CDL-A Position Local Foodservice
CDL-A Foodservice Delivery Driver – Multi-Stop Routes
Hiring Area: Northeast Florida • Terminal: Jacksonville, FL
Jacksonville, FL Local Multi-Stop 2020–2024 Day Cabs
Local multi-stop foodservice delivery of frozen, refrigerated, and dry products across Northeast Florida with $1,400–$1,750 weekly pay, home daily, and consistent weekday routes supporting restaurants, hospitals, hotels, and schools.
Typical Weekly Gross
$1,400–$1,750
Estimated Annual: $82,500
Sign-On Bonus $1,000
Home Time Home Daily
Driver Type Company Driver
Weekly Miles Local Only
Freight Type Foodservice Reefer
Dedicated foodservice account serving restaurants, healthcare facilities, hotels, schools, and institutional kitchens from a Jacksonville distribution center.
- Operate refrigerated trailers on multi-stop routes with live unloads.
- Verify orders, seals, and temperatures at every customer stop.
- Unload mixed frozen, refrigerated, and dry products using pallet jacks.
- Obtain signatures and process electronic proof-of-delivery records.
- Report delays, equipment issues, and customer requests to dispatch.
- Complete pre-trip and post-trip inspections including reefer checks.
Hourly structure with overtime, stop pay, and detention follows Southeast foodservice standards. Actual earnings depend on route density, stop count, and overtime hours.
Hourly Rate $29.00–$32.50
Weekly Gross Range $1,400–$1,750
Estimated Annual $82,500
Sign-On Bonus $1,000 ($500 at 30 days / $500 at 90 days)
Stop Pay $4–$8 after first stop
Detention $20/hour after 60 minutes
Overtime 1.5× after 40 hours (10–15 OT hrs typical)
Pay Frequency Weekly direct deposit
Home Time Home Daily
Schedule Monday–Friday (occasional Saturday)
Dispatch Window 3:00 AM – 6:00 AM
Shift Length 10–12 hours
Return Time 2:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Stops per Route 8–15
Service Area Jacksonville, Orange Park, St. Augustine, Fernandina Beach, Ponte Vedra, Yulee, Green Cove Springs, Middleburg, Beaches
Tractors Freightliner Cascadia (2021–2024) & International LT (2020–2023) Day Cabs
Transmission Automatic
Trailers 48' & 53' multi-temp refrigerated (Thermo King / Carrier)
Safety Systems Forward-facing cameras, collision mitigation, lane departure, adaptive cruise
ELD & Comms Motive ELD + Qualcomm
Delivery Gear Electric & manual pallet jacks, hand trucks, liftgates, straps, load bars
Assignment Assigned tractor when available
Fleet averages 70–100 power units with trailers typically 3–7 years old. Electronic temperature monitoring and continuous reporting standard.
Outbound loads leave the Jacksonville distribution center after overnight warehouse picking. Most trailers arrive pre-loaded and pre-cooled.
- Frozen meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, produce, frozen vegetables, dry grocery, oils, paper, and cleaning supplies.
- Primary lanes: Jacksonville to Orange Park, St. Augustine, Fernandina Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach, Yulee.
- Additional destinations: Green Cove Springs, Middleburg, Jacksonville Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach.
- Highways used: I-95, I-295, I-10, US-1, US-17, SR-9B, Butler Blvd (SR-202), A1A.
- Approximately 60% live unload, 25% live load, 15% drop-and-hook.
- Returns include empty pallets, reusable totes, rejected product, and occasional backhaul.
- Report between 3:00 AM and 5:30 AM, review overnight updates, complete pre-trip and temperature verification.
- Depart with pre-loaded multi-temp trailer; first stops completed before peak commute traffic.
- Execute 8–15 scheduled deliveries, adjusting sequence as dispatch issues electronic changes.
- Close trailer doors between pallets during extended counts to protect product temperature.
- Return empty pallets, totes, and paperwork; finish post-trip and receive next-day preliminary assignment.
- Most shifts end mid-to-late afternoon; holiday and tourism peaks may push later returns.
About the Carrier
Foodservice replenishment for restaurants, hospitals, hotels, schools, and institutional kitchens depends on predictable early-morning multi-stop capacity. A mid-sized regional carrier operating roughly 70–100 power units fills that role from its Jacksonville distribution center, linking overnight warehouse picks with same-day live deliveries across Northeast Florida. The operation focuses on temperature-controlled mixed loads and consistent weekday service rather than long-haul cycles, supporting tourism, healthcare, military, and hospitality demand year-round.
