Customer Service, 5%
Pallets, 5%

Common owner/operator skills

CDL, 57%
PET, 16%
Customer Service, 12%
Payroll, 4%
Human Resources, 1%
Windows, 1%

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Transportation Industry
Yard Jockey
Yard Jockey vs Owner/Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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