Regional Reefer Position CDL-A Driving Position
CDL-A Refrigerated Regional Driver — Seattle, Washington
Hiring Area: Seattle Metropolitan Area • Home Terminal: Seattle Metropolitan Area
Seattle, WA Regional 2021–2025
Regional reefer drivers haul temperature-controlled food and grocery freight across Pacific Northwest lanes while earning $1,850–$2,250 per week ($96,200–$117,000 annually) with most weekends home. Weekly pay includes mileage earnings plus qualifying detention, layover and other accessorials.
Weekly Gross
$1,850–$2,250
Estimated Annual: $96,200–$117,000
Sign-On Bonus $1,500
Home Time Most Weekends
Driver Type Company Driver
Weekly Miles 2,300–2,800
Freight Type Refrigerated Food
Temperature-controlled regional freight moves on scheduled distribution-center appointments throughout the Pacific Northwest and selected western lanes. Drivers protect product integrity by managing reefer units, verifying seals and documentation, and communicating promptly with dispatch.
- Verifies reefer set point, fuel level and operating status before every departure.
- Monitors trailer temperature continuously and responds immediately to any temperature alerts.
- Confirms seals, paperwork and delivery documentation at each stop.
- Reports delays, equipment issues and temperature concerns to dispatch without delay.
- Performs thorough tractor and reefer pre-trip inspections daily.
- Maintains accurate ELD records and remains within HOS limits on every run.
Mileage-based pay is applied to dispatched miles. Detention and layover are paid separately when they qualify under company policy. A typical week of 2,550 miles at $0.71 CPM produces $1,810.50 in base mileage pay before accessorials. Weekly earnings of $1,850–$2,250 include typical mileage earnings plus qualifying detention, layover and other accessorial pay.
Weekly Pay $1,850–$2,250
Estimated Annual $96,200–$117,000
Mileage Rate $0.68–$0.74 CPM
Sign-On Bonus $1,500 ($500 after 30, 90 and 180 days)
Detention $30/hour after 90 minutes
Annual Safety Bonus Up to $1,000
Home Time Most weekends
Operating Corridor WA, OR, ID, northern CA, western MT, occasional UT
Home Terminal Seattle metropolitan area
Weekly Miles 2,300–2,800
Dispatch Window 12–24 hours ahead
Model Years Primarily 2021–2025
Tractor Makes Freightliner Cascadia / Volvo VNL 760
Transmission Automatic
In-Cab Technology ELD, tablet, GPS, dash cam, collision mitigation, lane-departure, adaptive cruise
Tractor Assignment Assigned when available; occasional slip-seat
53-foot refrigerated trailers (approximately 3–7 years old) run Carrier and Thermo King units with electronic temperature monitoring, reefer fuel monitoring, trailer telematics and door/temperature alerts. Standard load-locks and electronic inspection records are included. Sleeper tractors support longer regional turns. PrePass and company fuel card are available.
Fresh and frozen produce, dairy, meat, beverages, frozen food and palletized grocery products move between food processors, cold-storage facilities and grocery distribution centers. Loads are predominantly no-touch.
- Seattle / Kent / Tacoma / Sumner origins feed outbound reefer freight.
- I-5 southbound lanes reach Portland and Eugene, Oregon.
- I-90 eastbound turns serve Spokane and continue into Idaho.
- I-82 / I-84 corridors connect Yakima, Tri-Cities and Boise.
- Longer cycles can reach Salt Lake City, Sacramento or Missoula.
- Lane patterns change weekly based on available reloads and appointments.
- Receives next dispatch electronically 12–24 hours ahead.
- Completes tractor and reefer pre-trip, verifies set point and fuel.
- Picks up loaded trailer or performs live pickup at cold-storage or processor.
- Monitors temperature, fuel stops and appointment windows throughout the run.
- Delivers, documents release and contacts dispatch for reload.
- Returns toward Seattle-area terminal or approved parking by end of cycle.
