CDL-A Intermodal Rail Drayage Driver — Laredo, Texas

Train schedules and container release status set the pace for local intermodal moves across Laredo’s cross-border freight network.

• Inspect chassis condition, tires, lights, air lines and locking pins before leaving the ramp.
• Confirm container number, chassis number and seal at gate entry.
• Back sealed containers into tight rail and warehouse positions.
• Record arrival, gate-in and release times for potential detention pay.
• Report equipment defects and status changes immediately to dispatch.
• Perform full pre-trip and post-trip inspections on the assigned day cab.

Weekly earnings combine base hourly pay with qualifying container-move activity, overtime and detention when thresholds are met. The $27.50–$31.00 hourly rate covers terminal time, inspections and short-haul driving; additional move pay and overtime push total weekly gross into the $1,400–$1,900 range. A representative week at roughly $29/hour, 45 total hours plus several qualifying moves typically produces $1,500–$1,600 before taxes.

Chassis support 20-, 40- and 53-foot equipment as assigned, including sliding units, pin-lock systems and adjustable fifth-wheels. Drivers inspect locking mechanisms and structural condition before every departure. Older tractors remain in the fleet during normal replacement cycles.

Sealed containers carry automotive components, electrical equipment, machinery, industrial parts and packaged manufactured goods.

• Union Pacific Intermodal Facility to Laredo customs or inspection yards
• Rail ramp to Port Laredo Logistics Center next to the I-35 corridor
• Rail ramp into Mines Road industrial warehouse district
• Customs release yard to North Laredo distribution centers
• Distribution centers returning empties or outbound boxes to the rail ramp
• Multi-stop sequences: rail ramp to transload facility then empty return

• Valid Class A CDL
• 6 months CDL-A experience preferred; intermodal or container experience strongly preferred
• Minimum age 21
• Clean MVR with no major preventable violations
• Valid DOT medical card / ability to pass DOT physical
• Able to climb in and out of a day cab repeatedly and work outdoors in South Texas heat

• Rail congestion after train arrivals creates temporary gate queues
• Customs holds leave physically present containers unavailable for pickup
• Chassis shortages or damage interrupt otherwise ready moves
• Yard stack sequencing and equipment movement slow short-haul cycles
• I-35 and industrial corridor traffic affect appointment timing
• Heavy rain reduces traction and visibility in unpaved yard areas

Laredo’s CDL-A labor market is dense and competitive across several segments rather than uniformly driver-starved. Cross-border support, warehouse shuttle work, local dry van, dedicated Mexico-related freight, intermodal drayage and regional linehaul all draw from the same pool. Drivers with clean records and solid backing skills can move between these options, so carriers differentiate themselves through predictable home time, reliable equipment and available overtime. Intermodal fleets place particular value on experience with container numbers, chassis inspections and rail-yard procedures. Steady U.S.–Mexico trade volume sustains ongoing demand for local day-cab positions that remain inside the Laredo freight district.

Laredo continues to rank among the leading U.S.–Mexico truck ports and principal rail gateways. Federal data for May 2026 shows the corridor handled approximately $35.3 billion in bilateral trade, with roughly $4.2 billion moving by rail. Computer-related machinery, vehicles and electrical equipment form the core commodity mix, reflecting the manufacturing base on the Mexican side of the border. Union Pacific’s Laredo intermodal facility operates terminal, flip and roadability functions around the clock for both COFC and TOFC traffic. Industrial and logistics development continues along the I-35 corridor; Port Laredo Logistics Center sits adjacent to the rail ramp and supports large-scale cross-dock operations. A newly authorized 2.6-mile rail spur serving Gateway Industrial Park near I-35 and SH-255 adds further capacity. Freight activity concentrates around early train unload windows and later shifts toward empty returns and chassis repositioning, producing the short-haul density that defines local intermodal work.