What do they do?

Drive a tractor-trailer combination or a truck with a capacity of at least 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW). May be required to unload truck. Requires commercial drivers' license. Includes tow truck drivers.

Also known as:

CDL Driver (Commercial Driver's License Driver), CDL Truck Driver (Commercial Driver's License Truck Driver), Cement Truck Driver, City Driver, Class A CDL Truck Driver (Class A Commercial Driver's License Truck Driver), Class A Truck Driver, Concrete Mixer Driver, Delivery Truck Driver, Driver, Dump Truck Driver, Feed Hauler, Feeder Driver, Flatbed Truck Driver, Garbage Truck Driver, Heavy Truck Driver, Line Haul Driver, Log Truck Driver, Long Haul Truck Driver, Mixer Driver, OTR Truck Driver (Over the Road Truck Driver), Over the Road Driver (OTR Driver), Pickup and Delivery Driver (P and D Driver), Production Truck Driver, Ready Mix Truck Driver, Road Driver, Roll Off Driver, Rubbish Truck Driver, Semi Driver, Semi Truck Driver, Tanker Driver, Tractor Trailer Driver, Tractor Trailer Operator, Tractor Trailer Truck Driver, Transport Driver, Transportation Equipment Operator, Truck Driver, Trucker

Typical Wages

Projected Growth Rate

Employment of Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2020 to 2030, about as fast as average compared to all occupations.

Projected Employment in OH

No Data Available
  • 6.1%

    Change

    Ranks #49 in job growth rate
    9,310

    Job Openings

    Ranks #7 in net job growth

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Education Level

Percent of workers in this field with these degrees:

  • Doctorate or Professional Degree  (<1%)
  • Master's degree  (1%)
  • Bachelor's degree  (6%)
  • Associate's degree  (7%)
  • Some college, no degree  (23%)
  • High school diploma equivalent  (47%)
  • Less than high school diploma  (15%)

People in this career often have these skills:

  • Operations Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
  • Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

People in this career often know a lot about:

  • Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
  • Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
  • Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

People in this career often have talent in:

  • Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.
  • Spatial Orientation - The ability to know your location in relation to the environment or to know where other objects are in relation to you.
  • Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
  • Multilimb Coordination - The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
  • Response Orientation - The ability to choose quickly between two or more movements in response to two or more different signals (lights, sounds, pictures). It includes the speed with which the correct response is started with the hand, foot, or other body part.
  • Rate Control - The ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.
  • Reaction Time - The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
  • Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Depth Perception - The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.

People in this career often do these activities:

  • Secure cargo.
  • Follow safety procedures for vehicle operation.
  • Review documents or materials for compliance with policies or regulations.
  • Inspect cargo to ensure it is properly loaded or secured.
  • Inspect motor vehicles.
  • Operate vehicles or material-moving equipment.
  • Collect fares or payment from customers.
  • Record operational or production data.
  • Record service or repair activities.
  • Review work orders or schedules to determine operations or procedures.
  • Report vehicle or equipment malfunctions.
  • Notify others of emergencies, problems, or hazards.
  • Maintain vehicles in good working condition.
  • Connect cables or electrical lines.
  • Verify information or specifications.
  • Read maps to determine routes.
  • Inspect cargo areas for cleanliness or condition.
  • Operate communications equipment or systems.
  • Acquire supplies or equipment.
  • Load shipments, belongings, or materials.
  • Choose optimal transportation routes or speeds.
  • Adjust routes or speeds as necessary.
  • Monitor cargo area conditions.
  • Install parts, assemblies, or attachments in transportation or material handling equipment.
  • Package materials or products.
  • Operate green energy production equipment.
  • Remove debris or damaged materials.
  • Direct material handling or moving activities.

This page includes data from:

O*NET OnLine Career data: O*NET 28.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (“USDOL/ETA”). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Logo Occupation statistics: USDOL U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics

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