Local CDL-A Position Food Distribution Position

CDL-A Local Foodservice Delivery Driver – Nashville, TN

Hiring Area: Nashville metro & Middle Tennessee • Terminal: Lebanon distribution corridor

Nashville, TN Local Multi-Stop 2020–2025 Day Cabs

Local multi-stop refrigerated foodservice routes from the Lebanon corridor into Nashville, Franklin, Murfreesboro and surrounding markets. Typical weekly gross $1,500–$1,900 (~$1,700 at 48 hours), estimated annual ~$88,400 at typical pay. Home daily, 8–15 stops per shift, early starts 3:00–5:00 AM.

Typical Weekly Gross
$1,500–$1,900
Typical ~$1,700 · Annual at typical pay: ~$88,400
Sign-On Bonus Up to $1,500
Home Time Home Daily
Daily Stops 8–15
Daily Miles 150–250
Freight Type Refrigerated / Frozen / Dry Foodservice
Start Window 3:00–5:00 AM

Position Overview

This is live multi-stop foodservice delivery work. Drivers move product from the trailer into customer receiving areas across restaurants, hotels, healthcare facilities, schools and institutional kitchens.

  • Deliver refrigerated, frozen and dry food products to restaurants, hotels, healthcare and institutional accounts across Middle Tennessee.
  • Complete 8–15 stops per shift using a pallet jack or hand truck for live unloading.
  • Handle customer check-in, case-count verification, signatures and refused-product documentation.
  • Maintain trailer temperature and protect refrigerated/frozen loads throughout the route.
  • Run scheduled routes from the Lebanon/Nashville distribution area into Franklin, Murfreesboro, Smyrna, Clarksville and surrounding markets.
  • Communicate traffic, receiving delays, shortages and damaged-product issues to dispatch.
  • Complete pre-trip, post-trip, ELD and electronic delivery records before closing the route.

Pay & Compensation Breakdown

Compensation is structured around actual route time—driving, unloading, waiting and paperwork—rather than pure mileage. Typical earnings land near $1,700 for a standard 48-hour week.

Base Hourly $32.50/hour
Overtime $48.75/hour after 40 (where applicable)
Typical Week ~$1,700 at ~48 hours
Normal Weekly Range $1,500–$1,900
Estimated Annual at Typical Pay ~$88,400
Sign-On Bonus Up to $1,500 ($500 at 30 days / 90 days / 6 months)
Detention $25/hr after 2 hours qualifying customer delay
Payroll Weekly

Schedule, Home Time & Routes

Home Time Home Daily
Operating Area Nashville metro & Middle Tennessee
Work Days Monday–Friday + occasional Saturday volume peaks
Start Window 3:00–5:00 AM
Weekly Hours 45–52 hours typical
Daily Workload 8–15 stops · 150–250 miles

Equipment & Cabin Specs

Primary Tractors Freightliner Cascadia day cabs (2021–2025)
Additional Units Kenworth T680 day cabs (2020–2024) in the fleet
Transmission Automatic
Trailers 48–53 ft multi-temperature refrigerated (approx. 2019–2024)
Safety & Cab Systems ELD, electronic DVIR, forward dash cams, collision mitigation, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise on newer units
Delivery Equipment Electric or manual pallet jacks, two-wheel hand trucks, liftgates where route requires

Assigned tractors when operationally practical; slip-seating occurs during preventive maintenance or repairs. Company handles all scheduled PM, tire service, refrigeration work and roadside assistance.

Real Routes

Foodservice routes originate from the Lebanon distribution corridor east of Nashville and move into the metro and surrounding Middle Tennessee markets. Stop sequences change with order volume and appointment windows.

  • Lebanon warehouse outbound to Nashville restaurant and hospitality stops
  • Lebanon to Franklin via I-40 / I-65 for Williamson County accounts
  • Lebanon to Murfreesboro using I-40 and I-24 for Rutherford County
  • Longer runs to Clarksville, Cookeville or Bowling Green, KY when customer density justifies
  • Multi-stop sequences such as Nashville–Columbia–Franklin or Murfreesboro–Smyrna–Nashville
  • Primary corridors: I-24, I-40, I-65, I-440 and Briley Parkway
  • Typical day includes 8–15 customer stops with live unloading at most locations

Typical Week & Daily Workflow

  • Arrive terminal between 3:00–5:00 AM, complete pre-trip and confirm route on the handheld.
  • Trailer may already be staged or still loading; verify stop sequence and pallet count before leaving the yard.
  • First deliveries target early restaurant and institutional receiving windows.
  • Work alternates between driving, backing into tight locations, unloading, paperwork and customer interaction.
  • Return empty pallets, reusable equipment or vendor pickups when assigned; otherwise return empty to the terminal.
  • Post-trip inspection and electronic closeout finish the shift; next-day assignment is usually visible before departure.
  • Monday routes often heavier after weekend orders; Friday volume rises with weekend restaurant demand.

