Intermodal Position Regional CDL-A
CDL-A Intermodal Driver – Madison, WI to Chicago Rail Terminals
Hiring Area: Madison, WI • Terminal: Madison, WI
Madison, WI Regional Intermodal 2021–2024 Day Cabs
Madison–Chicago intermodal container work pays $1,400–$1,900 weekly on regional turns that return daily or every other day, with estimated annual gross of $72,800–$98,800.
Weekly Gross
$1,400–$1,900
Estimated Annual: $72,800–$98,800
Sign-On Up to $1,000
Home Time Daily or Every Other Day
Driver Type Company Driver
Weekly Hours 45–55
Freight Type Intermodal Containers
Regional container drayage connects Madison-area customers and yards with Chicago rail terminals, handling dry containers and occasional temperature-controlled equipment.
- Verifies container and chassis numbers against dispatch before departing any ramp.
- Performs detailed pre-trip and post-trip inspections on tractor and chassis.
- Maintains accurate ELD records and stays within all HOS limits.
- Reports terminal delays, chassis defects and equipment problems to dispatch at once.
- Documents seals, BOLs, damage notes and interchange details accurately.
- Completes rail-terminal ingate and outgate steps without skipping required checks.
Hourly structure pays for both driving time and non-driving terminal or dock waits. Weekly earnings typically range from $1,400–$1,900 depending on hours worked, detention, chassis activity and extra stops. Typical week of 40 regular hours plus 10 overtime hours produces $1,650; annualized typical gross is approximately $85,800.
Base Rate $30/hour
Overtime $45/hour after 40 hours
Typical Week $1,650
Detention $30/hour after qualifying wait
Chassis Activity $25 per qualifying exchange
Extra Stop $25 per qualifying additional stop
Sign-On Bonus $500 after 30 days + $500 after 90 days
Pay Frequency Weekly
Home Time Daily on most turns; every other day when rail timing extends the run
Operating Corridor Madison, WI → Southern Wisconsin → Northern Illinois → Chicago rail terminals
Terminal Madison, WI
Weekly Hours 45–55
Route Miles 1,500–2,500 per week
Start Window 4:00–6:00 AM based on first rail appointment
Tractor Models Freightliner Cascadia and Volvo VNL day cabs, primarily 2021–2024
Transmission 10-speed automated manual on most newer units
Chassis 40-ft and 53-ft container chassis with sliding axles and pin-lock systems
ELD & Tracking Motive or Samsara ELD with GPS
Safety Systems Forward-facing cameras, collision mitigation, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise
Assignment Assigned when scheduling allows; controlled slip-seating otherwise
Equipment is selected for repeated terminal entries, chassis hookups and regional stop-start duty rather than long-haul OTR service.
Freight consists of containerized consumer products, industrial materials, machinery-related loads, packaged goods and selected temperature-controlled containers moving between Madison customers and Chicago-area ramps.
- Madison, WI → Elwood, IL (BNSF Logistics Park Chicago / Joliet network)
- Madison, WI → Cicero, IL (BNSF Chicago-area operations)
- Madison, WI → Rochelle, IL (Union Pacific Global IV)
- Madison, WI → Bedford Park, IL (CSX and Chicago rail network)
- Madison, WI → Joliet and Romeoville, IL warehouse and distribution sites
- Primary corridor I-90; I-94, I-39, I-290, I-294, I-55 and US-151 used as needed
- Begin with pre-trip and dispatch review at the Madison terminal or designated parking.
- Accept container and chassis assignment, then head east on the corridor.
- Ingate at the assigned Chicago-area rail ramp, verify equipment and complete pickup or drop.
- Perform customer delivery or reload, then outgate and return or reposition as directed.
- Receive next assignment the evening before or early morning; rail releases can alter sequence.
- Friday work follows remaining customer windows and available rail cutoffs.
