HIRING NOW REGIONAL

CDL-A Regional Cascade Dry Van Driver – Portland, OR

Hiring Radius: Portland Metro & Southwest Washington • Terminal: Portland Metro Area

Pacific Northwest 53' Dry Van Home Most Weekends

Regional company-driver position hauling recurring dry-van freight between Portland, the Willamette Valley, southwest Washington, the Columbia Gorge and selected Inland Northwest markets. The freight base is primarily palletized paper and packaging, building products, food-grade packaged goods, retail freight and mill-produced products. Most trips run 1–2 nights with regular Portland-area returns.

Typical Weekly Gross
$1,450–$1,700
Typical Annual: $81,900
Typical Weekly $1,575
Home Time Most weekends
Driver Type Company Driver
Weekly Miles 2,200–2,500
Freight Dry Van / No Hazmat

Position Overview

  • Run recurring regional freight from the Portland metro area into Oregon, Washington and selected Idaho markets, normally returning toward Portland every 1–2 days.
  • Primary freight includes palletized paper and packaging, boxed food products, building materials, retail merchandise and packaged mill products.
  • Approximately 2,200–2,500 paid miles per week with additional compensation for qualifying detention and extra customer stops.
  • Most loads are no-touch dry van freight, with a mixture of drop-and-hook and live dock appointments.
  • Typical workweek is Monday through Friday with occasional Saturday dispatch during seasonal volume increases.
  • Drivers communicate directly with a Portland-area dispatcher who manages appointments, reloads and changes while the truck is on the road.
  • Mountain and weather exposure is mainly on I-84, US-26 and Cascade routes rather than long-haul OTR operation.

Pay & Compensation Breakdown

Mileage Pay $0.63–$0.68 per paid mile based on experience
Typical Weekly Gross $1,575 based on approximately 2,350 paid miles plus normal accessorial pay
Typical Weekly Range $1,450–$1,700 depending on miles, stops and detention
Typical Annual $81,900 based on $1,575 × 52 weeks
Detention $30 per hour after 2 hours at a qualifying customer location
Extra Stop $30 per additional paid customer stop
Sign-On Bonus $1,500 paid in scheduled installments after hire

Schedule, Home Time & Routes

Home Time Most weekends home; typically 1–2 nights out during the workweek
Normal Schedule Monday–Friday; occasional Saturday during high-volume periods
Start Window Approximately 4:30 AM–7:00 AM depending on pickup appointment
Operating Area Oregon, Washington, Columbia Gorge and selected southwest Idaho lanes
Weekly Miles Approximately 2,200–2,500 paid miles
34-Hour Reset Normally completed at home during the weekend

Equipment & Cabin Specs

Tractors Freightliner Cascadia 126 and Kenworth T680 sleepers
Fleet Age Primarily 2021–2024 units with a smaller number of older well-maintained tractors
Transmission Automated manual transmissions
Trailers 53-foot air-ride dry vans with swing doors; mix of standard and high-cube trailers
Technology ELD, electronic DVIR, GPS tracking, forward-facing dash camera and standard collision-safety systems on equipped units
Truck Assignment Assigned when available; limited slip-seating may occur during maintenance or vacation coverage

Real Routes

  • Portland → Salem → Eugene via I-5 for packaging, food and building-product freight.
  • Portland → Hillsboro/Forest Grove/Gaston → Portland for mill and manufactured-product reloads.
  • Portland → Vancouver → Longview/Kelso via I-5 for Columbia River industrial and distribution freight.
  • Portland → The Dalles/Pendleton via I-84 for Columbia Gorge and Inland Northwest freight.
  • Portland → Boise on selected overnight turns; usually less frequent than Oregon/Washington lanes.

Typical Week & Daily Workflow

Monday normally starts at the Portland terminal or approved tractor parking location. After a pre-trip inspection, the driver hooks to a loaded 53-foot dry van or picks up an empty trailer for a scheduled live load. Common outbound freight includes palletized paper products, packaged food, building materials and manufactured goods.

A typical day involves one primary linehaul movement plus one or two scheduled appointments. Many facilities use drop-and-hook, while manufacturing and mill-related locations may require the driver to wait for a live load. The driver checks trailer seal numbers, load condition and paperwork before leaving the facility.

