Intermodal Position Home Daily
CDL-A Intermodal Truck Driver – Philadelphia, PA | Local Port & Rail
Hiring Area: Philadelphia metro & surrounding Delaware Valley • Terminal: Philadelphia-area • Home Time: Daily
Philadelphia, PA Local Intermodal Company Driver Day Cab
Local intermodal driving position moving containers between Philadelphia-area marine terminals, rail ramps, and nearby distribution facilities. Home daily with hourly pay, overtime after 40 hours, and typical weekly gross earnings of $1,350–$1,600.
Typical Weekly Gross
$1,350–$1,600
$29/hr + OT after 40
Home Time Home Daily
Schedule Mon–Fri • 45–50 hrs
Bonus $1,500 Sign-On
Freight Port & Rail Containers
Driver Type Company Driver
Local intermodal company-driver position moving containers between Philadelphia-area marine terminals, rail ramps, and nearby distribution facilities. Drivers handle short-haul port and rail moves with daily home time and limited freight handling.
- Pull loaded containers from marine terminals or rail ramps and deliver to local customers.
- Return empties, interchange chassis, and complete container or equipment swaps as assigned.
- Check container numbers, seals, chassis condition, and gate paperwork before leaving each facility.
- Complete required pre-trip, post-trip, and en-route inspections on the tractor and chassis.
- Follow terminal appointments, customer instructions, ELD requirements, and HOS rules.
- Keep dispatch updated on gate delays, equipment issues, releases, and delivery status.
Hourly structure with overtime after 40 hours protects earnings when terminal dwell stretches the day. Detention applies after the account threshold at the same regular rate.
Regular Rate $29/hour
Overtime Rate $43.50/hour after 40
Typical Weekly Gross $1,350–$1,600
Estimated Annual $70,000–$83,000
Sign-On Bonus $1,500 paid in installments after successful onboarding and retention milestones
Detention $29/hour after threshold
Home Time Home Daily
Operating Area SE Pennsylvania, S New Jersey, N Delaware (~100-mile radius)
Work Days Monday–Friday, occasional Saturday
Start Window 5:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Typical Hours 45–50 per week
Tractors Freightliner Cascadia and Volvo VNL day cabs, generally 2021–2024 models
Transmission Automatic
Safety Systems Collision mitigation, lane-departure warning, electronic stability control, and forward-facing dash cameras on assigned units
Chassis 20', 40', and 45' container chassis with adjustable locking positions
In-Cab Air conditioning, ELD-equipped
Drivers inspect tires, lights, brakes, air lines, frame, mudflaps, and locking mechanisms before accepting any chassis from terminal pools or company control.
Import/export and domestic intermodal containers move retail merchandise, packaged goods, food products, paper, forest products, frozen commodities, steel, and industrial components. Cargo is predominantly no-touch.
- Packer Avenue and Tioga marine terminals feed South Philadelphia and Delaware County warehouses.
- Rail-related moves may include CSX Greenwich and Norfolk Southern Morrisville, depending on customer volume and available loads.
- Common deliveries reach Eddystone, Bensalem, Burlington NJ, Camden, Wilmington DE, and New Castle.
- Longer shuttles occasionally run to Allentown, Bethlehem, or Swedesboro when volume requires.
- Primary corridors include I-95, I-76, I-676, I-295, Pennsylvania Turnpike, and New Jersey Turnpike.
- Typical sequences mix rail-to-warehouse, port-to-customer, and empty returns in the same day.
- Morning check-in at the assigned yard between 5:00–8:00 AM starts the shift.
- First assignment usually pulls a loaded container from Packer, Tioga, or a rail ramp.
- After delivery the driver may return an empty, swap chassis, or take a second loaded move.
- Most days produce 2–4 container movements depending on distance and dwell time.
- Dispatch adjusts the sequence throughout the day as releases and appointments change.
- Tractors park at the company terminal or an authorized yard at the end of the shift.
About the Carrier
This position supports local intermodal capacity across the Delaware Valley, connecting marine terminals, rail ramps, and distribution facilities. The operation is focused on short-haul container moves rather than long-haul OTR freight, with drivers generally returning to the terminal or authorized parking location after each shift.
Health Coverage Medical, dental, vision with employee contribution
Retirement 401(k) with company match
Time Off Vacation/PTO accrual based on tenure
TWIC Support Reimbursement or application assistance may be available according to company policy
Additional Paid orientation, safety apparel, ELD, EZPass, referral program, EAP
- Valid Class A CDL and current DOT medical card
- 6 months recent tractor-trailer experience preferred; intermodal or port experience is a plus
- Acceptable MVR and safety history; ability to pass DOT drug/alcohol testing and Clearinghouse query
- Valid TWIC required for unescorted PhilaPort access
- HazMat endorsement preferred but not required for standard container freight
- Recent CDL graduates may be considered for qualifying local assignments depending on experience and training availability
- Terminal gate congestion and delayed container releases
- Chassis shortages or equipment mismatches at interchange
- Customer appointment changes and live-unload waits of 30–90+ minutes
- I-95, I-76, bridge approaches, and Turnpike traffic
- Seasonal vessel surges and winter weather impacts on ramps
1
Application
Online or phone screening
2
Verification
CDL, MVR, employment, TWIC check
3
Clearances
Drug screen & Clearinghouse query
4
Orientation
Paid local terminal onboarding
Q: How many container moves are typical in a day? ▼
Most shifts complete 2–4 meaningful movements. Short local loops can produce more; longer runs toward Allentown or Wilmington produce fewer.
Q: Is overnight parking ever required? ▼
No. Tractors return to the company terminal or an authorized yard. Loaded containers are not taken home unless specifically authorized.
Q: What happens if a container is not released when I arrive? ▼
Contact dispatch immediately. The load is reassigned or the sequence is adjusted; drivers do not make independent commercial decisions on unavailable equipment.
Q: Are drop-and-hook or live deliveries more common? ▼
Most container work is no-touch or drop-and-hook, although some customer locations involve live positioning, check-in procedures, or unloading waits.
Q: Can recent CDL graduates be considered? ▼
Selectively, for assignments that do not require immediate independent port access, subject to additional training and management approval.
Q: How is chassis damage handled? ▼
Report any visible defects—tires, lights, brakes, twist-locks, bent rails—before accepting the equipment. Do not leave the terminal with known issues.
Philadelphia-area CDL-A drivers can find local work across intermodal, port drayage, LTL, foodservice, dedicated distribution, warehouse shuttle, and regional freight operations. Intermodal positions typically require familiarity with terminal procedures, chassis inspections, appointment windows, and urban traffic around the Delaware Valley.
The Delaware River port system and supporting rail gateways make the Philadelphia area a natural intermodal hub. Marine terminals handle containers along with other cargo, while nearby rail ramps provide connections into broader markets. Highway access via major interstates and turnpikes links these facilities to warehouse clusters in Delaware County, Bucks County, South Jersey, and northern Delaware. Import cycles, rail release patterns, and seasonal retail peaks create fluctuating but reliable short-haul container volume.