Port Drayage Position Local CDL-A

CDL-A Local Intermodal Container Drayage Driver

Hiring Area: Savannah Metro • Terminal: Savannah / Garden City area

Savannah, GA Local Port 2021–2025 Day Cabs

Short-haul container turns between Garden City Terminal, nearby yards and distribution sites, with weekly gross $1,450–$1,900, daily home time, and driver responsibilities limited to pickup, transport and delivery.

Weekly Gross
$1,450–$1,900
Estimated Annual: ~$85,800 at typical $1,650/week
Sign-On $1,500
Home Time Home Daily
Driver Type Company Driver
Weekly Miles Local Short-Haul
Freight Type Ocean Containers

Position Overview

Dedicated local drayage fleet handling repeated short container moves between the Port of Savannah, container yards, rail facilities and nearby distribution or manufacturing sites.

  • Complete scheduled ingate and outgate moves at Garden City Terminal and designated facilities.
  • Inspect tractor, chassis, container connections, tires, lights, air lines and locking equipment before departure.
  • Verify container number, seal, chassis information and dispatch instructions before each move.
  • Handle short local turns between the port, customer facilities, warehouses, transload locations and approved yards.
  • Coordinate with dispatch when containers are unavailable, appointments change, chassis issues arise or terminal delays affect the next move.
  • Complete customer deliveries, empty returns and repositioning moves while maintaining accurate ELD and HOS records.

Pay & Compensation Breakdown

Hourly structure with overtime after 40 hours accounts for gate time, yard activity and short container turns. A normal 50-hour week produces the typical $1,650 gross; lighter 45-hour weeks land near $1,450 and stronger 55-hour weeks near $1,900.

Base Rate $30/hour
Overtime $45/hour after 40
Typical Week ~$1,650 at 50 hours
Weekly Range $1,450–$1,900
Port Standby $25/hour after 2 hours qualifying
Container Exchange $20 per company-designated exchange
Safety Incentive Up to $250 quarterly
Sign-On Bonus $1,500 ($500 after 30 / 90 / 180 days)
Pay Frequency Weekly direct deposit

Schedule, Home Time & Routes

Home Time Home Daily
Operating Area Savannah / Garden City / Port Wentworth / Pooler / Rincon / Port-area logistics network
Typical Schedule Monday–Friday with occasional weekend or extended gate work
Normal Hours 45–55 hours per week
Start Window Early morning freight window, account-dependent

Equipment & Cabin Specs

Tractors Freightliner Cascadia day cabs (approx. 2021–2025); Kenworth T680 day cabs (approx. 2021–2024)
Transmission Automated manual on most late-model units
Safety Features Engine brake, backup camera or camera-assisted visibility, collision mitigation on newer units, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise on selected tractors
Cabin & Systems Air-ride suspension, ELD-compliant logging, company communication system
Assignment Assigned equipment when available; temporary changes or slip-seating during maintenance or high utilization
Chassis Standard intermodal chassis for 20-ft and 40-ft containers; occasional 45-ft equipment
Containers Primarily dry van; occasional refrigerated or specialized depending on account

Fleet configured for repeated port and yard operations. Preventive maintenance handled through the local program and approved outside facilities.

Real Routes

Import containers move from Garden City Terminal to distribution centers, transload sites and manufacturing customers; export containers reverse the direction after loading.

  • Garden City to Pooler for short import deliveries into the local distribution network.
  • Garden City to Port Wentworth serving warehouse and industrial facilities north of Savannah.
  • Garden City to Rincon moving containers toward Effingham County sites via I-16.
  • Garden City to Bloomingdale along the I-16 / Pooler industrial corridor.
  • Garden City to Savannah for manufacturing, distribution and transload stops.
  • Garden City to Richmond Hill for southbound Bryan County industrial freight.
  • Export and empty returns from Pooler, Rincon, Bloomingdale and Port Wentworth back to Garden City.

Typical Week & Daily Workflow

  • Begin with pre-trip inspection of tractor and chassis, then confirm first assignment.
  • Proceed to Garden City Terminal for the initial ingate or outgate transaction.
  • Deliver loaded container to customer yard or live-unload location and obtain confirmation.
  • Receive next assignment while finishing the current move—often empty return or another loaded box.
  • Mid-day sequence can change for vessel cutoffs, container release or customer capacity.
  • Complete final turn and return tractor to the company terminal or designated parking.
  • Dispatch plans several moves ahead when availability is known and resequences as conditions change.

