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CDL-A Overnight LTL Linehaul Driver

Hiring Area: Fort Worth / DFW • Terminal: Fort Worth, TX

Fort Worth, TX Overnight LTL Linehaul 2021–2025 Day Cabs

Terminal-to-terminal overnight LTL linehaul from Fort Worth moves sealed 53-ft dry vans on regional relays with home-daily returns. Weekly earnings $1,750–$1,950 including qualifying detention; typical week around $1,850.

Weekly Earnings
$1,750–$1,950
Typical Annual: ≈ $96,200
Sign-On Bonus None
Home Time Home Daily
Driver Type Company Driver
Weekly Miles 2,050–2,250 paid
Freight Type Palletized LTL

Overnight Terminal Relay Role

This is terminal-to-terminal linehaul, not city P&D. Drivers move sealed trailers between service centers on overnight schedules.

  • Runs scheduled overnight linehaul relays from the Fort Worth terminal to assigned DFW and regional service centers.
  • Hooks preloaded 53-foot dry vans and verifies trailer numbers, seals, lights and dispatch paperwork before departure.
  • Handles primarily drop-and-hook freight, with trailer exchanges and occasional yard moves when return equipment is not staged.
  • Moves sealed trailers between terminals rather than making residential, retail or multi-stop customer deliveries.
  • Completes scheduled return linehaul when assigned, with mileage varying according to terminal volume and available freight.
  • Maintains accurate ELD, HOS and DVIR records throughout each overnight shift.
  • Reports late trailers, equipment issues, traffic delays and HOS concerns to dispatch before they affect terminal cutoffs.

Pay & Compensation Breakdown

Base mileage pay is calculated at $0.85 per paid mile. Qualifying detention adds to the weekly total when delays occur.

Linehaul Rate $0.85 per paid mile
Mileage Range 2,050–2,250 paid miles/week
Base Mileage Pay ≈ $1,743–$1,913
Weekly Range $1,750–$1,950 including detention
Typical Week ≈ $1,850 (2,150 miles + normal detention)
Detention $30/hr after 60 minutes; typically $50–$100/week
Payroll Weekly direct deposit
Typical Annual ≈ $96,200 based on $1,850 typical week × 52

Schedule, Home Time & Operating Window

Home Time Home daily after the overnight run
Schedule Sunday–Thursday or Monday–Friday (five nights)
Typical Start 7:30–8:30 PM
Shift Length Approximately 9–11 hours depending on relay
Weekly Miles 2,050–2,250 paid
Terminal Fort Worth service center

Equipment & Cabin Specs

Tractors Freightliner Cascadia & Kenworth T680 day cabs
Model Years Mostly 2021–2025; some older units after inspection
Transmission Automatic
Trailers 53-ft dry vans, generally 3–8 years old
Assignment Assigned when available; slip-seating can occur

Most tractors include automatic transmissions, air-ride suspension, collision mitigation and electronic inspection/ELD systems. Safety features vary by model year. Maintenance is handled through the Fort Worth terminal and approved shops; roadside issues are coordinated by dispatch.

Freight & Relay Lanes

Palletized LTL freight moves in sealed trailers between terminals. Drivers do not unload individual pallets at customer locations.

  • Industrial components, machinery parts, building products and packaged commercial goods form the core of most loads.
  • Retail replenishment, healthcare-related commercial freight and non-temperature-controlled food and beverage products appear regularly.
  • Primary relays run Fort Worth ↔ Oklahoma City on I-35W / I-35 and Fort Worth ↔ Dallas-area terminals via I-30 and Loop 820.
  • Additional common out-and-back lanes include Waco and Wichita Falls, with mileage varying by terminal volume.
  • Occasional longer Texas relays (Houston- or San Antonio-area) occur when freight and HOS allow a same-night return.
  • Dispatch adjusts lanes nightly according to trailer availability, cutoffs and freight volume rather than fixed dedicated routes.

Typical Week & Daily Workflow

  • Reports to the Fort Worth terminal typically between 7:30–8:30 PM and receives the night’s assignment.
  • Completes pre-trip, locates and hooks the staged trailer, then verifies seal, lights, tires and paperwork.
  • Departs on the primary linehaul; arrival time at the destination terminal varies with traffic, construction and trailer readiness.
  • Drops or exchanges the trailer; return load is assigned when available or an alternate trailer is given.
  • Completes the return relay and arrives back at Fort Worth in the early morning hours, usually within a 9–11 hour window.
  • Finishes post-trip inspection and reports any equipment or freight issues before ending the shift.
  • Five overnight shifts form a normal week; shorter DFW relays mix with longer regional runs depending on volume.

