Flatbed Position Local / Short-Regional

CDL-A Flatbed Driver – Construction Materials | Jacksonville, FL

Hiring Area: Jacksonville, FL • Terminal: Jacksonville-area

Jacksonville, FL Local / Short-Regional 2020–2025 Tractors

Move open-deck construction materials from Jacksonville supply yards to active jobsites across Northeast Florida and selected Georgia lanes. Typical weekly gross $1,450–$1,850 with primarily home-daily schedules and limited regional overnights.

Typical Weekly Gross
$1,450–$1,850
Typical Annualized Pay: ~$85,800
Sign-On Bonus $1,500
Home Time Primarily Home Daily
Driver Type Company Driver
Weekly Miles 900–1,400
Freight Type Construction Materials

What the Driver Actually Does

Most deliveries end at active construction sites rather than docks. The work centers on proper securement, site coordination, and accurate paperwork under changing jobsite conditions.

  • Secure dimensional lumber, steel, rebar and concrete products with chains, binders, straps and edge protection.
  • Perform en-route securement checks after the first highway segment and after weather changes.
  • Position the trailer for forklift or crane unloading and coordinate with site superintendents.
  • Verify product counts and BOL details at both pickup and delivery.
  • Report shortages, damage or inaccessible sites before leaving the customer location.
  • Update dispatch immediately when material readiness or appointment windows change.

Pay Structure

Compensation is hourly with overtime after 40 hours. A typical tarp assignment and the staged sign-on complete the weekly picture.

Base Rate $29 per hour
Overtime $43.50 after 40 hours
Typical Week Calculation 40 reg + 10 OT + $50 tarp = ~$1,650
Normal Weekly Range $1,450 – $1,850
Tarp Pay $50 per completed tarp assignment
Sign-On $1,500 paid $500 at 30 / 90 / 180 days

Schedule & Home Time

Home Time Primarily home daily; limited regional overnights during higher volume
Operating Area Jacksonville metro + Northeast Florida with selected Georgia and central Florida runs
Weekly Hours Typically 46–54
Weekly Miles 900–1,400
Start Window Most mornings between 5:00–7:30 AM

Equipment

Tractors Freightliner Cascadia 2021–2025 and Volvo VNL 2020–2024
Cab Configuration Primarily day-cabs; limited sleepers reserved for regional overnight assignments
Transmission Automatic on the majority of the fleet
Trailers 48–53 ft flatbeds (2019–2025 mix) with sliding axles, rub rails, stake pockets, winches and tarp systems
Safety Systems Collision mitigation, lane-departure warning and adaptive cruise on most late-model units

Company provides Grade-rated chains, binders, 2-inch and 4-inch straps, edge protectors, coil racks, corner protectors, tarps, load bars and dunnage. ELDs and electronic DVIRs are standard. Tractors are assigned when available; temporary changes or slip-seat arrangements occur only during maintenance.

Freight & Real Lanes

Loads originate at building-material suppliers, fabrication shops and distribution yards in the Jacksonville area and move directly to commercial and residential jobsites. Lanes are not dedicated; dispatch adjusts sequences according to material availability and site readiness.

  • Freight includes dimensional and structural lumber, roofing materials, drywall, rebar, structural steel, pipe, metal building components, concrete products, masonry and prefabricated building components.
  • Jacksonville, FL → St. Augustine, FL
  • Jacksonville, FL → Orange Park / Middleburg, FL
  • Jacksonville, FL → Gainesville, FL
  • Jacksonville, FL → Lake City, FL
  • Jacksonville, FL → Brunswick / Kingsland, GA
  • Jacksonville, FL → Valdosta, GA
  • Jacksonville, FL → Daytona Beach / Orlando, FL (selected regional)
  • Primary corridors: I-10, I-95, I-75, I-295 and US-1

Typical Day & Week Flow

  • First load is usually known the afternoon before or early the same morning.
  • Pre-trip, then position the flatbed at the supplier yard for forklift or crane loading.
  • Confirm count, secure the load (30–60 minutes common), and depart.
  • En-route securement check after the initial highway segment.
  • Arrive at jobsite, check in with superintendent, and wait for unload equipment.
  • Complete POD, inspect empty trailer, and receive the next assignment.
  • Most days finish with 1–3 loaded moves and 150–300 miles; Monday–Friday base with occasional Saturday during peak construction.

