Regional Dry Van Position Company Driver

CDL-A Regional California Dry Van Driver – San Diego, CA

Hiring Area: San Diego / Otay Mesa • Terminal: San Diego-area

San Diego, CA Regional 2020–2024 Tractors

Haul palletized retail, consumer and industrial freight out of Otay Mesa and South County into the Inland Empire and selected Southwest lanes. Home weekly after 2–3 nights out, $1,550–$1,800 typical weekly gross on 2,400–2,800 miles.

Weekly Gross
$1,550–$1,800
Annual estimate: $88,400
CPM $0.65
Miles 2,400–2,800 / wk
Home Time Weekly / 2–3 nights
Sign-On $1,000
Freight Dry van palletized

What the Work Actually Looks Like

Drivers based in the San Diego area run the South County–Inland Empire dry-van cycle for a mid-sized regional carrier. Most freight originates in Otay Mesa warehouses and manufacturing sites, then moves north to Ontario, Fontana, Riverside and Los Angeles distribution centers, with occasional longer turns when freight balances allow.

  • Perform pre-trip and post-trip inspections and file electronic DVIRs.
  • Confirm trailer number, seal and paperwork before leaving every facility.
  • Back into docks and work congested yard traffic at large DCs.
  • Keep dispatch updated on traffic, appointment delays or HOS status.
  • Collect signed POD or electronic confirmation before departing customers.
  • Maintain accurate ELD logs and follow HOS and company safety rules.

Pay Built from the Miles You Run

Pay is pure mileage: $0.65 per dispatched mile. No bonus padding is used to inflate the weekly number. The range comes directly from the actual miles this regional network produces.

Low normal week 2,400 mi × $0.65 = $1,560 → shown as $1,550
Typical week 2,600 mi × $0.65 = $1,690 → shown as $1,700
Strong normal week 2,800 mi × $0.65 = $1,820 → shown as $1,800
Advertised weekly range $1,550–$1,800
Annual estimate $1,700 × 52 = $88,400
Sign-on $1,000 ($500 at 60 days + $500 at 180 days)
Payroll Weekly direct deposit

Schedule & Home Time

Home time Weekly 34-hour restart; normally 2–3 nights out
Corridor Southern California core + selected Southwest extensions
Base San Diego / Otay Mesa area
Weekly miles 2,400–2,800 (most weeks land near 2,600)
Start window Often 4:00–8:00 AM; early departures used to beat traffic

Trucks & Trailers You Will Drive

Tractors Freightliner Cascadia (mainly 2021–2024) and Kenworth T680 (mainly 2020–2024)
Transmission Automatic
Trailers 53-ft dry vans, mostly 2019–2024
Safety systems ELD, electronic DVIR, forward-facing camera, collision mitigation, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise on newer units
Assignment Assigned tractor preferred; slip-seat occurs during shop time or shortages

Most units are sleepers with air-ride. Company fuel card and electronic toll program included. Load bars or locks carried as freight requires. Maintenance is scheduled by the carrier; roadside help is coordinated through operations.

Freight & Actual Lanes

Primary freight is palletized retail merchandise, packaged consumer goods, non-perishable food and beverage, packaged industrial products, building materials, automotive components and electronics moving between South County / Otay Mesa facilities and Inland Empire or Los Angeles-area warehouses.

  • Otay Mesa or San Diego → Ontario / Fontana on I-15 or I-805–I-15 for DC replenishment.
  • San Diego → Riverside or Los Angeles on I-15 / I-5, timing driven by appointments and traffic.
  • Selected Otay Mesa → Phoenix turns via I-8 and I-10 when outbound and backhaul line up.
  • Occasional San Diego → Las Vegas, Bakersfield or Fresno for retail or industrial loads.
  • Strongest reload density sits around Ontario, Fontana, Riverside, San Bernardino and Los Angeles warehouses.
  • Typical dock mix: 45–55 % drop-and-hook, 25–35 % live load, 15–25 % live unload.

How a Normal Week Runs

  • Next load usually arrives the evening before or while finishing the current delivery.
  • Start from home or company parking, run inspection and confirm ELD status.
  • At origin: hook a preloaded trailer, drop an empty, wait for live load or reposition in yard.
  • Deliver on appointment, then pick up the next available reload—often Inland Empire outbound or San Diego return.
  • Take the 10-hour break at home whenever the cycle allows; otherwise use known corridor parking.
  • Complete the 34-hour restart during the weekly home period after the final South County move.

