Both owner operators/owner driver and company drivers can be in these categories.

• Auto haulers work hauling cars on specially built trailers and require specific skills loading and operating this type of specialized trailer.
• Dry Van drivers haul the majority of goods over highways in large trailers. Contents are generally non perishable goods.
• Flat Bed drivers haul an assortment of large bulky items. A few examples are tanks, steel pipes and lumber. Drivers require the ability to balance the load correctly.
• LTL drivers or "less than truck load" are usually local delivery jobs where goods are delivered and unloaded by the driver at multiple locations, usually involving the pulling of double or triple trailer combinations.
• Reefer drivers haul refrigerated or frozen goods.
• Local drivers work only within the limits of their hometowns or only to nearby towns. They return home nightly.
•  Household Goods drivers, or Bedbuggers haul personal effects for families who are moving from one home to another.
• Regional drivers may work over several states near their homes. They are usually away from home for short periods.
• Interstate drivers (otherwise known as "over the road" or "long-haul" drivers) often cover distances of thousands of miles and are away from home for a week or more. To help keep drivers, companies can employ team drivers.
• Team drivers are two drivers who take turns driving the same truck in shifts (sometimes husband and wife), or several people in different states that split up the haul to keep from being away from home for such long periods.
• Tanker drivers (in truck driver slang tanker yankers) haul liquids, such as gasoline (petrol), diesel fuel, milk, & crude oil, and dry bulk materials, such as plastics, sugar, flour & cement in tanks.
• Liquid tanker drivers need special driving skills due to the load balance changing from the liquid movement. This is especially true for milk tankers, which do not contain any baffles and are a single compartment (due to sanitation requirements).
• Vocational drivers drive a vocational truck such as a dump truck, garbage truck, or cement mixer. Container Intermodal drivers do all of the above, except their cargo containers are lifted on or off the chassis, at special intermodal stations.

ATRI Conducts Top Issues Survey

The ATA has recently commissioned the ATRI (American Transportation Research Institute) to conduct a survey as to what stakeholders in the industry believe to be the top concerns. The survey also encourages providing strategies to address the concerns.

The ATA intends on releasing the results during their Annual Management Conference and Exhibition, from October4-7 at New Orleans. Stakeholders are highly encouraged to take the survey, and those wishing a paper copy can send a request to ATRI@trucking.org.