Is truck driving good for introverts?
The ratings for the 3 roles we compared are close together: contact with others runs from 4.2 to 4.6 out of 5, so the choice of role inside truck driving changes less than you might hope.
Long-haul trucking is a common answer to the question of jobs where you are alone. The ratings show heavy truck drivers have less contact than the other driving jobs here, but not none.
Delivery and route-sales jobs rate dealing with the public as more important. Heavy truck drivers and driver/sales workers rate distracting noise higher than most jobs.
We compared heavy and tractor-trailer drivers with light truck drivers and driver/sales workers, who sell or deliver along a route. The ratings come from O*NET, the US Department of Labor's occupation database, where workers answer questions about what their job involves.
What the data shows
- Contact with others ranges from 4.2 out of 5 for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (closest to "contact most of the time") to 4.6 for light truck drivers (closest to "constant contact").
- After contact, the biggest difference is in distracting or uncomfortable noise: 2.4 out of 5 for light truck drivers, against 3.7 for driver/sales workers.
- The next biggest is public speaking: 1.8 out of 5 for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, against 2.9 for driver/sales workers.
- 1 of the 3 occupations with their own pay data involve more contact with others than the typical US occupation.
- 50% of heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers say they have face-to-face discussions every day, compared with 77% of driver/sales workers.
- 0 of the 3 rate working in a team as very important or more.
- Among occupations with their own pay data, the lowest-contact one is also the best paid: heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, at a median $58,640 a year.
Social demands, side by side
Each figure is an O*NET average on a 1 to 5 scale. Lower means less of it. Hover a heading for the exact question.
| Role | Contact | Face-to-face | Phone | Speaking | Customers | Teamwork | Conflict | Noise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 1.8 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 2.5 | 3.6 |
| Light Truck Drivers | 4.6 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 1.9 | 4.1 | 3.5 | 2.3 | 2.4 |
| Driver/Sales Workers | 4.4 | 4.6 | 3.8 | 2.9 | 4.3 | 3.3 | 2.9 | 3.7 |
Pay, entry and outlook
| Role | Median pay | Typical entry education | Typical training | Growth 2025-35 | Projected openings a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $58,640 | Postsecondary nondegree award | Short-term on-the-job training | +3.8% | 214,500 |
| Light Truck Drivers | $44,860 | High school diploma or equivalent | Short-term on-the-job training | +6.3% | 107,200 |
| Driver/Sales Workers | $38,770 | High school diploma or equivalent | Short-term on-the-job training | +7.9% | 45,500 |
Each role in detail
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
Contact with others: 4.2 out of 5, closest to "contact most of the time", more than 33% of ranked occupations. Face-to-face discussions every day for 50% of workers. Phone calls: closest to "once a week or more" (15% say never). Public speaking: closest to "once a year or more". Teamwork rated "very important"; dealing with customers or the public "very important". Distracting noise: closest to "once a week or more".
Median pay $58,640 a year. Typical entry education: postsecondary nondegree award, with short-term on-the-job training. About 214,500 projected openings a year.
Core tasks, as listed by O*NET:
- Check all load-related documentation for completeness and accuracy.
- Inspect loads to ensure that cargo is secure.
- Check vehicles to ensure that mechanical, safety, and emergency equipment is in good working order.
Light Truck Drivers
Contact with others: 4.6 out of 5, closest to "constant contact", more than 64% of ranked occupations. Face-to-face discussions every day for 56% of workers. Phone calls: closest to "once a week or more" (12% say never). Public speaking: closest to "once a year or more". Teamwork rated "important"; dealing with customers or the public "very important". Distracting noise: closest to "once a year or more".
Median pay $44,860 a year. Typical entry education: high school diploma or equivalent, with short-term on-the-job training. About 107,200 projected openings a year.
Core tasks, as listed by O*NET:
- 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.
Driver/Sales Workers
Contact with others: 4.4 out of 5, closest to "contact most of the time", more than 48% of ranked occupations. Face-to-face discussions every day for 77% of workers. Phone calls: closest to "once a week or more". Public speaking: closest to "once a month or more". Teamwork rated "important"; dealing with customers or the public "very important". Distracting noise: closest to "once a week or more".
Median pay $38,770 a year. Typical entry education: high school diploma or equivalent, with short-term on-the-job training. About 45,500 projected openings a year.
Core tasks, as listed by O*NET:
- Drive trucks to deliver such items as food, medical supplies, or newspapers.
- Inform regular customers of new products or services and price changes.
- Record sales or delivery information on daily sales or delivery record.
What the numbers can't tell you
- O*NET ratings are averages of worker answers on a 1 to 5 scale. Some questions ask how much (contact), some how often (face-to-face, phone, public speaking, conflict, noise) and some how important (teamwork, customers). They are shown on their own scales.
- The ratings describe the job, averaged across workers and workplaces. A particular employer, team or shift can be very different.
- They don't measure personality, and they are not career, medical or psychological advice.
- Pay and openings are national figures from the BLS. Local pay varies.
Common questions
Which truck driving job involves the least contact with others?
Of the 3 roles compared here, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers report the least, at 4.2 out of 5 on O*NET's contact rating, closest to "contact most of the time".
Do these truck driving jobs need a degree?
2 of the 3 occupations with BLS education data typically need no more than a high school diploma: light truck drivers, driver/sales workers.
Do these ratings measure personality?
No. They are averages of what workers say their job asks of them. They describe the work, not the people doing it, and they are not career, medical or psychological advice.