Local / Home Daily Paper & Packaging Freight
CDL-A Local Paper & Packaging Driver – Home Daily in Little Rock, AR
Little Rock Terminal • Central Arkansas Hiring Area
Automatic Day Cab Local / Short-Haul Mon–Fri Focus
Home-daily local dry-van work moving palletized paper and packaging between plants, warehouses and commercial customers across Central Arkansas. Typical weekly gross around $1,550 with $30/hour base and overtime after 40.
Typical Weekly Gross
$1,550
Estimated Annual: $80,600
Hourly Rate $30/hr + $45 OT after 40
Home Time Home Daily
Schedule Mon–Fri / occasional Sat
Freight Paper & Packaging
Sign-On Bonus $1,000
Local CDL-A role supporting paper and packaging manufacturing and distribution out of the Little Rock terminal.
- Moves palletized paper, packaging and related dry-van freight across Central Arkansas.
- Loads travel between manufacturing plants, converting facilities, warehouses and commercial receivers.
- Most freight is palletized and handled by forklift; drivers do not unload individual cases.
- Daily work may include plant transfers, customer deliveries, reloads and trailer repositioning.
- Drivers work appointment windows but see sequence changes when production or docks run behind.
- Trailer condition, seal numbers, paperwork and pallet counts are verified before leaving facilities.
- Most shifts return to the Little Rock terminal the same day, with occasional longer short-haul turns.
Straight hourly pay with overtime after 40 hours. Detention is paid separately when documented delays meet the threshold.
Base Hourly $30/hour
Overtime $45/hour after 40
Typical Weekly Gross $1,550
Normal Weekly Range $1,400–$1,750
Typical Hours 44–50 per week
Estimated Annual $80,600
Detention $30/hour after 2 hours
Sign-On Bonus $1,000 ($500 at 30 days / $500 at 180 days)
Pay Frequency Weekly payroll
Home Time Home Daily
Primary Area Little Rock / North Little Rock / Central Arkansas
Typical Radius 75–150 air miles, occasional longer short-haul turns
Weekly Miles Approximately 850–1,300
Work Week Monday–Friday, occasional Saturday coverage
Start Window Approximately 5:00–7:00 AM
Typical Hours 44–50 per week
Tractors Freightliner Cascadia and Kenworth T680 day cabs, generally 2020–2025
Transmission Automatic
Safety & Tech ELD, electronic DVIR, collision mitigation, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise on newer units, forward-facing dash camera
Other Features Air-ride suspension, power steering
Assignment Assigned when scheduling allows; occasional slip-seat around maintenance
Trailers 53-ft dry van (approx. 2017–2025), logistics posts, load-lock compatible, swing doors, air-ride, e-track on selected units
Fleet mixes newer and proven units. Drivers report defects through the ELD/DVIR system. Roadside issues are handled through dispatch and maintenance.
Primary freight is palletized paper and paper-based packaging: tissue, towels, industrial paper, converted products, paper rolls, corrugated packaging, cartons, packaging materials, janitorial and office paper, plus related plant supplies. Loads originate at manufacturing plants, converting operations and warehouses, then move to commercial distributors, DCs, printers and business customers. Drivers do not manually unload cases.
- Regular plant transfers and deliveries between Little Rock and North Little Rock
- Runs into Conway, Benton, Hot Springs, Pine Bluff and Russellville
- Occasional longer turns may reach Memphis, Fort Smith or Texarkana depending on freight and reloads
- Primary corridors include I-30, I-40, the I-430 bypass and I-55 on Memphis-oriented moves
- Mix of live load, live unload, preloaded trailer pickup and drop-and-hook
- Dispatch builds the day around production schedules, appointments and trailer availability
- First assignment is usually known before the shift; later loads often change mid-morning.
- Pre-trip around 5:30 AM at the terminal or a manufacturing yard, then depart for the first facility.
- Check in, position the trailer and stage if production has not released the finished product.
- Secure paperwork, confirm seals and trailer condition, then move to the next stop.
- Complete live unload or trailer exchange and receive reload instructions while still at the customer.
- Finish any remaining transfer or empty reposition before returning to the Little Rock terminal.
- Approximate operating mix: 35–45% drop-and-hook, 30–40% live load, 20–30% live unload.