About the Carrier
Short-to-medium-haul intermodal moves between Southern Wisconsin industrial sites and Chicago’s major rail ramps depend on carriers that can manage chassis pools, gate appointments and daily rail releases. This mid-sized regional operation focuses on that specific corridor, connecting Madison-area customers with BNSF, Union Pacific, CSX and other Class I facilities while keeping drivers based in Madison rather than on multi-week OTR cycles.
Health Coverage Medical, dental and vision options
Retirement 401(k) with company match
Life Insurance Basic company-paid where eligible
Time Off Paid vacation by tenure, paid holidays, personal days after eligibility
Intermodal Support Paid rail-terminal orientation, chassis inspection training, TWIC cost support where policy allows, high-visibility vest, safety footwear reimbursement
- Valid Class A CDL and current DOT medical card
- 1 year verifiable tractor-trailer experience preferred; intermodal preferred but not required
- Acceptable MVR with no recent serious preventable violations or disqualifying suspension
- TWIC preferred; ability to obtain if the assigned terminal requires it
- Pass background review, DOT drug screen and FMCSA Clearinghouse query
- Rail gate queues plus container or chassis availability problems
- Chicago-area traffic, construction and weather on I-90 and I-94
- Customer appointment delays when production or warehouse staging falls behind
- Rail cutoff changes that require hold or reposition instructions
- Winter snow and ice that lengthen Madison–Chicago travel times
1
Application
Submit CDL-A application
2
Recruiter Call
Review experience and availability
3
Safety Review
MVR, Clearinghouse, background
4
Drug Screen & Offer
DOT screen then paid orientation
Q: Is prior intermodal experience required? ▼
Preferred but not mandatory. Strong regional dry-van experience can qualify with company training on terminal procedures.
Q: How frequently do overnight stays happen? ▼
Most turns finish the same day. Rail congestion, traffic or late appointments can require return the next day.
Q: How common are temperature-controlled containers? ▼
Assigned only occasionally. The majority of work involves dry containers.
Q: What if a chassis shows a defect at the ramp? ▼
Report it before leaving the terminal and follow the interchange or repair procedure. Do not depart with known defects.
Q: Is the sign-on bonus part of the weekly range? ▼
No. The up-to-$1,000 bonus is paid separately after 30 and 90 days and is excluded from weekly and annual figures.
Q: How is detention tracked and paid? ▼
Through ELD timestamps, dispatch messages and customer records after the carrier’s qualifying waiting period.
Madison’s CDL-A market is diversified across manufacturing support, food distribution, construction materials, LTL, dedicated accounts and intermodal-related work. Southern Wisconsin carriers compete for drivers who can handle regional lanes connecting Madison with Milwaukee, Janesville, Beloit, Rockford and the broader Chicago freight network. Intermodal or container experience is harder to recruit than general dry-van background because of chassis, gate and rail-procedure demands. Standard company-driver median weekly pay sits in the mid-$1,000s, placing specialized regional hourly work with overtime and accessorials above ordinary local rates while remaining below premium high-mileage scales. Diversified industrial and distribution activity keeps demand relatively steady through the year.
Madison sits inside the Southern Wisconsin–Northern Illinois freight corridor rather than operating as a Chicago-scale intermodal hub. Manufacturing, food processing, agricultural inputs, industrial materials and distribution create inbound and outbound containerizable freight that connects economically with Chicago’s rail system. Madison-area transload and industrial facilities handle steel, fertilizer, lumber, grain, machinery, plastics and related products with truck and rail access linked to multiple Class I carriers. Chicago ramps—including BNSF Logistics Park Chicago in Elwood, BNSF Cicero, Union Pacific Global IV in Rochelle and CSX facilities—support high-volume container lifts that serve distribution centers and manufacturers throughout the region. I-90 forms the main highway spine, supported by I-94, I-39 and local industrial connectors. Seasonal production and retail inventory cycles affect volume, while winter weather routinely influences travel times on the corridor.