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The differences between yard jockeys and truck driver-over the roads 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 truck driver-over-the-road. Additionally, a truck driver-over-the-road has an average salary of $69,158, 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 truck driver-over-the-road are CDL, OTR, and PET.
| Yard Jockey | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Yearly salary | $44,440 | $69,158 |
| Hourly rate | $21.37 | $33.25 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 3,910 | 689,630 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 53% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| 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 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.
Yard jockeys and truck driver-over the roads have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Yard Jockey | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Average salary | $44,440 | $69,158 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $58,000 | Between $50,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | Albany, OR | Des Moines, WA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Washington |
| Best paying company | Fortune Brands Home & Security | Walmart |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a yard jockey and a truck driver-over-the-road in terms of educational background:
| Yard Jockey | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 53% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between yard jockeys' and truck driver-over the roads' demographics:
| Yard Jockey | Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.2% Female, 7.8% | Male, 88.1% Female, 11.9% |
| 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, 13.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 3.9% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |