Regional CDL-A Position Dry Van

CDL-A Gulf Coast Regional Driver – Baton Rouge, LA

Hiring Radius: Southeast / Gulf Coast • Terminal: Baton Rouge, LA

Baton Rouge, LA Regional 2021–2024 Tractors

Regional dry-van freight out of Baton Rouge covering Louisiana, eastern Texas, Mississippi and nearby Southeast markets. Weekly home time with 1–3 nights out depending on load sequence, $1,550–$1,800 weekly gross.

Weekly Gross
$1,550–$1,800
Typical: ~$1,700/week
Typical Annual: ~$88,400
Home Time Weekly • 1–3 nights out
Pay Structure $0.66 CPM • 2,250–2,550 miles
Freight No-touch dry van
Sign-On Bonus $1,500

Position Overview

Company driver role moving industrial, manufacturing, distribution and consumer freight through the Baton Rouge–Port Allen–New Orleans corridor and connecting Southeast markets.

  • Run regional dry-van freight from Baton Rouge through Louisiana, eastern Texas, Mississippi and nearby Gulf Coast markets.
  • Complete pre-trip inspections, trailer checks, seal verification and BOL review before departure.
  • Handle mostly no-touch freight with drop-and-hook opportunities at selected customers and yards.
  • Pick up and deliver within scheduled appointment windows while managing HOS and route changes.
  • Communicate trailer availability, delays, detention and delivery issues to dispatch.
  • Submit signed BOLs and PODs through the carrier’s electronic system after delivery.

Pay & Compensation Breakdown

Base rate is $0.66 per paid mile. Detention and other accessorials add variable weekly income. Typical annual figure is based on a $1,700 weekly gross before taxes and variable accessorials.

Weekly Gross Range $1,550–$1,800
Typical Weekly Gross ~$1,700
Typical Annual Gross ~$88,400
Base Mileage Rate $0.66 per paid mile
Paid Miles (typical week) 2,250–2,550
Detention $50/hour after 2 hours (when documented)
Sign-On Bonus $1,500 ($500 at 30 / 90 / 180 days)
Pay Frequency Weekly direct deposit

Schedule, Home Time & Routes

Home Time Weekly • 1–3 nights out depending on load sequence
Operating Radius Generally 350–650 air miles from Baton Rouge
Primary Coverage Louisiana, eastern Texas, southern Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and selected Southeast destinations
Weekly Miles 2,250–2,550 paid
Typical Start Early morning; dispatch times vary by appointment

Equipment & Cabin Specs

Tractor Models Freightliner Cascadia and Kenworth T680
Model Years Primarily 2021–2024, with some older units
Transmission Automatic
Safety Features Forward-facing cameras, collision mitigation, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise on equipped units
Cabin Sleeper tractors; APU/inverter availability varies
Trailers 53-ft dry vans (mixed 2019–2025), swing doors, logistics posts, load-lock compatible
Assignment Assigned tractor when operationally practical

ELD-compliant logging and electronic communication are standard. Maintenance is handled through the terminal/shop network and approved outside facilities when away from home.

Real Routes

Palletized no-touch freight from distribution centers, manufacturers, industrial suppliers, warehouses and port-connected facilities drives the weekly sequence.

  • Outbound from Baton Rouge or Port Allen to Houston, Lafayette, New Orleans, Jackson, Mobile or Beaumont.
  • Common return and cross moves include Houston–Baton Rouge, New Orleans–Baton Rouge, Jackson–Baton Rouge and Lafayette–Baton Rouge.
  • Primary highways: I-10, I-12, I-55, I-59, I-49 and US-190.
  • Commodities typically include packaged industrial products, consumer packaged goods, building supplies, paper and packaging, manufacturing components, non-hazardous chemical-related products, retail replenishment and non-refrigerated food/beverage.
  • A large share of the freight is drop-and-hook, with live loading or unloading on selected customer accounts.
  • Backhauls frequently originate in Houston, New Orleans, Lafayette or Jackson rather than a direct empty return to Baton Rouge.

Typical Week & Daily Workflow

  • First assignment usually arrives the prior afternoon/evening or early the next morning.
  • Start at the Baton Rouge terminal or a nearby customer/drop yard, finish pre-trip and hook a loaded trailer.
  • Opening leg is often Baton Rouge to Houston or New Orleans; the next load is planned while the current delivery finishes.
  • Follow-on freight can originate in Houston, Beaumont, New Orleans, Lafayette, Port Allen, Hammond or Jackson.
  • Return to Baton Rouge after 1–3 nights out, depending on appointments, reloads and remaining HOS.
  • Fuel stops are planned along major corridors; maintenance is scheduled around home time whenever possible.

About the Carrier

Industrial and distribution freight moving through the Port of Greater Baton Rouge and the surrounding River Region creates steady demand for reliable regional dry-van capacity. This regional operation is structured around palletized loads that link manufacturing plants, warehouses and consumer distribution points across the Gulf Coast and Southeast. Freight sequences change with outbound availability, appointment windows and backhaul opportunities from larger markets such as Houston and New Orleans rather than remaining locked to a single dedicated customer. The result is a practical network that keeps equipment productive while returning drivers home on a weekly cycle.

Benefits & Healthcare Coverage

Medical / Dental / Vision Available options
Retirement 401(k) with company contribution structure
Paid Time Off According to company tenure policy
Rider / Pet Policy Rider eligibility after probation; pet policy subject to equipment and insurance rules
Additional Support Paid orientation, company fuel card, EZPass/toll transponder, driver referral program, periodic safety incentives, terminal parking, roadside assistance coordination

Driver Qualification Requirements

  • Valid Class A CDL
  • Approximately 6 months of recent tractor-trailer experience preferred
  • Acceptable MVR and safety history
  • Pass required drug and alcohol screening plus Clearinghouse query
  • Ability to meet all applicable DOT/FMCSA requirements
  • No tanker or HazMat endorsement required

Operational Delays

  • I-10 congestion, construction zones and Mississippi River crossings frequently add travel time.
  • Live loads at manufacturing sites can require longer staging than typical drop-and-hook yards.
  • Gulf Coast thunderstorms, flooding or tropical weather can shift appointments and routing.
  • Empty-trailer shortages sometimes force repositioning between Baton Rouge, Houston or New Orleans.
  • High-volume distribution centers can produce 30–90 minute gate waits; longer delays occur during peak periods.

Hiring Process

1
Application
Submit CDL info and employment history
2
Screening & Verification
Recruiter call, MVR and employment check
3
Clearinghouse & Drug Screen
Required FMCSA query and company testing
4
Orientation & First Dispatch
1–2 day paid orientation at Baton Rouge terminal

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How often will I load or unload freight? ▼
Most loads are no-touch. Drivers generally handle trailer positioning, doors, seals and paperwork rather than loading or unloading the freight. Live loading or unloading can occur at selected customers.
Q: Where can I park overnight when not at the terminal? ▼
Approved customer yards, carrier drop yards or established truck stops around Baton Rouge, Port Allen, Lafayette, Hammond, Slidell, Lake Charles, Beaumont, Houston, Jackson and Hattiesburg. Plan parking early on high-volume corridors.
Q: How is detention calculated? ▼
$50 per hour after two hours of free time when company requirements are met and the delay is documented. Qualifying detention typically adds roughly $50–$100 in a normal week.
Q: Will I always return on the same day each week? ▼
No. Customer appointments, weekend freight, weather and remaining HOS can shift the exact return time, though the operation is built for weekly home time.
Q: Are recent CDL graduates considered? ▼
Possible with strong school training and a clean safety history, but the position is primarily structured for drivers who already have some solo tractor-trailer experience.
Q: How variable are the weekly routes? ▼
Dispatch builds each week around available outbound freight, customer appointments and reload opportunities. Sequences change; fixed daily routes are not the model.

CDL Job Market

Baton Rouge is a major regional trucking market because freight moves between the Gulf Coast, the Mississippi River industrial corridor, Houston, New Orleans and the broader Southeast. Current CDL-A listings in the area include regional dry-van, OTR, intermodal and specialized driving positions, with pay varying substantially by mileage, home time, endorsements and freight type. Recent regional dry-van listings around Baton Rouge show weekly earnings around $1,550–$1,800, while other regional offers advertise approximately $0.61–$0.66 CPM. The local market also supports tanker, chemical, fuel and port-related trucking because of the area’s industrial and river-port activity.

Location & Freight Market

Baton Rouge sits on a major Gulf Coast freight corridor. I-10 provides the principal east-west link toward Lafayette, Lake Charles, Houston, New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, while I-12 offers a northern bypass toward Hammond and the I-59 network. The Port of Greater Baton Rouge handles deepwater, liquid-bulk, dry-bulk, warehousing and inland-river cargo, generating steady truck movements of industrial and bulk commodities. The surrounding River Region forms part of the larger Mississippi River petrochemical corridor that runs through Geismar, St. Gabriel, Norco and toward New Orleans. Combined with distribution activity and consumer markets in Houston, New Orleans, Jackson and Mobile, this geography sustains continuous demand for palletized industrial supplies, packaged products, building materials and retail replenishment freight throughout the year.

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