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The differences between yard jockeys 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 yard jockey and a tow truck driver. Additionally, a yard jockey has an average salary of $44,440, which is higher than the $38,555 average annual salary of a tow truck driver.
The top three skills for a yard jockey include CDL, tractor trailer and work ethic. The most important skills for a tow truck driver are transport vehicles, CDL, and customer service.
| Yard Jockey | Tow Truck Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $44,440 | $38,555 |
| Hourly rate | $21.37 | $18.54 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 3,910 | 666,918 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 53% | High School Diploma, 57% |
| 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.
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.
Yard jockeys and tow truck drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Yard Jockey | Tow Truck Driver | |
| Average salary | $44,440 | $38,555 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $58,000 | Between $29,000 And $50,000 |
| Highest paying City | Albany, OR | Auburn, WA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Washington |
| Best paying company | Fortune Brands Home & Security | City of Detroit |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a yard jockey and a tow truck driver in terms of educational background:
| Yard Jockey | Tow Truck Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 53% | High School Diploma, 57% |
| Most common major | Business | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between yard jockeys' and tow truck drivers' demographics:
| Yard Jockey | Tow Truck Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.2% Female, 7.8% | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% |
| 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, 11.4% 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% |