🗺 Location & Routes
- Base: New Orleans metro and surrounding parishes
- Route type: Local short-cycle aggregate hauls
- Freight: Sand, gravel, limestone, crushed stone, fill dirt
- Primary customers: Ready-mix plants, highway contractors, port projects
🚛 Trucks and Trailers You'll Run
- Tractors: Mix of Peterbilt 579, Kenworth T880, Mack Anthem — typical construction fleet wear
- Trailers: End-dump and belly-dump aggregate units (heavy abrasion wear expected)
- Manual tarps standard on most loads
- Quarry yard washing and basic maintenance available
- Hydraulic and gate adjustments common part of the day
🏗 Quarry and Yard Operations Reality
Shifts usually begin at a regional quarry or staging yard. Expect morning load-out lines when multiple trucks hit the scales at once. Automated hoppers handle the bulk but grading checks and queue times add variability. Return trips are quick but depend on how fast the concrete plants and jobsites pull material. Rain turns yards into slow zones fast.
📋 Shift Flow From Dispatch
Drivers handle repeated short hauls (10–60 miles) between quarries and active sites. Load at scales, run to ready-mix plants or construction zones, dump, tarp, repeat. Some days are high-volume cycle runs; others slow down due to site readiness or weather. Unloading happens on uneven ground, tight urban redevelopment spots, or large infrastructure projects. Coordination with site crews and supervisors is constant. Early starts are normal to beat concrete pour schedules.
🏗 Jobsite Delivery Conditions
- Prepared sites with drop zones vs active messy terrain
- Limited space in urban flood projects and port expansions
- Coordination needed with excavators and concrete crews
- Ground stability issues after rain common
- Multi-drop runs occasionally required with extra pay
✅ What the Safety Desk Needs
CDL Class A
Valid CDL-A license required
Experience
6–12 months construction or dump trailer experience preferred; training available for right candidate
Physical
Comfortable with outdoor work, uneven terrain, dust, and manual tarping
Other
Reliable attendance critical — construction timelines don't wait
⏱ Load Cycle Patterns
High frequency short cycles dominate. Peak demand during infrastructure surges and post-hurricane recovery. Slower periods follow weather or between major pours. Overtime after 40 hours, plus incentives for tight-site work and higher volume days. Standby pay sometimes available during weather-related delays.
🎁 Pay, Benefits and Onboarding
🌧 Weather and Season Impact
New Orleans area work ties directly to construction cycles. Summer and recovery periods bring longer days and higher volume. Rain shuts down or slows dumping. Winter and wet months reduce consistent loads. Drivers need to be steady in changing outdoor conditions.
🏠 Schedule and Home Time
Home every night. Typical starts 5:00-7:00 AM. Finish times vary by load volume and site demands — can run into early evening on busy days. Monday-Friday core with occasional Saturdays during peak projects. No long-haul or overnights.
❓ Questions Drivers Usually Ask
How consistent are the hours?
Very tied to construction demand. Busy weeks during major projects; slower when weather or schedule gaps hit.
Is tarp work required?
Yes, manual tarps on most loads. Part of the standard routine.
What if I'm new to dump trailers?
Training available. Some prior construction or heavy material experience helps.
Do I need to wash the truck?
Basic cleaning at quarry yards is expected and supported.
📍 CDL-A Local Aggregate Driver Opportunities in New Orleans
This local position keeps drivers in the New Orleans metro hauling sand, gravel, limestone and other aggregates from quarries to ready-mix plants and construction sites. Expect short repetitive cycles with frequent loading at quarry scales and unloading on active job sites that range from organized drop zones to tight urban spaces with uneven ground. Traffic delays are usually jobsite access related rather than highway. Weather directly impacts daily output — rain can halt dumping operations fast. Hourly pay plus load incentives typically lands $1,250–$1,850 per week depending on volume and project surges. Home daily with early starts common to support concrete schedules. The fleet includes Peterbilt, Kenworth and Mack tractors paired with end-dump and belly-dump trailers that see heavy wear from abrasive materials. This role suits drivers comfortable with outdoor conditions, dust, manual tarping, and variable daily end times driven by construction needs. Peak periods around infrastructure work and hurricane recovery bring higher earnings potential while slower seasons reflect normal building cycles in the region. Reliable attendance matters because ready-mix and paving crews depend on steady material supply.
🚀 Apply for This Position
Complete the form below to apply for the CDL-A Local Construction Aggregate Driver role in New Orleans, LA.