Regional CDL-A Position Dry Van

CDL-A Regional California Dry Van Driver – Los Angeles, CA

Hiring Area: Los Angeles Basin & Inland Empire • Base: Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles, CA Regional 2021–2024 Tractors

Regional dry-van work from the Los Angeles market into Arizona, Nevada, and California’s Central Valley. Expect 1–3 nights out and weekly gross between $1,250 and $1,650 at $0.65 per paid mile.

Weekly Gross
$1,250–$1,650
Estimated Annual: $65,000–$85,800
Mileage Rate $0.65 / paid mile
Sign-On Bonus $1,000
Home Time 1–3 nights away/week
Weekly Miles 1,900–2,500
Freight Palletized Dry Van

Position Overview

Drivers handle general dry-van freight moving between warehouse districts and regional receivers.

  • Perform complete pre-trip and post-trip inspections of tires, brakes, lights, and coupling gear.
  • Confirm trailer number, seal data, and shipping papers before leaving any facility.
  • Secure palletized loads with load bars or approved equipment when the shipment requires it.
  • Keep electronic logs accurate and remain inside hours-of-service limits at all times.
  • Document detention, shortages, visible damage, and equipment problems through company channels.
  • Plan fuel stops and legal overnight parking around the assigned route and remaining drive time.

Pay & Compensation Breakdown

Compensation is strictly mileage-based at $0.65 per paid mile. Weekly totals rise or fall with the miles actually completed inside the normal planning band.

Mileage Rate $0.65 per paid mile
1,900 paid miles $1,235 base
2,300 paid miles $1,495 base (typical planning week)
2,500 paid miles $1,625 base
Advertised Weekly Range $1,250–$1,650
Detention $25 per eligible hour after two hours documented waiting
Sign-On Bonus $1,000 total — $250 at 30 days, $250 at 90 days, $500 at 180 days
Estimated Annual $65,000–$85,800 (secondary estimate)

Schedule, Home Time & Operating Cycle

Nights Away 1–3 per working week
Operating Corridor Southern California, Central Valley, Arizona, Nevada
Weekly Paid Miles 1,900–2,500
Typical Start Window 4:00–8:00 AM; occasional evening departures
Work Pattern Five to six days; return day shifts with appointments and reloads

Equipment & Cabin Specs

Tractors Freightliner Cascadia and International LT sleepers, mostly 2021–2024
Transmission Automated manual on the majority of units
Trailers Standard 53-ft dry vans, mix of 2018–2024 models
Safety Features Collision mitigation, forward cameras, lane-departure alerts, adaptive cruise (year-dependent)
Assignment Assigned tractor when fleet allows; temporary reassignment possible during service

Cargo equipment includes logistics posts, load bars, and straps. ELD and dispatch run through onboard system or approved mobile app. Drivers report warning lights, tire issues, and air leaks immediately.

Real Routes

Freight is primarily palletized retail merchandise, packaged consumer products, non-perishable food, paper goods, packaging materials, and industrial supplies. Most pickups originate in the Inland Empire and eastern Los Angeles warehouse districts.

  • Ontario, CA → Phoenix, AZ via I-10 for retail replenishment and consumer goods.
  • Fontana, CA → Las Vegas, NV via I-15 for general merchandise and distribution freight.
  • Commerce, CA → San Diego, CA via I-5 for packaged goods and retail deliveries.
  • Ontario, CA → Tucson, AZ via I-10 with return options from the Phoenix market.
  • Rancho Cucamonga, CA → Bakersfield, CA via I-15 / I-215 and CA-58 for packaging and industrial supplies.
  • Rialto, CA → Fresno, CA via CA-210, I-5, and CA-99 for palletized merchandise.

Typical Week & Daily Workflow

  • Early-week dispatch normally begins at an Inland Empire warehouse with outbound freight toward Phoenix or Las Vegas.
  • After delivery the driver checks for a reload in the destination market instead of returning empty by default.
  • Mid-week assignments often shift to California lanes such as Bakersfield, Fresno, or Sacramento.
  • Dispatch continuously weighs remaining hours, customer release times, and empty-trailer availability.
  • Live dock work usually runs 1–2 hours; drop-and-hook is used when the customer maintains a usable trailer pool.
  • Final movement of the week finishes Friday or Saturday, followed by return to designated parking when practical.
  • A 34-hour reset is scheduled only when hours require it or the next load plan makes it useful.

