Explore This Path
Light Truck Driver
💰 Earn $40K-$55K
📚 High School Diploma or GED
⏱️ 6–12 Month Training
📈 7.3% Job Growth
- Enjoy the freedom of the open road while delivering essential goods.
- Connect communities by ensuring timely delivery of packages and merchandise.
- Navigate diverse routes and explore new places every day.
What Light Truck Drivers DoDrive 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.
- Obey traffic laws and follow established traffic and transportation procedures.
- Turn in receipts and money received from deliveries.
- Read maps and follow written or verbal geographic directions.
- Verify the contents of inventory loads against shipping papers.
- Load and unload trucks, vans, or automobiles.
Light Truck Drivers Education, Salary, and GrowthOnly you can decide how much you need to earn — but knowing what it actually costs to live in your area can help. The Family Budget Calculator can guide you.
Minimum EducationHigh School Diploma or GED
Career ProspectsExcellent (Increasing by 5% or more)
Training Time6 months to 1 year
Job Openings120,200 Annually
Median Earnings
$45,500 in California
$44,140 Nationally
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Real Talk Reel
We've curated a playlist for you to get a glimpse into a day in the life of this career.
Is This Career Right For You?
YOU Like
- Using data or completing tasks
- Working with my hands
you value
- Having support
- Having freedom
- Job security
you are skilled in
- Operations Monitoring
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Quality Control Analysis
Go Deeper: Light Truck Drivers Explained
Light Truck DriverExplore career pathways, key skills, and what each role has to offer.
How Do You Train for This Career?
Learn about the education and training paths that can lead to this career — and what to expect from each one.
Associate's DegreeAn associate's degree typically provides graduates with foundational knowledge and skills for entry-level jobs in the graduate's industry, or serves as a stepping stone towards further education.
🎓 College
⏱️ Finish in 2-3 years
Vocational SchoolA vocational school typically equips students with specialized skills and practical training in specific trades or occupations, enhancing their employability and providing direct pathways to relevant careers.
🎓 Skills-Focused
⏱️ Finish in 6 months - 2 years
Bachelor's DegreeA bachelor's degree typically results in increased knowledge about a variety of academic subjects, specialized knowledge in a focused field of study, and is considered the foundational qualification for many careers.
🎓 College
⏱️ Finish in 4-5+ years
Workforce Development ProgramA workforce development program typically enhances participants' opportunities to succeed in the workforce through employment skill-building, career counseling, connections to employers, and pathways to high-demand and high-wage jobs.
🎓 Skills-Focused
⏱️ Finish in 6 months - 2 years
Technology BootcampA technology bootcamp typically offers intensive training in specific tech skills, preparing participants for entry-level roles in the tech industry in a relatively short period of time.
🎓 Skills-Focused
⏱️ Finish in Less than a year
ApprenticeshipAn apprenticeship typically offers a combination of hands-on training and classroom instruction, leading to practical skills, industry-specific knowledge, and the potential for long-term employment in a specific trade or profession.
🎓 Paid Work
⏱️ Finish in 2-5 years
find training near you
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Updated April 2026. Data sourced from O*NET and Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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