Regional CDL-A Position Owner Operator
CDL-A Owner Operator – Regional Dry Van – Little Rock, AR
Hiring Area: Central Arkansas & South-Central Network • Base: Little Rock, AR
Little Rock, AR Regional Dry Van Owner-Supplied Tractor
Regional CDL-A owner-operator position based in Little Rock, running 53-ft dry-van freight across Arkansas and the surrounding South-Central market. Typical gross settlements are $4,750–$5,500 per week, with most weekends available at home when freight volume and dispatch sequencing allow.
Typical Gross Settlement
$5,100 / week
Gross Range: $4,750–$5,500
Annual Gross* $265,200
Pay Structure 75% Linehaul + 100% FSC
Home Time Most Weekends
Weekly Miles 2,200–2,600
Equipment 53' Dry Van
Sign-On $2,000
*Illustrative annualized gross based on $5,100 × 52 weeks. Actual owner-operator earnings vary with freight volume, fuel surcharge, deadhead, expenses and time off. Figures represent gross settlement before operating costs.
The carrier supplies customer freight, dispatch coordination, rate confirmation and billing support. The owner-operator supplies the tractor and remains responsible for fuel, insurance, maintenance, tires, permits and normal operating costs.
- Operate a 53-ft dry van on regional South-Central lanes originating from the Little Rock market.
- Complete pre-trip and post-trip inspections and report equipment defects before dispatch.
- Verify BOLs, rate confirmations, seal numbers, pickup numbers and delivery paperwork.
- Manage HOS around scheduled pickup and delivery appointments.
- Communicate ETA changes, breakdowns, detention and facility delays to dispatch.
- Protect freight and maintain clean, customer-ready equipment throughout the trip.
- Coordinate reloads with dispatch to reduce unnecessary empty miles between regional markets.
Compensation follows a percentage-of-linehaul model. The owner-operator receives 75% of gross linehaul plus 100% of applicable fuel surcharge. Settlements process weekly on completed loads and documented accessorials. All figures below are gross settlement before the owner-operator’s fuel, insurance, maintenance, tires, permits, truck payment and other operating expenses.
Typical Weekly Gross $5,100
Normal Weekly Range $4,750–$5,500
Illustrative Annual Gross $265,200 ($5,100 × 52)
Linehaul Share 75% of gross linehaul
Fuel Surcharge 100% passed through
Detention $40/hour after carrier qualifying wait
Sign-On Bonus $2,000 paid in four $500 installments at 30, 90, 180 and 365 days
Settlement Cycle Weekly electronic documentation
Home Time Preference Most weekends; longer out time optional when a stronger reload is available
Primary Operating States Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri
Home Base Little Rock, AR
Practical Weekly Miles Approximately 2,200–2,600 loaded and repositioning
Dispatch Approach Next load typically planned while the current trip is still in progress
Tractor Owner-supplied sleeper, generally 2020 or newer preferred, subject to carrier and customer requirements
Common Examples Freightliner Cascadia and Kenworth T680 are frequent; other compliant Class 8 tractors may be considered
Transmission Automatic or manual acceptable
Required Systems ELD-compliant, air brakes, working ABS, functional A/C and heat, in-cab communications
Safety Systems Collision mitigation and lane-departure where equipped
Trailer Arrangement Carrier or customer 53-ft dry van (primarily 2019–2024) may be available depending on account; owner-owned 53-ft dry van accepted if customer-compliant
Inspection & Condition Current annual DOT inspection; properly maintained tires, brakes and lighting
Roadside mechanical repairs remain the owner’s responsibility. Dispatch assists with locating service providers and coordinating customer communication during breakdowns.
Freight consists of palletized consumer goods, packaging materials, paper products, retail merchandise, food-related dry freight, industrial supplies and manufactured goods moving between distribution centers, food warehouses, manufacturing facilities and retail networks. A mix of drop-and-hook and live-load freight is expected; the balance depends on the customer and lane. Routes vary by available customer freight and are not limited to a fixed repeating loop.
- Little Rock → Memphis → Little Rock / West Memphis on the I-40 corridor
- Little Rock → Dallas–Fort Worth → Little Rock / Texarkana via I-30 / I-20
- Little Rock → Shreveport → Dallas combinations on I-30 / I-49
- Little Rock → Oklahoma City or Tulsa on I-40 / US-412
- Little Rock → Jackson, MS → Memphis or Arkansas reload using I-40 / I-55 / I-20
- Little Rock → St. Louis when northbound freight is available via I-40 / I-55
- Central Arkansas → Texarkana → Shreveport for shorter South-Central turns
- Dispatch offers the next load while the current delivery is still underway.
- Check in at the shipper, confirm appointment and trailer details, then stage or pull to a door.
