Occupation salary profile

Light Truck Drivers

SOC 53-3033 BLS OEWS May 2025

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. Excludes “Couriers and Messengers” (43-5021) and “Driver/Sales Workers” (53-3031).

National median · BLS
$44,860
▲ +1.63% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$48,770
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
983,300
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Light Truck Drivers

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$30,800
25th$37,270
Median (50th)$44,860
75th$52,310
90th — top pay$80,310

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Light Truck Drivers

BLS projects employment of light truck drivers to grow 6.3% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 107,200 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
1,068,500 → 1,136,400
+67,800 jobs
Projected change
+6.3%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
107,200
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
7.2% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a high school diploma →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Light Truck Drivers

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Active Listening3.1
  • Monitoring3.1
  • Operation and Control3.1
  • Reading Comprehension3.1
  • Speaking3.1
  • Critical Thinking3.0
  • Time Management3.0
  • Operations Monitoring2.8
  • Service Orientation2.8
  • Social Perceptiveness2.8
Top knowledge areas
  • English Language3.8
  • Transportation3.4
  • Customer and Personal Service3.4
  • Public Safety and Security2.9
  • Administrative2.6
  • Mechanical2.5
  • Administration and Management2.4
  • Mathematics2.4
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft WindowsAutomatic routing softwareComputerized inventory tracking softwareEkoFreightDATAIBM DominoInventory management systemsPackage location and tracking softwareRecordkeeping softwareVehicle location and tracking software

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 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.

About the job

What light truck drivers do

  • 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.
Also called
Delivery DriverDriverPackage Car DriverTruck DriverBulk Delivery DriverLight Truck DriverPackage Delivery DriverRoute DriverService ProviderWarehouse Driver
More job titles for this occupation (40)
Car EscortCommercial DriverDelivererDelivery PersonDelivery Truck DriverDirectories DistributorDirectory CarrierDistributor OperatorDSP Driver (Delivery Service Partner Driver)Errand RunnerEscort Vehicle DriverExplosives Truck DriverFood Service DriverGrocery Light Truck DriverIndependent DriverLocal DriverLocal Truck DriverMail Messenger ContractorOrder WorkerParcel Post Truck DriverParcel Truck DriverParts DriverParts RunnerPharmacy Delivery DriverPick Up DriverPick Up Truck DriverResidential DriverRoute DelivererRoute Delivery Service DriverRoute RiderRoutemanSeasonal Personal Vehicle Package DriverService Car DriverServicerSpecial Delivery WorkerStore DriverTelephone Directory Distributor DriverTransportation DriverVan DriverWagon Person

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.