Port Drayage Position Local Home Daily
CDL-A Port Drayage Driver — San Bernardino, CA | Home Daily
Hiring Area: San Bernardino & Inland Empire • Terminal: San Bernardino, CA
San Bernardino, CA Local Intermodal Primarily 2020–2025 Day Cabs
Local container and intermodal work between Southern California ports, rail ramps and Inland Empire distribution facilities. Typical weekly gross $1,550–$1,900 with daily home time.
Typical Weekly Gross
$1,550–$1,900
Based on 45–55 hours
Base Rate $31/hr
Overtime $46.50/hr after 40
Home Time Home Daily
Sign-On Bonus $1,500
Freight Port & Rail Containers
Short-haul container moves connect the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach with Inland Empire rail ramps, yards and customer warehouses.
- Pick up and deliver import/export containers between ports, rail ramps and Inland Empire customers.
- Complete terminal gate transactions, chassis inspections and container/seal checks.
- Deliver containers to warehouses and return empties or chassis as dispatched.
- Record gate times, detention events and delivery information through electronic systems.
- Inspect equipment and report chassis, container or seal issues before leaving the facility.
- Maintain ELD, HOS, DVIR and BOL/POD requirements throughout the shift.
Hourly pay covers driving time plus the gate waits and facility transactions typical of local container work. Actual weekly gross depends on hours worked, available moves and qualifying delays.
Base Rate $31/hour
Overtime $46.50/hour after 40 hours
Typical Hours 45–55 per week
Typical Weekly Gross $1,550–$1,900
Detention $50/hour after applicable threshold when customer-caused
Sign-On Bonus $1,500 — $500 after 30 days, $500 after 90 days, $500 after 180 days
Pay Frequency Weekly direct deposit
Home Time Home daily
Typical Schedule 5 days per week; day and evening windows
Weekly Hours Approximately 45–55
Weekly Miles 900–1,400
Operating Corridor I-10, I-210, I-215, I-15, SR-60, SR-91
Dispatch Window Approximately 4:00 AM–8:00 AM for daytime; later evening options available
Terminal San Bernardino-area
The fleet is built for local container work rather than long-haul sleeper runs. Most units are recent day cabs with automatic transmissions.
Model Years Primarily 2020–2025
Tractor Makes Freightliner Cascadia and Kenworth T680 day cabs
Transmission Automatic
Safety & Technology ELD/HOS logging, electronic DVIR, GPS/telematics, forward-facing dash cameras, collision mitigation, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise on selected units
Chassis Company-maintained container chassis; sliding units available for 20', 40' and 45' containers; pin-lock systems
Assignment Assigned when operationally practical; occasional slip-seat use during service or fleet balancing
Freight consists of marine and rail containers moving between Southern California gateways and Inland Empire customers. Drivers typically complete several short moves per shift rather than fixed long lanes.
- Long Beach → San Bernardino loaded import containers
- Los Angeles → Fontana or Ontario distribution centers
- San Bernardino rail ramp → Bloomington or Rancho Cucamonga
- Inland Empire → port empty returns (Long Beach / Carson)
- Local warehouse → rail ramp repositioning moves
- Retail imports, consumer packaged goods, furniture, packaged products and transload cargo
- First appointment is usually identified the prior evening or early morning.
- Pre-trip inspection of tractor and chassis at the terminal or approved yard.
- Gate transaction and equipment inspection at port terminal or BNSF San Bernardino ramp.
- Delivery to customer warehouse, then empty return or next available pickup.
- Three to five container moves on a productive day when queues and traffic cooperate.
- Return to company terminal or designated drop yard at the end of the shift.
About the Operation
Short-haul container logistics in Southern California depend on reliable local capacity that moves boxes from marine terminals to inland rail facilities and warehouse clusters. This operation focuses on those intermodal flows—import containers arriving from the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, rail-related movements through the Inland Empire, and the corresponding empty and export repositioning. Local dispatch works directly with terminals, customers and maintenance vendors so that chassis mismatches, gate delays or equipment issues can be resolved while the driver remains in the operating area. Day-cab equipment and a home-daily structure support the steady cycle of retail, consumer goods and distribution freight that keeps Inland Empire facilities supplied.
