CDL-A Port & Intermodal Drayage Driver – Tacoma, WA

Drivers move sealed import and export containers between Tacoma marine terminals, rail ramps and South Sound customer locations. Cargo itself is never handled.

• Pull sealed import/export containers from Tacoma marine terminals and rail ramps.
• Inspect chassis, container locks, tires, lights and air lines before departure.
• Complete terminal gates, appointment procedures, container and seal checks.
• Deliver to South Sound warehouses, transload sites and rail facilities.
• Record detention, chassis issues, rejected moves and terminal exceptions.
• Return empties or pick up the next assigned container according to dispatch.

Pay is built around short-haul container turns rather than long highway miles. Mileage and completed moves form the core of weekly earnings.

Drivers inspect tires, lights, brakes, kingpin, locking mechanisms and air lines before leaving any terminal. Adaptive cruise is available only on some newer units.

All moves are short-haul container turns. Sealed import and export boxes travel between Tacoma terminals, rail facilities and nearby warehouses. Cargo includes retail merchandise, furniture, industrial components, machinery parts, paper products and food-related goods.

• Tacoma, WA → Fife, WA
• Tacoma, WA → Sumner, WA
• Tacoma, WA → Puyallup, WA
• Tacoma, WA → Auburn, WA
• Tacoma, WA → Kent, WA
• Tacoma, WA → Lakewood, WA
• Tacoma, WA → Federal Way, WA
• Tacoma, WA → Seattle, WA (occasional)

• Valid Class A CDL and current TWIC card
• At least 6 months recent CDL-A tractor-trailer experience preferred
• Prior port, intermodal or chassis experience preferred but not required
• Acceptable MVR with no recent serious or preventable major violations
• Must pass DOT physical, pre-employment drug screen and Clearinghouse query
• Ability to inspect chassis and work safely around terminal traffic

• Marine terminal gate congestion during vessel peaks
• Chassis shortages or roadability failures
• Warehouse dock backups and appointment delays
• I-5 and SR-167 traffic or construction slowdowns
• Container release or appointment mismatches

The Seattle-Tacoma freight complex remains one of the strongest CDL-A hiring markets on the West Coast. Port drayage, intermodal rail transfers, LTL and regional distribution all create consistent demand for experienced drivers. Local intermodal positions commonly advertise weekly gross in the mid-$1,000s, while hourly port roles often fall between $27 and $34 depending on the operation. Drivers who already hold a TWIC card and understand container chassis work hold a clear advantage because productivity depends more on terminal knowledge than pure highway miles. For a driver based in Tacoma, Fife, Lakewood or the South Sound, port drayage offers a practical way to stay local while remaining tied to one of the region’s largest freight gateways.

Tacoma serves as the South Harbor of the Northwest Seaport Alliance and functions as a major Pacific Northwest gateway for containerized import and export cargo. Husky Terminal, Washington United Terminals and Pierce County Terminal handle large volumes of retail merchandise, consumer products, industrial components and packaged goods. Both Husky and WUT maintain on-dock rail infrastructure, while the broader Tacoma gateway connects with BNSF and Union Pacific intermodal networks. The surrounding cities of Fife, Sumner, Puyallup, Auburn and Kent contain dense clusters of warehouses, transload facilities and distribution centers that receive these boxes. I-5, SR-167 and SR-509 form the primary corridors linking the port to the rest of the South Sound. Seasonal retail peaks and vessel schedule changes create natural volume swings, yet the combination of marine, rail and warehouse activity keeps container freight moving throughout the year.