Local Chemical Tanker HazMat / Tanker

CDL-A Local Chemical Transport Driver – Cleveland, OH

Hiring Radius: 75 miles • Terminal: Cleveland, OH

Cleveland, OH Home Daily Day Cab Tanker

Local liquid-bulk chemical work moving approved industrial chemicals, additives and liquid materials between Northeast Ohio plants, bulk terminals and customer facilities. Most drivers run 45–48 hours per week and return to the Cleveland terminal every day.

Typical Weekly Gross
$1,600
Estimated Annual: $83,200
Base Rate $32/hour
Overtime $48/hour after 40
Sign-On Bonus $1,000
Home Time Home Daily
Weekly Hours 44–50

Position Overview

This is a hands-on local tanker position supporting Cleveland-area chemical, plastics, coatings and industrial customers. The driver handles the transportation and safe delivery of assigned liquid products; facility personnel normally perform the bulk transfer.

  • Moves approved liquid chemicals and industrial additives between local plants, terminals and customer sites.
  • Runs 1–3 scheduled loads or delivery turns during a normal shift.
  • Checks product paperwork, placards, tank condition, valves and hoses before loading.
  • Connects approved transfer equipment and follows each facility's loading procedure.
  • Returns to the Cleveland terminal after the final assignment instead of taking the tanker home.
  • Reports plant delays, product changes, equipment issues and weight discrepancies to dispatch.
  • Works primarily Monday–Friday with occasional Saturday coverage during heavier customer demand.

Pay & Compensation Breakdown

Pay is hourly because local chemical work includes loading, unloading, plant queues and required on-duty procedures. Overtime begins after 40 hours in the workweek.

Base Hourly Rate $32/hour
Overtime $48/hour after 40 hours
Typical Weekly Gross $1,600
Typical Weekly Hours 46 hours
Typical Pay Math 40 × $32 + 6 × $48 = $1,568
Typical Annual Gross $83,200
Detention $35/hour after 2 hours
Sign-On Bonus $1,000 paid in stages

The advertised weekly range is approximately $1,500–$1,750 before taxes. Weeks with 48–50 hours can move toward the upper end; detention is paid separately when qualifying plant or customer delays are documented.

Schedule, Home Time & Operating Area

Home Time Home daily
Operating Area Cleveland–Euclid–Akron–Lorain–Youngstown
Normal Weekly Hours 44–50
Typical Start 4:30–6:30 AM
Typical Shift 9–11 hours
Daily Stops 1–3 facilities

The first dispatch is usually built around the customer's production or receiving window rather than a fixed clock-in time. Drivers finish the day at the Cleveland terminal or approved yard.

Equipment & Tanker Specs

Tractors Freightliner Cascadia 2021–2024; Kenworth T680 2020–2023
Configuration Day cabs with automatic transmissions
Tanker Trailers Chemical-service stainless and aluminum tanks, typically 6,000–7,000 gallons
Safety Equipment ELD, electronic DVIR, forward-facing camera and collision-warning systems on selected units
Driver Gear Chemical gloves, eye protection, high-visibility vest and required site PPE
Truck Assignment Assigned when practical; temporary slip-seat during maintenance

Tank assignment depends on product compatibility and cleaning history. Drivers are not expected to improvise chemical compatibility or use unapproved hoses, fittings or transfer equipment.

Real Routes

Freight stays concentrated around Northeast Ohio industrial customers rather than long-haul tanker lanes.

  • Cleveland / Euclid → Akron and Canton industrial customers via I-77.
  • Cleveland → Youngstown-area plants via I-480 / Ohio Turnpike / I-80.
  • Cleveland → Lorain and west-side industrial facilities via I-90.
  • Euclid bulk/transload facilities can generate chemical and liquid-material turns.
  • Occasional Cleveland Port-area moves connect imported industrial materials with local customers.
  • Most runs return to the Cleveland terminal the same day.

Typical Week & Daily Workflow

  • Start at the Cleveland terminal around 4:30–6:30 AM and complete the pre-trip and tanker inspection.
  • Review BOL, product designation, loading instructions and delivery appointment before leaving.
  • Pick up the assigned liquid product at a plant, bulk terminal or approved transload location.
  • Verify tank condition, placards, valves and transfer connections before loading.
  • Deliver to the receiving plant and follow its unloading, grounding and hose procedures.
  • Send signed paperwork to dispatch and receive the next local assignment or return instructions.
  • Finish at the Cleveland terminal or approved yard; no overnight freight is normally required.

About the Carrier

This position represents a mid-sized regional W-2 tanker operation serving Northeast Ohio industrial accounts rather than a national long-haul chemical network. The Cleveland operation is built around repeat customer lanes, scheduled plant deliveries and controlled equipment assignments. Freight is concentrated around chemical, plastics, coatings, manufacturing and bulk-material customers in the Cleveland–Euclid–Akron corridor. The operation uses local day-cab tankers so drivers can complete the assigned turns and return to the terminal each evening. Dispatch manages product assignment, customer appointments and tanker compatibility while the driver remains responsible for vehicle inspection, documentation, safe loading procedures and delivery paperwork.