About the Carrier

Continuous container movement between a high-volume marine terminal and the surrounding warehouse-manufacturing corridor requires dedicated short-haul capacity. This mid-sized operation focuses on that local flow, running repeated turns between Garden City Terminal, container yards and nearby industrial sites. Coordination centers on vessel schedules, chassis availability and customer appointments so drivers stay productive on short moves rather than long-haul highway runs.

Benefits & Healthcare Coverage

Health Coverage Medical, dental and vision options for driver and eligible dependents
Retirement 401(k) with company match according to plan terms
Life Insurance Basic company-paid; optional supplemental available
Time Off Vacation / PTO and holiday pay per company policy
Port Support TWIC reimbursement or partial after eligibility; port-access orientation; container and chassis training
Operational Support Company fuel card, EZPass where applicable, safety vest / PPE, terminal parking, roadside assistance coordination, paid orientation

Driver Qualification Requirements

  • Valid Class A CDL, minimum age 21, current DOT medical certification, legal authorization to operate CMVs.
  • 6–12 months CDL-A experience preferred; port or intermodal experience preferred but not required for every applicant.
  • Valid TWIC required for regular port access; must maintain active credential.
  • Driving record acceptable under company insurance and safety standards.
  • Ability to climb in and out of the tractor, inspect equipment, connect air lines, walk around chassis and work outdoors in changing weather.
  • Recent CDL graduates considered selectively after a reputable program when safety and training standards are met.

Operational Delays

  • Gate queues and terminal congestion during periods of high vessel activity.
  • Container not released or unavailable even when physically present in the yard.
  • Chassis defects, out-of-service equipment or pool shortages.
  • Traffic on I-16, I-95 or port access roads delaying customer appointment windows.
  • Weather impacts from heavy rain, tropical systems or coastal flooding.
  • Export documentation or vessel cutoff changes that require resequencing.

Hiring Process

1
Application & Screening
Online or telephone application; recruiter contact usually within one business day.
2
Verification
MVR, employment history, TWIC status, background and Clearinghouse query.
3
Drug Screen & Offer
DOT pre-employment drug screen and final qualification review.
4
Orientation
Paid local orientation on chassis, terminal procedures and first dispatch; typical timeline 3–7 business days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How many container turns are typical in a shift? ▼
Multiple short turns are normal. The exact number depends on vessel activity, container release and customer windows rather than a fixed quota.
Q: Will I wait while the container is unloaded? ▼
Some customers use drop locations or container yards; others require the driver to remain on site for a live unload. Waiting time depends on the facility and delivery type.
Q: What happens if a chassis fails inspection? ▼
Report the defect to dispatch and maintenance immediately. Do not leave with questionable equipment; replacement or repair instructions follow.
Q: Can the tractor be taken home overnight? ▼
Preferred arrangement is company terminal or designated yard parking. Home parking is allowed only when the location and arrangement have been pre-approved. Loaded containers remain at customer, port or approved sites.
Q: How does dispatch handle mid-day changes? ▼
The next assignment is often issued while the current move is still in progress. Vessel cutoffs, container availability or customer capacity can reorder the remaining turns.
Q: Are refrigerated containers part of regular work? ▼
Only occasionally, when assigned to accounts requiring temperature-controlled ocean freight. Most moves are standard dry containers.
Q: Does the driver load or unload the cargo? ▼
No. The driver does not load or unload the container. Responsibilities center on pickup, securement, transport and delivery; terminal or customer equipment handles the cargo.

CDL Job Market

Savannah maintains an active CDL-A hiring market driven by overlapping freight streams: ocean containers, intermodal rail, retail imports, manufacturing and distribution. Port drayage carriers, intermodal fleets, private fleets, LTL operators, dedicated distribution companies and regional carriers all compete for drivers. Local container and intermodal postings commonly fall in the mid-to-upper $20s per hour or roughly $1,500–$1,800 weekly range. Drivers who already know terminal procedures, TWIC requirements, chassis inspections and container documentation move between employers relatively easily. Demand stays steady across local, dedicated and short-haul categories rather than concentrating only on long-haul OTR work.

Location & Freight Market

Garden City Terminal generates steady container traffic throughout the week, with volume moving between the port, Pooler, Port Wentworth, Effingham County and nearby distribution facilities. Drivers can expect changing gate conditions, appointment windows and container availability depending on vessel schedules and customer demand. On-terminal rail service and direct interstate access keep import and export flows moving into a large surrounding warehouse and manufacturing base. Industrial corridors along I-16, Highway 21 and Jimmy DeLoach continue to expand, supporting ongoing local container demand. Seasonal retail peaks and manufacturing cycles shift intensity, but the port-driven network keeps short-haul container work active year-round.

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