Local CDL-A Position Intermodal Drayage

CDL-A Local Intermodal Drayage Truck Driver – Chicago, IL

Hiring Area: Chicago Metro • Terminal: Chicago-area yard

Chicago, IL Home Daily Day Cab

Home-daily intermodal work moving no-touch containers between Chicago rail ramps and local warehouses. Typical weekly gross $1,500–$1,750 on an hourly-plus-overtime structure.

Typical Weekly Gross
$1,500–$1,750
Home Time Home Daily
Pay $30/hr + OT after 40
Schedule 5 days / ~9–11 hrs
Sign-On Bonus $1,500
Freight No-Touch Containers

What the Job Involves

Short container moves keep freight moving between rail ramps and nearby warehouses across the Chicago network.

  • Pick up and drop containers at rail ramps and customer facilities.
  • Inspect tractor, chassis and container connection points before every move.
  • Verify container number, seal and dispatch instructions at the gate.
  • Complete rail ingate and outgate procedures correctly.
  • Handle warehouse appointments and yard instructions.
  • Keep accurate ELD records and report delays or equipment issues promptly.

Pay Structure

Hourly rate with overtime after 40 hours. Typical week runs about 50 paid hours, producing a base near $1,650 before any approved chassis or detention pay.

Hourly Rate $30/hour
Overtime $45/hour after 40 hours
Typical Week ~50 paid hours → approximately $1,650 base
Normal Range $1,500–$1,750 weekly gross
Chassis Activity Limited paid exchanges/flips when applicable
Detention $25/hour after qualifying period when documented and approved
Sign-On Bonus $1,500 — $500 at 30, 90 and 180 days
Payroll Weekly direct deposit
Annualized Typical Approximately $85,800–$91,000

Schedule & Operating Area

Home Time Home daily
Work Week 5 days, generally 9–11 hours per shift
Shifts Day and evening options available
Weekly Miles Approximately 900–1,500
Coverage Chicago metro, Joliet/Elwood, Cicero, Corwith, Bedford Park, Harvey, Dolton, Franklin Park and selected northwest Indiana points

Trucks & Equipment

Tractors 2020–2025 Freightliner Cascadia and International LT day cabs, mixed fleet
Transmission Automatic
Axles Tandem rear
Systems ELD, electronic DVIR, forward-facing dash cameras
Safety Features Collision mitigation, lane-departure warning and adaptive cruise control on equipped units
Chassis Company-controlled or approved units for 20-, 40- and 53-foot containers
Assignment Normally assigned; temporary changes or slip-seating possible during maintenance

Drivers inspect tires, wheel ends, chassis frame, twist locks, locking pins, lights, air lines, container condition, kingpin and fifth-wheel connection before departure.

Freight & Typical Lanes

No-touch containerized freight includes imported retail merchandise, consumer products, packaged goods, industrial components, machinery, food and household products, and domestic intermodal loads.

  • Cicero, IL → Bedford Park, IL
  • Corwith, IL → Bolingbrook, IL
  • Logistics Park Chicago (Elwood) → Joliet, IL
  • Harvey, IL → University Park, IL
  • Bensenville, IL → Elk Grove Village, IL
  • Dolton, IL → Hammond, IN or Joliet, IL → Gary, IN

How a Typical Day Runs

  • Start at the terminal or designated yard and receive the first container assignment.
  • Pick up the loaded container at the rail ramp, deliver to the warehouse, then return the empty.
  • Accept a second ramp assignment and complete another local delivery.
  • Dispatch may change the next move based on container availability, appointments or remaining hours.
  • Return the tractor to the company yard at the end of the shift.
  • Roughly half to 60 percent of moves are drop-and-hook or pre-positioned; the rest involve live activity.