Health Coverage Medical, dental, vision after 60 days
Retirement 401(k) with company match
Paid Time Off Paid vacation + company holidays
Safety & Attendance Quarterly safety bonus + attendance recognition
Uniforms & Gear Company uniforms, high-vis apparel, annual boot allowance
Terminal Amenities Break room with showers, lockers, vending
Other Paid orientation, EZ Pass/toll reimbursement, paid DOT physical renewal
- Valid Class A CDL
- 1 year recent Class A experience preferred (local, foodservice, grocery, beverage, or reefer)
- Acceptable MVR with no serious DOT disqualifying violations
- Current DOT medical card or ability to obtain
- Pass pre-employment drug screen and FMCSA Clearinghouse query
- Ability to lift/move up to 75 lbs and operate pallet jacks daily
- Comfortable working in refrigerated trailers and varied customer sites
- Morning congestion on I-95, I-295, Butler Blvd, and downtown corridors
- 20–60 minute waits at large institutional receivers during peak periods
- Limited alley or rear-door access at independent restaurants and hotels
- Afternoon thunderstorms and occasional tropical weather during hurricane season
- Late warehouse additions or order substitutions before departure
1
Recruiter Call
Within one business day
2
Background & MVR
Clearinghouse + drug screen
3
Terminal Visit
Road test & orientation
4
Route Familiarization
Trainer or mentor period
Q: How much physical work is involved each day? ▼
Most stops require active unloading with pallet jacks or hand trucks. About 80% of deliveries are ground-level or limited-access; only 20% use full dock-height facilities.
Q: Are routes fixed or do they change daily? ▼
Preliminary assignments come the evening before. Dispatch frequently resequences stops based on receiving windows, traffic, or same-day order changes.
Q: What happens if a customer is delayed? ▼
Drivers document detention electronically. Dispatch updates remaining ETAs and may move a nearby stop forward to reduce idle time while staying HOS compliant.
Q: Is slip-seating common? ▼
Assigned tractors are provided whenever practical. Slip seating occurs mainly during vacations, maintenance, or seasonal staffing adjustments.
Q: How are temperature-sensitive products handled in summer heat? ▼
Drivers monitor reefer settings continuously and close doors between pallet moves during extended unloading to limit temperature rise.
Q: Will I need overnight parking at truck stops? ▼
Almost never. Routes are designed for same-day return to the secured Jacksonville terminal. Emergency parking recommendations are available if weather or mechanical issues intervene.
Q: How long is the hiring process? ▼
Most qualified candidates finish in 5–7 business days once background and DOT screening clear.
Jacksonville ranks among Florida’s most active CDL-A markets thanks to its interstate network, JAXPORT, military installations, and dense concentration of distribution centers. Local and dedicated foodservice, grocery, beverage, and retail positions remain consistently staffed, while dry-van, intermodal, and regional lanes also compete for experienced drivers. Employers prioritize attendance, customer service, and multi-stop efficiency over pure mileage. Hourly-plus-overtime packages with home-daily schedules have become more common as carriers respond to retention pressure. Residential growth, tourism, healthcare expansion, and year-round restaurant demand keep foodservice openings steady rather than highly seasonal, giving qualified local drivers multiple options across Northeast Florida.
Jacksonville functions as a primary Southeast freight gateway linking Florida with Georgia and the broader East Coast. Deep-water port facilities, I-95/I-10/I-295 corridors, rail interchanges, and large warehouse clusters on the Westside and Northside generate continuous outbound volume. Foodservice demand is anchored by restaurants, hotels, hospitals, school districts, senior-living communities, and institutional kitchens across Duval, Clay, St. Johns, and Nassau counties. Temperature-controlled proteins, dairy, produce, and dry grocery move daily from regional distribution centers to these end users. Summer tourism, conventions, and hurricane-prep cycles create temporary volume spikes, yet baseline restaurant and healthcare needs keep refrigerated traffic reliable throughout the year. The city’s geography allows a single distribution point to serve coastal and inland destinations within a same-day radius, sustaining local multi-stop foodservice operations.