Overnight trips normally finish with a customer delivery the following morning. After unloading, dispatch generally provides a reload toward Portland or another PNW destination rather than sending the driver deep OTR. Friday freight is planned so the truck can return toward Portland for the weekend when volume allows.

Benefits & Driver Support

Healthcare Medical, dental and vision options after the applicable eligibility period
Retirement 401(k) plan with company contribution/match according to plan terms
Paid Time Off Accrued PTO and paid holidays according to tenure
Orientation Paid orientation covering equipment, ELD, securement, customer procedures and dispatch
Driver Support Portland-area maintenance support and direct dispatcher communication

Driver Qualification Requirements

  • Valid Class A CDL with at least 6 months recent verifiable tractor-trailer experience; 12 months preferred.
  • Current DOT Medical Examiner's Certificate and ability to pass required DOT drug testing and Clearinghouse review.
  • Acceptable MVR and safety history; recent serious moving violations may disqualify an applicant.
  • Comfort with 53-foot dry vans, backing into customer docks, electronic logs and overnight regional trips.
  • Able to work safely in rain, winter conditions and busy Portland-area industrial yards.

Operational Delays

  • Portland I-5, I-205 and Columbia River Bridge congestion during morning and afternoon peaks.
  • Mill and manufacturing facilities can create 60–120 minute live-load waits.
  • Winter weather may slow I-84, US-26 and Cascade-area travel.
  • Customer appointment changes can shift the reload or return time toward Portland.

Hiring Process

1
Application
Submit CDL, recent employment and driving history.
2
Recruiter Call
Review regional lanes, home time, pay structure and experience.
3
Safety Review
MVR, employment verification, DOT drug screen and Clearinghouse review.
4
Orientation
Paid Portland-area orientation followed by equipment assignment and dispatch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What freight will I haul? ▼
Mostly palletized paper and packaging, packaged food, building products, retail freight and manufactured goods moving between Portland-area facilities and regional distribution points.
Q: How much of the work is drop-and-hook? ▼
The operation uses a mixture of drop-and-hook and live appointments. Approximately half of the weekly moves are expected to be drop-and-hook, although the percentage changes by customer and season.
Q: How many nights will I normally be out? ▼
Most drivers spend one or two nights away during a normal week. Longer overnight runs are possible when freight moves toward eastern Oregon, Washington or Idaho.
Q: Is there much mountain driving? ▼
Some routes use I-84 through the Columbia Gorge and US-26 toward Central Oregon. Drivers should be comfortable adjusting speed and trip timing for winter conditions.
Q: When is detention paid? ▼
Qualifying detention begins after two hours at the customer location when the delay is properly documented and meets the company's detention policy.

CDL Job Market

Portland's CDL market supports a mixture of local, dedicated and regional operations rather than one dominant freight type. Current Portland-area driver listings show demand for local flatbed, curtain-side and building-product work around the low-$30s per hour, while regional dry-van jobs commonly use mileage-based compensation. This position sits between those models: the driver remains on a regional dry-van schedule but returns to the Portland area regularly instead of operating true OTR. That makes experience with 53-foot trailers, customer docks, electronic logs and Pacific Northwest weather more important than specialized long-haul experience. The strongest fit is a driver who wants more miles than a strictly local job but does not want to spend weeks away from home. Regional demand also follows manufacturing, packaging, retail replenishment and construction activity across Oregon and Washington.

Location & Freight Market

The Portland operation is positioned around the industrial corridors running east, south and west of the metro area. Freight moves through Portland, Vancouver, Hillsboro, Forest Grove, Wilsonville, Salem and the Columbia River corridor before continuing toward Seattle, eastern Oregon or southwest Washington. Forest-product freight is particularly relevant west of Portland: the Gaston/Forest Grove area contains established sawmill and hardboard production with finished products moving by truck and rail, while Oregon's forestry records also identify active forest-product facilities in the surrounding region. Other regular dry-van volume comes from packaging, food distribution, building materials and retail replenishment. I-5 provides the primary north-south spine, while I-205, I-84, US-26 and local Willamette Valley routes create the shorter regional turns that keep this operation closer to Portland than conventional OTR freight.

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