About the Carrier

This is a mid-sized regional foodservice operation serving restaurants, hotels, healthcare facilities, schools and institutional accounts throughout Middle Tennessee. Drivers work from the Lebanon distribution corridor and return to the terminal after each route. The operation is built around early dispatches, multi-stop refrigerated delivery and live unloading rather than long-haul linehaul. Most routes stay within the Nashville metro and nearby Middle Tennessee markets, allowing drivers to complete the route and return home the same day.

Benefits & Healthcare Coverage

Health Coverage Medical, dental and vision with employee contribution options
Retirement 401(k) with company match
Time Off Paid time off accrued under company policy
Training & Gear Paid orientation, route training, uniforms, boot reimbursement, safety apparel
Support Company-paid maintenance, roadside assistance, referral program, holiday scheduling notice

Driver Qualification Requirements

  • Valid Class A CDL, minimum age 21, current DOT medical card
  • 6 months CDL-A experience preferred; recent graduates considered after road evaluation
  • Acceptable MVR and ability to pass FMCSA Clearinghouse query
  • Comfortable operating hand truck or pallet jack and moving 20–80+ lb cases
  • Willing to work early mornings and occasional Saturdays

Operational Delays

  • Morning congestion on I-24, I-40, I-65, I-440 and Briley Parkway
  • Warehouse staging bottlenecks when multiple routes load simultaneously
  • Blocked restaurant alleys or unavailable receiving personnel
  • Downtown event, convention or stadium traffic
  • Heavy rain or infrequent winter icing that slows hand-truck movement

Hiring Process

1
Application
Submit CDL-A application with contact and experience details
2
Recruiter Call
Review schedule, pay structure and physical requirements
3
Screening
MVR, employment verification, drug test, Clearinghouse query
4
Road Test & Orientation
Company equipment evaluation, paid orientation, route training

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How physical is the unloading work? ▼
Most stops require the driver to move product with a hand truck or pallet jack. Cases commonly weigh 20–80+ pounds. Some restaurants lack docks, so product may be wheeled through side entrances or across parking lots.
Q: How many stops per day? ▼
Typical routes run 8–15 customer stops. Metro restaurant routes often have more stops and less highway mileage; longer runs toward Clarksville or Cookeville have fewer stops but more driving.
Q: Are routes fixed or do they change? ▼
Stop sequences are planned before the shift but can be re-ordered by dispatch for cancellations, late warehouse release, traffic or another driver needing help. Geography stays inside Middle Tennessee.
Q: What time do drivers start? ▼
Most shifts begin between 3:00 AM and 5:00 AM to meet early restaurant and institutional receiving windows. The day ends when the last delivery, returns and paperwork are complete.
Q: Is Saturday work required? ▼
Occasional Saturdays occur during peak holiday, convention or tourism periods when foodservice volume rises. The normal schedule is Monday–Friday.
Q: How long is training before independent dispatch? ▼
After paid orientation the driver rides with a trainer for route familiarization covering Nashville-area stops, hand-truck use, temperature control and documentation until the company signs off on independent operation.

CDL Job Market

Nashville’s CDL-A market is unusually diverse for local drivers because the metro combines foodservice, healthcare, retail distribution, beverage, LTL and automotive freight. Home-daily work is concentrated around the I-24, I-40 and I-65 corridors, with distribution activity extending through Lebanon, Murfreesboro, Smyrna and Franklin. Foodservice remains a distinct segment because drivers handle both transportation and physical delivery work at restaurants, hotels, hospitals and institutional accounts. LTL pickup-and-delivery, dedicated retail, beverage and short-haul dry-van operations provide additional local CDL-A opportunities. Seasonal tourism and convention activity keep volumes from dropping sharply, so carriers continue to hire experienced and newer drivers year-round.

Location & Freight Market

The Lebanon distribution corridor east of Nashville feeds restaurants, hotels, hospitals, schools and entertainment venues across the metro and into Franklin, Murfreesboro, Smyrna and Clarksville. I-40 provides the main east-west spine; I-24 and I-65 connect the market north-south and toward Chattanooga and Louisville. Because many of these customers lack large docks and operate under tight morning appointment windows, carriers need drivers who can back into tight commercial spaces, unload with a hand truck or pallet jack, and keep product temperatures intact. Tourism and convention calendars create predictable spikes in food and beverage volume, while year-round institutional kitchens and healthcare campuses supply a steady base. That combination keeps multi-stop refrigerated foodservice delivery a constant requirement in Middle Tennessee.

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