Benefits & Driver Support

Medical / Dental / Vision Available after eligibility
Retirement 401(k) with company match after eligibility
Paid Time Off PTO by tenure policy and paid holidays
Orientation Paid company and customer-site orientation
Safety Gear Required tanker and chemical-handling PPE supplied
Driver Support Roadside assistance, local maintenance support and dispatch coverage

Driver Qualification Requirements

  • Valid Class A CDL with Tanker and HazMat endorsements.
  • At least 12 months verifiable CDL-A driving experience.
  • Prior liquid bulk or chemical tanker experience strongly preferred.
  • Acceptable MVR, PSP and FMCSA Clearinghouse history.
  • Pass DOT physical, drug screening and company safety review.
  • Ability to work around tankers, hoses, loading racks and required chemical PPE.

Operational Delays

  • Plant loading can wait on production batches, lab release or loading-rack availability.
  • I-90, I-480 and I-271 congestion can push customer appointment times.
  • Tank cleaning or compatibility requirements can affect the next assignment.
  • Winter snow and ice can slow tanker access to industrial yards and ramps.
  • Customer production changes can turn a planned two-stop day into a single longer turn.

Hiring Process

1
Application
Submit CDL-A application and recent employment history.
2
Recruiter Screen
Review tanker experience, endorsements, home-time needs and pay expectations.
3
Safety Review
MVR, PSP, Clearinghouse, DOT physical and drug-screen process.
4
Orientation
Paid Cleveland-area orientation followed by equipment and customer-site training.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What type of chemicals will I haul? ▼
Loads are limited to approved liquid-bulk products such as industrial chemicals, additives, solvents and other customer-authorized liquid materials. The exact product list depends on tanker compatibility and customer contracts.
Q: How is the $1,600 typical weekly pay calculated? ▼
The base rate is $32 per hour. Hours after 40 are paid at $48 per hour. A typical 46-hour week calculates to $1,568 before any qualifying detention, which puts normal weekly earnings around $1,600.
Q: Is this truly home daily? ▼
Yes. The normal operation is local and the driver returns to the Cleveland terminal or approved company yard after the final delivery. Overnight runs are not part of the normal schedule.
Q: Do drivers load and unload the chemicals? ▼
Facility personnel normally control the bulk transfer. The driver inspects the equipment, connects approved hoses or fittings when required, follows site procedures and monitors the transfer.
Q: Is tanker experience required? ▼
At least 12 months of verifiable CDL-A driving experience is required. Liquid bulk or chemical tanker experience is strongly preferred because the position involves industrial loading racks and tanker procedures.
Q: What areas does the driver normally cover? ▼
Most work stays around Cleveland, Euclid, Akron, Canton, Lorain and Youngstown, with routes selected around customer plants and bulk terminals.
Q: When is detention paid? ▼
Qualifying detention begins after two hours at a customer or loading facility and is paid at $35 per hour when the delay is properly documented through dispatch and facility records.

CDL Job Market – Cleveland, OH

Cleveland's CDL-A market has a distinct industrial and tanker segment alongside conventional dry-van, LTL and local manufacturing freight. Current Cleveland-area listings show local HazMat/tanker work around the low-$30s per hour, while experienced chemical-tanker postings can advertise higher weekly earnings depending on the operation, endorsements and home-time structure. Local tanker work is particularly tied to manufacturers, bulk terminals, plastics and chemical processors where the driver may spend meaningful paid time at loading racks and customer facilities rather than accumulating high highway mileage. That makes hourly compensation and overtime more relevant than a simple CPM comparison. For an experienced CDL-A driver with Tanker and HazMat endorsements, Cleveland offers both home-daily industrial positions and longer regional chemical lanes, with the local jobs generally trading some maximum earning potential for predictable daily returns.

Location & Freight Market – Northeast Ohio

The Cleveland operation is built around a dense industrial network rather than one single customer. The Port of Cleveland provides multimodal access to Northeast Ohio and handles bulk, liquid, steel, manufacturing and project cargo, with direct connections to SR-2 and I-90 and quick access to I-77, I-71 and the Ohio Turnpike. East of Cleveland, the Euclid Transload Terminal is a particularly relevant freight node: its facility handles truck and rail transloading and lists chemicals, hazardous and non-hazardous liquids among its commodities. These facilities fit a local tanker operation because liquid materials can move from bulk storage or rail-connected terminals into manufacturing and processing plants around Cleveland, Akron and the surrounding industrial corridor. The result is a short-haul operation where route density, customer appointments and loading procedures matter more than chasing long-distance mileage.

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