About the Carrier

The carrier runs a regional intermodal fleet focused on Chicago-area rail ramps and warehouse customers. Drivers handle short-haul container moves, rail gate procedures, chassis inspections and scheduled deliveries. Dispatch coordinates container availability, appointment windows, empty returns and daily hours-of-service limits so the operation stays productive despite the normal variability of rail releases and customer receiving schedules.

Benefits

Health Medical, dental and vision options
Retirement 401(k) with company contribution
Time Off Paid vacation after eligibility; paid holidays per company policy
Orientation Paid orientation and onboarding
Equipment Support Company-paid ELD and toll transponder for authorized routes
Credentials TWIC reimbursement when required for an assigned account
Training Rail-yard orientation, chassis inspection refresher, container securement and twist-lock training
Other Safety recognition, referral bonus, uniform/safety apparel support, DOT physical renewal support, company terminal parking, maintenance coordination and roadside assistance

Requirements

  • Valid Class A CDL
  • About 6 months tractor-trailer experience preferred
  • Intermodal, container or rail-yard experience preferred but not required
  • Clean and acceptable MVR
  • Current DOT medical card
  • Pass DOT drug/alcohol testing and Clearinghouse query
  • Comfortable operating day cabs in dense urban traffic and inspecting chassis
  • No major recent safety violations
  • TWIC preferred for some facilities but not required for every assignment; HazMat/Tanker not required

Common Delays

  • Rail-gate queues and chassis shortages
  • Containers not released when expected or empty-return restrictions
  • Warehouse appointment delays and yard congestion
  • Heavy traffic on I-55, I-80, I-90, I-94, I-294, I-290, I-355 and I-57
  • Winter snow slowing yard movement; summer construction requiring alternate routes

Hiring Steps

1
Recruiter Call
Usually within one business day
2
Verification
CDL, MVR, employment history, Clearinghouse
3
Screening
Background check and DOT drug test
4
Orientation
Paid at Chicago terminal; most complete process in 3–7 business days

Common Questions

Q: What happens when a container is not available at the rail ramp? ▼
Dispatch can authorize a chassis change, equipment swap or redirect you to another available move instead of leaving you sitting in a queue.
Q: How much time do drivers usually spend at rail ramps? ▼
Gate time varies with congestion. Some moves clear quickly; peak periods can add longer waits. Dispatch monitors the situation and will often reassign rather than waste hours of service.
Q: Are empty containers always returned to the same facility? ▼
Not always. You may be sent to a different approved depot or rail facility based on current empty-return instructions.
Q: What if hours of service run short away from the terminal? ▼
Dispatch helps locate a legal commercial truck stop or approved yard. Informal street parking is not reliable in the Chicago industrial areas.
Q: Is TWIC required on day one? ▼
TWIC is preferred for some facilities but is not required for every assignment. Reimbursement is available when the credential becomes necessary.
Q: Do weekend loads run year-round? ▼
Retail and distribution accounts often keep moving containers on weekends. Some manufacturing customers reduce receiving.

CDL Job Market in Chicago

Chicago gives CDL-A drivers access to a broad mix of local intermodal, LTL, dedicated, regional and OTR work. Drivers who prefer home-daily schedules find a particularly large pool of short-haul opportunities around the metro’s rail ramps and warehouse network. Intermodal remains one of the more active segments because the region functions as a major rail interchange rather than a single-terminal market. Experienced drivers who already know Chicago traffic, rail-yard gates and chassis procedures usually have multiple options year-round.

Chicago Freight Landscape

Chicago’s intermodal market is supported by multiple railroads, inland ramps and large warehouse clusters. Drivers commonly move containers between rail facilities in Cicero, Corwith, Elwood, Harvey and Bensenville and distribution areas in Joliet, Bolingbrook, Bedford Park and nearby industrial parks. Imported retail goods often travel from a rail ramp to a distribution center, while domestic containers move between regional customers and rail facilities. The combination of interstate corridors (I-55, I-80, I-90, I-94, I-294 and others) and dense warehouse space keeps short-haul demand steady throughout the year.

Start Your Application