- Inspect trailer condition, doors, tires, lights and seals; verify BOL and paperwork before departure.
- Transit while monitoring HOS against appointment windows and metro traffic buffers.
- Complete live unload or trailer drop, collect POD, and document arrival/door/release times when detention applies.
- Work with dispatch on the next reload from available markets rather than accepting a poor-paying empty return.
- Secure overnight parking on major corridors (I-40, I-30, I-55, I-20) before the final available hours.
About the Carrier
This regional operation works with dry-van customers across Central Arkansas and the surrounding South-Central market. Freight is primarily general commodity, including consumer products, packaging, food-related dry freight and industrial supplies. Dispatch handles load planning, rate confirmations, appointment updates and settlement documentation while the owner-operator remains responsible for the tractor, fuel, insurance, maintenance and operating expenses. The model is built around established regional lanes rather than requiring every owner-operator to source freight independently.
Fuel Card Approved fuel-card program where available
Toll Assistance E-ZPass / transponder support on applicable routes
Breakdown Coordination Help locating service providers and communicating with customers
Trailer Access Carrier trailer program coordinated when equipment is available
Settlement & Documents Weekly electronic settlement and mobile document submission
Onboarding Orientation covering ELD, detention, customer procedures and dispatch communication
- Valid Class A CDL
- Approximately 12 months recent tractor-trailer experience preferred
- Recent experience pulling 53-ft dry vans strongly preferred
- Owner-supplied DOT-compliant tractor
- Acceptable MVR and safety history
- Current DOT medical certification
- Ability to pass drug screen and FMCSA Clearinghouse query
- Professional communication skills and basic electronic-logging / smartphone experience
- Memphis and Dallas metro traffic regularly affect appointment timing.
- Live-load facilities often require additional check-in and staging time.
- Retail distribution centers can produce longer waits during seasonal volume spikes.
- Weather on I-40 or I-30 can change planned arrival windows.
- Reload availability is not identical every day and may require repositioning.
- Trailer shortages occur when a customer has not released equipment on schedule.
1
Initial Screen
CDL history, tractor details, home-time preference, recent freight experience
2
Record Checks
MVR, employment history, safety records, insurance documentation
3
Qualification
Drug screen, Clearinghouse query, background review
4
Orientation & Dispatch
ELD, detention process, customer procedures; first load after approval
Q: Can I operate my own 53-ft dry van? ▼
Yes, if the trailer meets customer requirements. Carrier or customer trailers may also be available depending on the account.
Q: How is detention tracked and paid? ▼
Arrival, door assignment and release times must be documented. Qualifying waits after the carrier’s threshold pay $40 per hour.
Q: What if the planned reload is no longer available? ▼
Dispatch looks for alternate freight from nearby markets instead of forcing a low-rate empty return to Little Rock.
Q: Where can the truck be parked when returning to Little Rock? ▼
Approved carrier or customer locations may be available depending on space and operating requirements. Confirm arrangements with dispatch before returning.
Q: How long does the qualification process usually take? ▼
Most qualified applicants finish in 3–7 business days once MVR, insurance and documentation are complete.
Q: Are weekend loads assigned? ▼
Peak retail periods can generate weekend freight. The preferred pattern remains home most weekends when volume and sequencing allow.
The Little Rock market gives dry-van owner-operators access to several different freight directions without requiring a fixed OTR schedule. I-30 provides the primary southwest connection toward Texarkana and the Dallas market, while I-40 supports east-west movements toward Memphis and Oklahoma. North Little Rock and the surrounding industrial areas add warehouse, manufacturing and distribution freight to the regional mix. Regional dry-van, refrigerated food, LTL, distribution shuttle and intermodal operations all compete for experienced CDL-A drivers. Company-driver regional offers typically sit in the mid-$1,000s weekly; owner-operator opportunities are structured around percentage-of-gross settlements. Seasonal retail peaks and food-related volume swings create temporary surges, yet baseline demand remains present because the interstate network continuously feeds freight in multiple directions.
Central Arkansas sits where I-30 and I-40 cross, with I-55 providing a north-south link toward Memphis and Missouri. The Port of Little Rock adds another freight connection, located near I-30 and I-40 and served by rail and barge infrastructure. North Little Rock concentrates warehouse and retail distribution activity; industrial and port-related freight clusters south and east of the metro. Consumer goods, packaging, paper products, food-related dry freight and manufactured components move between local facilities and larger markets in Memphis, Dallas–Fort Worth, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Shreveport, Jackson and St. Louis. Retail peaks before major holidays increase warehouse volume. Food and consumer-goods flows strengthen seasonally. Construction-related industrial shipments fluctuate with weather. The resulting network lets dispatch build outbound and backhaul combinations from surrounding markets rather than forcing every truck back empty to Little Rock.