About the Carrier

Regional dry-van capacity is required to move palletized goods between Southern California distribution centers and receivers in Arizona, Nevada, and the Central Valley. A mid-sized carrier meets that demand by operating a practical fleet of sleeper tractors and standard 53-foot dry vans across multiple general-freight accounts. The operation prioritizes appointment reliability, legal hours, and practical backhaul planning rather than fixed dedicated lanes or specialized equipment. Drivers work inside a flexible regional network that balances customer windows with available return freight.

Benefits & Support

Orientation Paid orientation covering company policies and procedures
Training ELD onboarding, load-bar securement, regional route orientation
Operational Support Dispatch assistance with reloads, parking guidance, and breakdown coordination
Medical / Dental / Vision Insurance options available under the company plan
Retirement & Time Off 401(k) and paid time off subject to plan rules and eligibility

Driver Qualification Requirements

  • Valid Class A CDL
  • Minimum six months recent tractor-trailer experience preferred; stronger safety records may allow shorter experience
  • Acceptable Motor Vehicle Record and verifiable employment history
  • Current DOT medical card and Clearinghouse compliance
  • Ability to perform pre-trip inspections, climb into the cab, and handle routine trailer tasks
  • Willingness to work variable start times and spend one to three nights away when assigned

Operational Delays

  • Metropolitan traffic on I-10, I-15, I-5, and SR-60 routinely adds travel time between nearby facilities.
  • Live dock waits often exceed one to two hours during morning peaks and month-end shipping pushes.
  • Gate congestion, missing appointment numbers, or empty-trailer shortages delay departures.
  • Holiday retail volume tightens appointment availability and trailer-pool reliability.
  • Rain, wind, and mountain conditions on longer runs reduce safe operating speeds.

Hiring Process

1
Application
Submit CDL and experience details
2
Recruiter Screen
Review schedule, pay, and overnight expectations
3
Qualification
MVR, employment, medical, Clearinghouse checks
4
Orientation & First Dispatch
Policies, ELD, equipment assignment, first load

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How is weekly pay actually calculated? ▼
Pay is $0.65 per paid mile. 1,900 miles produce $1,235; 2,300 miles produce $1,495; 2,500 miles produce $1,625. Detention and the sign-on bonus are paid separately when earned.
Q: How often can I expect drop-and-hook? ▼
Drop-and-hook is used when the customer maintains a usable trailer pool. Many stops still require live loading or unloading.
Q: What happens if no backhaul is available after delivery? ▼
Dispatch may authorize an empty reposition or adjust the next pickup so remaining legal hours are not wasted.
Q: How is overnight parking handled? ▼
Drivers plan commercial truck stops or authorized customer yards before the driving window becomes tight. Loaded trailers stay only at approved locations.
Q: Are HazMat or Tanker endorsements required? ▼
No. Standard general-freight dry-van work does not require additional endorsements.
Q: How long does hiring usually take? ▼
Five to ten days depending on document turnaround and orientation scheduling.

CDL Job Market – Los Angeles

The Los Angeles market offers a wide range of CDL-A opportunities, from home-daily local work and dedicated accounts to regional and specialized fleets. Many drivers compare regional dry-van jobs against local shuttle, intermodal, and LTL options that promise more predictable schedules. Carriers recruiting for regional runs therefore need to present realistic weekly miles, overnight expectations, and how detention is handled. Experienced drivers with clean records remain in demand because they manage appointment changes and equipment issues with less oversight. High living costs and time lost to traffic make transparent pay structures and dependable dispatch especially important to candidates evaluating offers in this market.

Location & Freight Market – Los Angeles

The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach feed large volumes of import cargo into transload and distribution warehouses that stretch east through Commerce, Santa Fe Springs, and the Inland Empire. I-10 and SR-60 carry the heaviest east-west freight, while I-15 connects the region to Las Vegas and I-5 links it to the Central Valley and coastal markets. Dry-van traffic is dominated by palletized consumer products, retail merchandise, packaging materials, and industrial supplies moving between these warehouse clusters and regional receivers. Seasonal retail peaks increase outbound volume and dock pressure; agricultural cycles farther north influence related packaging and supply movements. Congestion and tight appointment windows remain the main constraints on converting high freight density into efficient runs.

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