About the Operation

Jacksonville’s steady residential and commercial building cycle creates a continuous need for open-deck capacity that can leave a lumber yard or steel fabricator and deliver straight to a jobsite that has no conventional dock. This mid-sized regional flatbed operation exists specifically to serve that construction-material corridor. Dispatch, maintenance and driver parking are all based in the Jacksonville area so that equipment stays matched to local supplier schedules and short-notice jobsite windows. The focus remains local and short-regional rather than long-haul general freight, which keeps most drivers home nightly except when a customer load requires a limited overnight into Georgia or central Florida.

Benefits

Health Coverage Medical (employee contribution), dental and vision
Retirement 401(k) with company match
Time Off Holiday and vacation eligibility per company policy
Training & Orientation Paid orientation plus flatbed securement and tarp safety training
Gear Provided All standard securement equipment, high-visibility apparel, gloves and basic jobsite PPE

Requirements

  • Valid Class A CDL and current DOT medical card
  • 6–12 months CDL-A experience preferred; previous flatbed or construction-material experience is a strong advantage
  • Acceptable MVR and safety history
  • Ability to pass company drug screen and Clearinghouse query
  • Physical ability to climb flatbed equipment and handle chains, straps, binders and tarps
  • Comfort working around active jobsites, forklifts and cranes

Common Operational Delays

  • Peak-hour congestion on I-95, I-10 and I-295
  • Jobsite waits when a crane or forklift is occupied or the crew is not ready
  • Heavy thunderstorms that temporarily halt crane operations
  • Morning congestion at busy supplier yards
  • Tropical weather systems that rearrange delivery priorities

Hiring Steps

1
Recruiter Contact
Usually within one business day
2
Verification
CDL, MVR, Clearinghouse, drug screen
3
Orientation
Jacksonville terminal – equipment and securement review
4
First Load
After orientation and tractor assignment

Questions Specific to This Flatbed Job

Q: How often are regional overnights required? ▼
Only when a customer load requires it. Under normal dispatch the majority of weeks remain fully home-daily.
Q: Is every load tarped? ▼
No. Tarps are used only when the commodity or the customer requires weather protection.
Q: Who unloads the trailer at the jobsite? ▼
Customer equipment (forklift, crane or telehandler) performs the unload. The driver positions the trailer and coordinates, but does not operate the unloading equipment.
Q: Are waiting times paid? ▼
Yes. Ordinary jobsite and yard waiting time is paid as part of the hourly workday; it is not paid a second time as detention.
Q: What if the load cannot be secured safely? ▼
Contact dispatch before leaving the yard. Drivers are not expected to improvise questionable securement.
Q: Where is the tractor parked between shifts? ▼
At the Jacksonville terminal or company yard. Drivers are not expected to use public truck stops for normal overnight parking.
Q: How are same-day changes handled? ▼
Dispatch adjusts the next load based on delivery progress, remaining HOS and current material readiness. Changes are common when jobsites shift windows.

CDL-A Market in Jacksonville

Jacksonville supports a diverse mix of CDL-A opportunities driven by port activity, construction, distribution centers and regional trucking. Local and short-regional flatbed work tied to building materials sits alongside dedicated accounts, LTL, intermodal and general freight. Experienced drivers comfortable with open-deck securement and jobsite deliveries tend to have more options than brand-new CDL graduates. The market remains active year-round, with construction volume typically strongest in spring and summer and additional demand appearing after major weather events. Drivers can choose among national fleets, mid-sized regional carriers and specialized construction haulers depending on preferred home time and equipment type.

Why Construction Flatbed Freight Moves Through Jacksonville

Jacksonville sits at the crossroads of I-10, I-75, I-95 and I-295 and hosts one of the Southeast’s major ports. That combination supports large warehouse districts, building-supply yards and continuous residential and commercial construction. Lumber, structural steel, rebar, concrete products, roofing materials and prefabricated components leave suppliers and fabrication plants and travel directly to jobsites rather than through enclosed distribution networks. The same highway network gives carriers efficient access into Georgia and central Florida construction markets. Seasonal building activity and periodic weather-related recovery work keep open-deck demand steady across the year.

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