The role heavy tow truck drivers play cannot be underrated, as a matter of fact, if your vehicle has ever broken down in an unsafe place, and you are not able to get a tow truck to come to help you tow the vehicle to safety, then you will know how important the services of tow truck drivers are.
Actually, heavy tow truck drivers help people remove their broken-down heavy-duty vehicles from the road, where they are likely to cause obstruction, to either a mechanic garage or a safe place.
Available data released by ZipRecruiter shows that as of May 14, 2023, the average annual pay for a Heavy Duty Tow Truck Operator in the United States is $65,251 a year and this translates to about $31.37 an hour, $1,254 per week or $5,437 per month.
Please note that the annual salary of a heavy-duty tow truck driver in the United States of America can be as high as $106,000 and as low as $34,500 even though a larger percentage of heavy-duty tow truck operators’ salaries currently range between $46,500 (25th percentile) to $79,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $97,000 annually across the United States.
It is important to note that there are factors that can determine how much a heavy-duty tow truck driver can make and that is why there are disparities in the figure stated above. So, we will consider some of the key factors that can determine how much a heavy-duty tow truck driver is likely going to make annually,
Factors That Influence the Income of Heavy-Duty Tow Truck Drivers
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The Location of Operation
One of the major factors that can influence the salary of a heavy-duty tow truck driver is the location where the driver is working or covering. As expected, different cities or states have different pay for heavy-duty tow truck drivers.
For example, heavy-duty tow truck drivers earn about $83,735 annually in Green River, Wyoming, about $77,207 yearly in Santa Clara, California, about $75,142 annually in San Francisco, California, about $74,542 annually in Washington, DC, about $73,507 annually in Los Angeles, California,
About $73,485 annually in Fremont, California, about $73,395 annually in Jersey City, New Jersey, about $72,597 annually in Marysville, Washington, about $71,705 annually in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and about $71,693 annually in Germantown, Maryland.
Please note that the cities listed above are the ten cities that pay the highest to heavy-duty tow truck drivers in the United States. Interestingly, these cities usually attract loads of heavy-duty tow truck drivers who are looking for job opportunities.
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The Years of Experience and Qualifications of the Heavy-Duty Tow Truck Driver
Another important factor that can influence the salary of a heavy-duty tow truck driver is the years of experience and of course, the qualifications of the driver. The reason why organizations pay for qualifications and experiences cannot be far-fetched.
If indeed you want your organization to favorably compete in your industry and you want trusted hands to handle key positions in your organization, then you must be ready to pay premium salaries to be able to attract highly experienced employees with the required qualifications.
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The Company You Are Working For
It is not out of place for different heavy-duty towing companies to either pay higher or lower than the industry’s average salary. So, if you have the required experience and qualifications, you may decide to work for companies that are paying higher salaries. As a matter of fact, companies that pay higher salaries usually attract some of the best hands in the industry.
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The Distance You are Covering and the Frequency of Your Trip
The fact that heavy-duty tow truck drivers charge based on the distance covered means that the longer the distance you cover as a heavy-duty tow truck driver, the more income you will make. Of course, the frequency at which you get heavy-duty towing contracts, the more income you will make.
In conclusion,
It is important to note that heavy-duty tow truck drivers can increase their capacity to earn more salary if they are able to take advantage of all the factors listed above.
In essence, if you want to earn more as a heavy-duty tow truck driver, then you must make sure you choose the right location to pursue your career, acquire all the needed certifications and experience that will put you ahead of the competition, and above all, you must make sure you are always upgrading your skills and networking with key stakeholders in the industry.