About the Carrier

Overnight linehaul keeps freight moving between LTL service centers while city P&D crews are off duty. In North Texas the Fort Worth terminal stages sealed 53-foot vans for scheduled relays to neighboring service centers across the DFW metro and nearby regional markets. Freight is normally consolidated and sealed before departure so drivers spend most of the shift on the highway rather than at customer docks. The operation depends on terminal cutoffs, trailer availability and coordinated dispatch to feed the next morning’s sort. Drivers provide the connecting capacity that links inbound city freight with outbound linehaul without turning the job into multi-day OTR work.

Benefits & Healthcare Coverage

Medical / Dental / Vision Available after eligibility period
Retirement 401(k) with company contribution
Time Off Vacation/PTO accrual by tenure; paid holidays per policy
Orientation & Safety Paid orientation; annual coupling/uncoupling refresher
Operational Support Company ELD, high-visibility vest, roadside coordination, driver referral program

Driver Qualification Requirements

  • Valid Class A CDL and current DOT medical certification
  • 6–12 months recent verifiable CDL-A tractor-trailer experience preferred; LTL or linehaul background is a plus
  • Acceptable MVR, FMCSA Clearinghouse query and DOT drug screen
  • Ability to work consistent overnight schedules and safely operate 53-ft dry van equipment
  • Doubles/Triples endorsement preferred for certain assignments; HazMat required only for specific freight accounts

Operational Delays

  • Heavy truck volumes on I-35W, I-30 and Loop 820 interchanges
  • Construction zones and crash-related closures across the DFW metro
  • Late outbound trailers and dock congestion at busy terminals
  • Thunderstorms, high winds or occasional winter weather
  • Retail peaks and holiday volume that push departure times later

Hiring Process

1
Recruiter Call
Usually within one business day
2
Document Review
CDL, MVR, employment history, Clearinghouse
3
Screening & Evaluation
DOT drug screen; local road evaluation if required
4
Orientation & First Dispatch
Fort Worth terminal orientation then first overnight run

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is this a P&D or customer-delivery position? ▼
No. This is terminal-to-terminal linehaul. Drivers move sealed trailers between service centers and do not make residential, retail or multi-stop customer deliveries.
Q: How often do routes change from night to night? ▼
Dispatch adjusts the assigned lane based on trailer availability, freight volume, HOS, weather and late outbound loads. One night may be Oklahoma City; the next may be a short Dallas-area relay.
Q: What happens if the return trailer is not ready? ▼
Dispatch may assign a trailer swap, yard move or alternate return load depending on freight availability and remaining HOS. The goal is to keep the driver moving without creating an HOS violation.
Q: What percentage of work is drop-and-hook? ▼
Approximately 60–70 % drop-and-hook, with the rest split between live loading situations, trailer repositioning and yard activity. Ratios change with terminal volume.
Q: How long does hiring usually take? ▼
Most candidates move from application to first dispatch in 5–10 business days once employment verification, MVR, Clearinghouse and drug screening clear.
Q: Is weekend work required? ▼
Primary schedules are five nights. Some weekend coverage may be needed during heavier freight periods.

CDL Job Market

Fort Worth remains one of the stronger CDL-A hiring markets in Texas, yet the broader DFW region is competitive for experienced linehaul drivers. National and regional LTL carriers including Saia, Estes, FedEx Freight and Old Dominion maintain terminals across the metro, creating steady demand for drivers who understand overnight schedules, terminal operations and HOS planning. Local LTL city rates commonly sit above $30 per hour while linehaul CPM offers cluster in the high-$0.70s to high-$0.80s range. The market is not undersupplied; qualified drivers hold multiple alternatives. Home-daily overnight linehaul positions therefore need to sit in the upper-middle compensation band to attract drivers who prefer terminal-to-terminal work over city P&D or multi-day OTR runs. Manufacturing, distribution, construction and intermodal activity around Alliance continue to support year-round hiring across both local and regional segments.

Location & Freight Market

North Texas functions as a major inland freight hub rather than a port-dependent market. I-35W, I-20, I-30 and Loop 820 form a dense network for regional movement, while AllianceTexas, BNSF intermodal operations and DFW International Airport add substantial distribution and air-cargo volume. Manufacturing, industrial supply, construction materials, retail distribution, food and beverage, healthcare and general commercial freight generate continuous palletized shipments that flow through LTL terminals for consolidation. Because the freight is primarily terminal-to-terminal, overnight linehaul becomes operationally valuable: drivers cover scheduled mileage while avoiding the worst daytime congestion, even though construction, crashes and weather still affect timing. The concentration of service centers around Fort Worth and Dallas supports efficient relay patterns that keep inland distribution moving without requiring long-haul OTR cycles. Seasonal retail peaks and end-of-quarter commercial activity further increase terminal volumes, reinforcing the need for reliable overnight capacity throughout the year.

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