Health Coverage Medical, dental and vision options for eligible full-time drivers
Retirement 401(k) plan with company match
Orientation & Training Paid orientation; chassis and container-operation refresher; terminal safety orientation
Compliance Support Paid DOT physical renewal after eligibility; TWIC reimbursement when required for regular assignments
Operational Support Terminal parking, local maintenance program, roadside assistance coordination, safety apparel/PPE, company ELD and fuel/toll equipment
Additional Driver referral program subject to company policy; paid required compliance training
- Valid Class A CDL
- Approximately 6–12 months of recent tractor-trailer experience preferred
- Prior intermodal, port, rail-yard or chassis experience preferred but not mandatory with solid Class A background and strong safety history
- Clean and acceptable MVR under company safety standards
- Must meet DOT physical requirements, pass pre-employment drug screening and complete FMCSA Clearinghouse query
- TWIC preferred for port-facing assignments and may be required for specific access; ability to read and communicate effectively in English
- Port and rail gate queues during peak periods
- Chassis rejection or assigned container not physically ready
- Customer warehouse appointment backlogs or receiving delays
- Freeway congestion, incidents and construction on I-10, I-15, I-215, SR-60 and approaches to the Los Angeles basin
- Seasonal import surges that increase warehouse and appointment pressure
1
Initial Call
Recruiter contact within one business day
2
Document Review
CDL, medical card, employment history
3
Safety & Compliance
MVR, drug screen, Clearinghouse query
4
Orientation
Paid session at local San Bernardino-area terminal
Q: How many container moves are typical in a productive shift? ▼
Three to five moves are common when appointment spacing and terminal conditions allow. Heavier congestion can reduce that number to two or three longer transactions.
Q: Is a TWIC card required? ▼
TWIC is preferred for port-facing work and may be required for certain terminals or customers. Reimbursement is available when the card is needed for regular assignments.
Q: What happens if a chassis is rejected at the terminal? ▼
Contact dispatch before leaving the facility. Dispatch coordinates repair, chassis replacement or an alternate move.
Q: Are weekend shifts expected? ▼
Most activity occurs on weekdays. Saturday or Sunday work can appear during import or retail peaks depending on customer demand.
Q: Where do drivers park at the end of the shift? ▼
Drivers normally return to the company terminal or an approved drop yard. Dispatch designates specific parking when fleet volume is high.
Q: Is the work mostly drop-and-hook or live unloading? ▼
Both occur. Some facilities use drop-and-hook; others require live check-in with wait times that can range from 30–90 minutes or longer during busy periods.
San Bernardino and the surrounding Inland Empire support a large concentration of trucking, warehousing, intermodal and distribution activity. Local CDL-A opportunities include port drayage, rail container work, regional distribution and dedicated warehouse freight. Drivers with recent chassis, intermodal or port experience often qualify for a broader range of home-daily assignments across Fontana, Ontario, Rialto, Bloomington, Rancho Cucamonga and nearby communities. The market remains active year-round because of the continuous movement of import containers from the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach into Inland Empire facilities, creating steady demand for qualified Class A drivers who prefer local work over over-the-road schedules.
San Bernardino sits as an inland logistics hub between the Southern California port complex and one of the largest networks of distribution centers, transload facilities and rail terminals in the region. The BNSF San Bernardino Intermodal Facility and nearby Union Pacific operations, together with extensive container yards, keep marine boxes moving inland for retail, consumer goods and e-commerce inventory. Major corridors—I-10, I-15, I-215, SR-60 and SR-91—carry the bulk of this traffic between the Los Angeles basin and Inland Empire cities such as Fontana, Ontario, Rialto, Bloomington and Rancho Cucamonga. Import volumes shift with retail cycles and holiday seasons, yet the underlying warehouse and rail infrastructure continues to generate consistent demand for short-haul container capacity throughout the year.