Light Truck Drivers Career, Salary and Skills
Light Truck Drivers have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $44,860 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 983,300. Wage data is published for 447 locations.
Occupation description
Drive a light vehicle, such as a truck or van, with a capacity of less than 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), primarily to pick up merchandise or packages from a distribution center and deliver. May load and unload vehicle.
O*NET code
53-3033.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
None
National salary and employment
Median annual
$44,860
Hourly median
$21.57
Employment
983,300
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Speaking | 3.12 | 2.88 |
| Operation and Control | 3.12 | 2.88 |
| Monitoring | 3.12 | 2.75 |
| Active Listening | 3.12 | 2.88 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Time Management | 3.00 | 2.62 |
| Service Orientation | 2.75 | 2.00 |
| Writing | 2.75 | 2.50 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.75 | 2.38 |
Typical tasks
- Obey traffic laws and follow established traffic and transportation procedures.
- Report any mechanical problems encountered with vehicles.
- Verify the contents of inventory loads against shipping papers.
- Inspect and maintain vehicle supplies and equipment, such as gas, oil, water, tires, lights, or brakes, to ensure that vehicles are in proper working condition.
- Read maps and follow written or verbal geographic directions.
- Load and unload trucks, vans, or automobiles.
- Present bills and receipts and collect payments for goods delivered or loaded.
- Maintain records, such as vehicle logs, records of cargo, or billing statements, in accordance with regulations.
Technology
- Microsoft Office software
- Automatic routing software
- Computerized inventory tracking software
- Eko
- FreightDATA
- IBM Domino
- Inventory management systems
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Windows
- Package location and tracking software
- Recordkeeping software
- Vehicle location and tracking software
Light Truck Drivers salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Light Truck Drivers Salary in CAMedian $46,790 · Employment 111,950
- Light Truck Drivers Salary in TXMedian $42,500 · Employment 78,540
- Light Truck Drivers Salary in FLMedian $41,810 · Employment 67,390
- Light Truck Drivers Salary in New York, NYMedian $47,440 · Employment 58,140
- Light Truck Drivers Salary in NYMedian $46,330 · Employment 56,490
- Light Truck Drivers Salary in ILMedian $47,380 · Employment 47,190
- Light Truck Drivers Salary in PAMedian $44,120 · Employment 42,380
- Light Truck Drivers Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $46,500 · Employment 40,900
- Light Truck Drivers Salary in OHMedian $42,600 · Employment 35,130
- Light Truck Drivers Salary in Chicago, ILMedian $47,950 · Employment 34,680
- Light Truck Drivers Salary in NJMedian $46,820 · Employment 33,900
- Light Truck Drivers Salary in TNMedian $45,050 · Employment 33,710
Related careers
- Stockers and Order FillersNational median $37,330
- Parking AttendantsNational median $35,150
- Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspectors, Except AviationNational median $92,100
- First-Line Supervisors of Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle OperatorsNational median not published
- Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNational median $49,690
- Transportation InspectorsNational median $92,100
- Postal Service ClerksNational median $62,130
- Bus Drivers, Transit and IntercityNational median $59,050
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.