About the Carrier
Manufacturing and converting operations for paper and packaging generate steady local and short-haul freight that must stay tied to production schedules and customer appointment windows. This mid-sized regional carrier supplies that capacity with dry-van equipment based in Little Rock, focusing on plant transfers, warehouse replenishment and commercial deliveries rather than irregular spot freight. The work stays close to Central Arkansas industrial sites and selected neighboring markets so drivers can return home daily while supporting a consistent manufacturing supply chain.
Health Coverage Medical, dental and vision options for full-time drivers
Retirement 401(k) with company match
Orientation & Training Paid orientation plus paper-product handling, dock/appointment and load-securement training
Additional Support Terminal parking, toll transponder where required, paid DOT physical renewal after eligibility, driver referral program
Maintenance Preventive maintenance scheduling and local roadside coordination
- Valid Class A CDL and current DOT medical certification
- 6 months recent CDL-A tractor-trailer experience preferred; qualified drivers with less experience may be considered based on training and safety history
- Acceptable MVR and driving history; must pass company drug and alcohol screening and Clearinghouse query
- Ability to operate a 53-ft dry van in local traffic and work with manufacturing plants, warehouses and commercial receivers
- No HazMat or Tanker endorsement required
- Morning congestion on I-30, I-40 and I-430, plus construction or weather, can stretch short local runs.
- Manufacturing plants may stage trailers when finished goods have not cleared production or quality control.
- Dock congestion during peak shipping windows often produces 30–90 minute waits; two-hour delays occur on heavier days.
- Seasonal packaging demand can tighten trailer availability and increase yard congestion.
- Planned maintenance sometimes requires a tractor change during a busy week.
1
Recruiter Contact
Phone screen within one business day
2
Verification
CDL, MVR, employment history, drug screen, Clearinghouse
3
Orientation
Paid account and equipment orientation at Little Rock terminal
4
First Dispatch
Typically 3–7 days from application to first load
Q: How often does the load sequence change after the first assignment? ▼
The first load is normally set before departure. Later assignments frequently adjust during the morning based on production readiness, customer appointments and available reloads.
Q: Do drivers unload paper products by hand? ▼
No. Freight is palletized and handled by forklift or warehouse equipment. Drivers position the trailer, verify counts and handle paperwork.
Q: What happens if a plant is not ready at the appointment time? ▼
The trailer is staged until the load is released. Drivers notify dispatch so the next appointment can be protected.
Q: Is overnight parking ever required away from the terminal? ▼
This is a home-daily position. Overnight parking is handled at the company terminal or designated yard. Drivers generally do not take the tractor home.
Q: Why does trailer condition matter so much with paper freight? ▼
Drivers check floors, roofs, doors and seals for water or debris before accepting paper products. Moisture or residual material can cause rejection at the next manufacturing site.
Q: Are backhauls guaranteed on every run? ▼
No. When an empty return is necessary, dispatch may bring the driver straight back or assign a nearby plant transfer before returning to the terminal.
Little Rock supports a steady volume of local and short-haul CDL-A work tied to manufacturing, distribution and regional freight moving along I-30, I-40 and I-55. Heavy and tractor-trailer driving remains a core occupation in the metro area. Local hourly positions commonly fall in the upper-$20s, with stronger offers for accounts that require appointment work, city traffic or specialized freight handling. National fleets, LTL terminals, private fleets and regional carriers all recruit here, giving drivers options across local, dedicated and regional operations. Experienced drivers who handle palletized freight, manufacturing schedules and customer appointments stay in regular demand.
Little Rock sits at the center of Central Arkansas manufacturing and distribution activity, anchored by I-40, I-30 and I-55 plus rail, river and warehouse infrastructure. The Port of Little Rock handles forest products that include rolled and baled paper and pulp. Local plants and converters produce tissue, towels, industrial paper, corrugated packaging and related materials that move to warehouses, distributors and commercial customers throughout the region. These flows regularly feed North Little Rock, Pine Bluff, Memphis, Texarkana, Fort Smith and corridors toward Dallas and Oklahoma City. Appointment-based shipping at manufacturing and distribution sites creates consistent demand for local and short-haul capacity, with seasonal packaging peaks adding extra volume.