About the Carrier
Temperature-controlled food and grocery distribution across the Pacific Northwest depends on regional carriers that can keep product moving against tight appointment windows and mountain weather. This regional operation focuses on 53-foot refrigerated trailers serving processors, cold-storage facilities and grocery distribution centers rather than coast-to-coast OTR cycles. Consistent reloads and planned backhauls help reduce empty miles while the network covers Washington, Oregon, Idaho and selected longer western turns. Drivers work within a structure built around regional reliability and cold-chain integrity.
Health Coverage Medical, dental, vision (employee contribution)
Retirement 401(k) with company match
Paid Time Off Paid vacation after eligibility; paid company holidays
Life Insurance Company-paid basic life
Additional Rider program after approval; uniform allowance; work-boot reimbursement; paid orientation; reefer training
- Valid Class A CDL and current DOT medical certification
- Minimum 12 months recent tractor-trailer experience (reefer preferred)
- Ability to operate a 53-foot refrigerated trailer in regional and mountain conditions
- Acceptable MVR and safety history; successful Clearinghouse query
- Ability to pass required DOT drug screening
- I-5 congestion around Seattle and Tacoma can compress appointment windows.
- Winter weather through the Cascades may require slower speeds or alternate routing.
- Dock congestion increases during produce harvests and holiday grocery peaks.
- Assigned trailer or product may not be ready on arrival at some facilities.
- Empty reefer repositioning sometimes occurs before the next outbound load.
1
Recruiter Call
Initial conversation within one business day
2
Records Review
CDL, MVR, employment history, drug screen, Clearinghouse
3
Decision
Final decision after records complete (5–10 business days)
4
Orientation
Paid local terminal orientation and first dispatch
Q: Are the loads no-touch? ▼
Yes. Drivers do not normally unload pallets. Warehouse personnel or lumper services handle unloading at grocery DCs.
Q: How is reefer fuel managed on longer mountain runs? ▼
Drivers check reefer fuel before departure and plan stops around the actual route so the unit does not run low between fuel points.
Q: What happens if a temperature alarm occurs? ▼
Contact dispatch. The team determines whether the issue is mechanical, set-point related or caused by door openings before any claim decision.
Q: Is overnight parking available at customer yards? ▼
Only where the customer permits it. Drivers follow yard rules and plan truck-stop parking on longer I-90 and I-84 runs before HOS expires.
Q: Do shorter turns allow mid-week home time? ▼
Washington and Oregon turns sometimes allow a return during the week, but longer Idaho or Montana freight can change the exact day.
Q: How often do backhauls require waiting or repositioning? ▼
Dispatch searches for return freight after delivery. If none is ready, the driver may wait or reposition a short distance for the next suitable load.
Seattle supports one of the stronger CDL-A employment markets in the Pacific Northwest. Port activity, warehouse corridors in Kent, Auburn, Sumner and Tacoma, food distribution, manufacturing and eastbound freight through I-90 create steady demand. National carriers, LTL fleets, port/drayage operators, regional carriers and dedicated accounts all compete for experienced drivers. Regional positions appear in both hourly and mileage formats, with refrigerated roles carrying extra value because appointment windows and temperature control require reliability. Higher living costs in the metro area push compensation above many lower-cost U.S. markets, so carriers that offer consistent miles and predictable home time remain competitive for drivers who already know reefer and mountain operations.
The Puget Sound industrial corridor south and southeast of Seattle concentrates distribution, cold storage, food processing and warehouse activity that feeds regional grocery and food supply chains. Ports of Seattle and Tacoma generate additional volume, while I-5, I-90, I-82 and I-84 link the area to Oregon, Eastern Washington, Idaho and the Intermountain West. Fresh produce volume rises in summer; grocery demand strengthens in the fourth quarter. Mountain weather across the Cascades periodically reshapes schedules, yet the combination of population density, agricultural output and distribution infrastructure keeps temperature-controlled freight moving year-round between local processors, regional warehouses and markets farther east and south.
