OTR CDL-A Position Full-Time
CDL-A OTR Dry Van Driver
Hiring Area: Memphis, TN • Terminal: Memphis, TN
Memphis, TN OTR 48-State 2021–2025 Models
Memphis-based OTR dry van position hauling primarily no-touch palletized freight across the lower 48. Drivers typically earn $1,600–$2,300 per week while running 2–3 weeks out followed by 3–5 days of home time.
Weekly Gross
$1,600–$2,300
Estimated Annual: $83,200–$119,600
Sign-On Bonus Up to $5,000
Home Time 2–3 weeks OTR / 3–5 days home
Driver Type Solo Company Driver
Weekly Miles 2,500–3,200
Freight Type Dry Van / No-Touch
Contract-heavy national dry van work originates in Memphis and uses recurring customer lanes plus flexible reloads to keep equipment moving across productive markets.
- Verifies trailer numbers, seals, and basic roadworthiness before departure.
- Handles BOL and POD documentation at shipper and receiver facilities.
- Maintains accurate ELD records and HOS compliance throughout the tour.
- Plans fuel stops and legal parking around remaining drive time.
- Reports appointment delays, weather, or equipment issues to dispatch.
- Completes pre-trip and post-trip inspections with documented defects.
Pay is structured as $0.60–$0.72 CPM based on experience and safety qualification. Lower-mileage weeks at the entry CPM start near $1,500 in pure mileage; qualifying detention and normal accessorial pay bring typical gross into the advertised $1,600–$2,300 range. Strong continuity at the top CPM and 3,200 miles reaches approximately $2,300.
Weekly Gross $1,600–$2,300
Estimated Annual $83,200–$119,600
Typical Weekly Approximately $1,900
Sign-On Bonus Up to $5,000 in staged installments
Detention $25/hour after qualifying wait
Pay Frequency Weekly
Home Time 2–3 weeks OTR, then 3–5 days home
Operating Area Lower 48 states
Base Terminal Memphis, TN
Typical Miles 2,500–3,200 paid per week
Dispatch Pattern 7–10 day segments within full OTR tour
Fleet Age Primarily 2021–2025 model years
Tractor Makes Freightliner Cascadia and Volvo VNL sleepers
Transmission Automatic
Safety & Comfort Air-ride, adaptive cruise, collision mitigation, lane-departure warning; APU on selected units
Assignment Assigned tractor when practical
Trailers are 53-foot dry vans generally 3–8 years old, equipped with logistics posts and load bars. Samsara or comparable ELD manages HOS and inspections. Memphis maintenance handles preventive work and coordinates roadside events.
Palletized retail, consumer, and packaged industrial freight moves primarily no-touch through distribution centers, manufacturing suppliers, and 3PL facilities. Most stops are drop-and-hook or live appointment work.
- Memphis–Dallas / Fort Worth via I-40/I-30 or I-20
- Memphis–Phoenix long-haul movements
- Memphis–Chicago using I-55 and related Midwest corridors
- Memphis–Atlanta, Nashville, or Birmingham Southeast lanes
- Memphis–Indianapolis, St. Louis, or Kansas City reloads
- Multi-leg examples: Dallas to Phoenix or Chicago to Indianapolis back toward Memphis
- Backhauls drawn from warehouse markets rather than empty returns to base
- Next load is usually visible before the current delivery is completed
- Sequence runs pre-trip, pickup, transit, delivery, then drop or hook
- One major load every one to two days depending on distance and appointments
- Live facilities can add 1–2 hours of waiting during busy periods
- 34-hour reset occurs on the road when the freight schedule requires it
- Fuel and overnight parking decisions stay inside remaining HOS limits
- Dispatch adjusts for weather, construction, trailer availability, or customer delays
About the Carrier
Retail and consumer distribution networks across the Mid-South, Texas, Midwest, and Southeast require steady long-haul capacity that can absorb both recurring contract lanes and opportunistic reloads. A mid-sized Memphis-based operation fills that need by running national dry van freight with an emphasis on mileage consistency rather than fixed daily routes. Equipment is kept positioned in productive markets so that a dedicated customer load can be followed by a practical backhaul instead of an empty return. Trailer management, seal verification, and appointment coordination form the core operational discipline that keeps primarily no-touch palletized shipments moving through 53-foot vans across the lower 48.
Health Coverage Medical, dental, and vision options
Retirement 401(k) with company contribution/match
Paid Time Off PTO accrual plus paid holidays
Orientation Paid onboarding
Additional Support 24/7 roadside coordination and company fuel card
- Valid current CDL Class A
- Approximately 6 months verifiable tractor-trailer experience preferred
- Clean, stable MVR; major violations and preventable accidents reviewed individually
- Must pass DOT physical, drug and alcohol testing, and Clearinghouse query
- Minimum age 21 for interstate operation
- No endorsements required; must meet carrier and insurance qualification standards
- Gate and appointment congestion at larger distribution centers
- Urban traffic around Memphis, Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Chicago
- Trailer shortages or delayed readiness at busy yards
- Weather events and interstate construction slowdowns
- Customer production or staging delays on live loads
1
Application
Submit CDL info and work history
2
Screening
Recruiter contact within one business day
3
Verification
MVR, employment, DOT, and Clearinghouse
4
Orientation
Paid Memphis onboarding and first dispatch
Q: How much of the work is drop-and-hook versus live? ▼
Most freight is drop-and-hook. A smaller share involves live loading or unloading that varies by customer and facility.
Q: Are recent CDL school graduates considered? ▼
Recent graduates may be reviewed if they finished a qualified training program and meet safety and insurance standards. OTR experience remains preferred.
Q: How is the sign-on bonus structured? ▼
Up to $5,000 is paid in staged installments tied to active employment and satisfactory safety performance, typically after orientation and at roughly 60, 120, and 180 days.
Q: What if a preloaded trailer has equipment problems? ▼
Report tire, light, door, or landing-gear issues before leaving the yard. Maintenance coordinates repair or equipment change through the network.
Q: Do most loads have multiple stops? ▼
Most runs are one major pickup and one major delivery. Selected customer freight may include a second stop or trailer exchange.
Q: How does home time work when the tour ends away from Memphis? ▼
Dispatch begins planning the home-positioning load before the final segment of the cycle, using available freight and remaining HOS.
Drivers based in Memphis can evaluate a wide range of CDL-A options without changing home base. The metro freight region covering Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi supports OTR dry van, regional truckload, LTL, parcel, dedicated, intermodal, and local distribution work through a dense network of terminals, warehouses, and industrial space. Ordinary no-touch dry van accounts commonly advertise in the upper $0.50s to low $0.70s CPM; higher-mileage or stronger contract fleets push toward the upper end of that band. Because so many freight segments operate from the same city, experienced drivers regularly compare total package, home-time pattern, and equipment age rather than simply chasing the highest advertised CPM.
Memphis sits at the intersection of I-40, I-55, I-22, and the I-240 beltway, giving outbound freight direct access to the Southeast, Midwest, Texas, and Mid-South. Retail distribution centers, consumer-goods warehouses, manufacturing suppliers, food and beverage facilities, parcel hubs, air-cargo operations, and rail intermodal yards all generate consistent volume. Large logistics parks and 3PL facilities supply both dedicated contract loads and opportunistic reloads. Markets within a day’s drive—Nashville, Birmingham, Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Little Rock, St. Louis, and Indianapolis—provide practical backhaul options. Retail peaks increase weekend activity; manufacturing schedules can tighten appointment windows. Weather, construction, and urban congestion remain normal variables, yet the diversified industrial and distribution base keeps freight moving through the region year-round.