About the Carrier

Otay Mesa’s mix of warehouses, manufacturing plants and cross-border logistics creates continuous dry-van demand that feeds Inland Empire distribution centers and selected Southwest markets. Carriers working this corridor concentrate on palletized consumer, retail and industrial freight between DCs and production sites rather than long-haul networks. This mid-sized regional operation matches equipment and dispatch to the real density of the San Diego–Inland Empire cycle, extending east or north only when backhaul economics make the extra miles worthwhile.

Benefits

Health Medical (employee contribution), dental and vision
Retirement 401(k) with company match
Time off Paid vacation after eligibility period; paid holidays per policy
Operating support Terminal parking when available, electronic tolls, detention documentation help
Other Rider program per policy and insurance, safety recognition, company-paid orientation

Who Can Apply

  • Valid Class A CDL and current DOT medical card.
  • About 6 months recent CDL-A tractor-trailer experience preferred.
  • Clean enough driving record to pass safety review.
  • Comfortable operating a 53-ft dry van in Southern California traffic and DC yards.
  • Able to use ELD, complete accurate inspections and communicate with warehouse staff.

Real Delays You Will Face

  • I-5, I-805 and I-15 congestion during morning and afternoon peaks.
  • Gate queues and appointment waits at Otay Mesa and large Inland Empire DCs.
  • Monday mornings, retail peaks and holiday shipping stretch live-load times.
  • Trailer shortages can appear during high-volume weeks.
  • Construction or incidents can force last-minute reroutes.

Hiring Steps

1
Apply
Send CDL and work history
2
Screen
Recruiter call on experience and home-time fit
3
Qualify
MVR, Clearinghouse, drug screen, safety review
4
Start
Paid orientation, truck assignment, first load

Questions Drivers Actually Ask

Q: Do I run the same route every day?▼
No. Dispatch builds each week from available outbound and backhaul freight. A common pattern starts Otay Mesa–Ontario, then continues to Bakersfield or Phoenix before returning through the Inland Empire.
Q: How much physical freight handling is required?▼
Almost none. The freight is primarily no-touch palletized. Rare customer procedures may ask for basic trailer or dock help.
Q: Where do I park when I am out of town?▼
Usual spots are truck stops and known lots around San Bernardino, Ontario, Fontana, Riverside, Bakersfield, Fresno, Yuma and Phoenix. Customer yards sometimes allow overnight staging but never count on it.
Q: Will a brand-new CDL graduate get hired?▼
Usually not. Dense Southern California traffic and frequent yard work favor drivers with at least six months recent experience. Strong school records are reviewed case-by-case.
Q: How is detention paid or documented?▼
Drivers log arrival and release times. Operations uses those times plus BOLs or gate receipts to process qualifying detention.
Q: Any special endorsements needed?▼
None for the standard dry-van work. No HazMat or tanker required.

CDL Job Market in Southern California

The San Diego–Inland Empire–Los Angeles triangle ranks among the busiest CDL-A hiring zones in the country. Port traffic, cross-border manufacturing and a dense network of distribution centers keep demand steady for regional dry-van, dedicated retail, intermodal and local drayage drivers. Experience navigating urban freeways and appointment-based warehouses opens the most doors. Peak retail seasons and year-end shipping push additional openings, while specialized tanker, flatbed and foodservice fleets also compete for qualified drivers, giving experienced CDL holders multiple local and regional options year-round.

Why Freight Moves Through San Diego

Otay Mesa functions as a major warehouse and manufacturing node tied to the U.S.–Mexico supply chain. Consumer goods, industrial components and retail merchandise leave South County facilities every day and head north on I-805, I-15 and I-5 into the Inland Empire and Los Angeles distribution network. Continued warehouse construction and cross-border logistics activity sustain outbound volume, while backhauls from Ontario, Fontana, Riverside and San Bernardino keep tractors loaded on the return. Occasional longer runs to Phoenix via I-8/I-10 or north to Bakersfield and Fresno appear when commercial balance justifies the extra distance. The short geographic span still consumes significant HOS time because of dense urban traffic and tight appointment windows, which is why time management matters as much as miles in this market.

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