Regional Flatbed Position Building Materials
CDL-A Building Materials Regional Flatbed Driver
Primary Area: Coastal Georgia & Southeast • Yard: Savannah/Pooler area
Savannah, GA Regional Flatbed Mostly 2021–2024 Tractors
Move lumber, drywall, roofing and bundled construction products on company flatbeds through coastal Georgia and nearby states. Typical weekly gross $1,500–$1,800 with home every 1–3 nights and most weekends available.
Typical Weekly Gross
$1,500–$1,800
Estimated Annual: $80,600
Sign-On Bonus $1,500
Home Time Every 1–3 nights
Driver Type Company Driver
Weekly Miles 2,100–2,500
Freight Type Building Materials
Daily work centers on open-deck handling of construction products for distributors, lumber suppliers and manufacturers based out of the Savannah industrial area.
- Arrives at shipper, checks in and positions trailer for forklift or crane loading.
- Verifies commodity count, weight distribution and axle loading after material is placed.
- Secures loads with straps, chains, binders and edge protection before departure.
- Applies tarps when weather protection is required by the commodity or customer.
- Delivers to distribution centers, lumberyards, contractor yards or commercial job sites.
- Coordinates with forklift operators or crews on uneven surfaces during unloading.
- Completes BOL/POD, reports discrepancies and accepts nearby reload instructions.
Mileage is paid at approximately $0.65 per paid mile. Tarp, detention and other qualifying activity pay typically bring normal weekly gross into the $1,500–$1,800 range, with most weeks landing near $1,550 depending on miles and accessorials.
Typical Weekly Gross $1,500–$1,800
Estimated Annual $80,600
Sign-On Bonus $1,500 paid in three installments
Tarp Pay $25 per qualifying tarp load
Detention $25/hour after free time
Pay Frequency Weekly direct deposit
Home Time Usually home every 1–3 nights, most weekends available
Primary Operating Area Coastal Georgia and neighboring Southeast states
Yard Location Savannah/Pooler area
Weekly Miles Approximately 2,100–2,500 paid
Work Pattern Monday–Friday; occasional Saturday freight in peak season
Tractor Age Mostly 2021–2024, some newer units available
Tractor Makes Freightliner Cascadia and Kenworth T680
Transmission Automated manual
Cabin Features Sleeper, ELD, collision mitigation, adaptive cruise, dash cam
Assignment Assigned when available; slip seating possible
Company flatbeds are typically 48'–53' and carry sliding winches, web straps, chains, binders, edge protection and tarp systems suited to building-material freight. Air-ride suspension and sliding fifth wheels are standard. Securement equipment is company-provided and replaced through maintenance when worn.
Freight leaves building-product distributors, lumber yards and manufacturing sites around Savannah, Pooler, Port Wentworth and Garden City. Reloads follow construction demand instead of fixed lane rotations.
- Common short turns run Savannah to Charleston or Columbia, SC
- Westbound moves use I-16 toward Augusta, Macon or Atlanta
- Southbound traffic reaches Jacksonville, Brunswick or Valdosta
- I-95 anchors north-south travel; I-26 and I-20 support South Carolina lanes
- Typical loops include Savannah–Charleston–Columbia–Savannah or Savannah–Augusta–Macon–Savannah
- Destinations include lumber distribution yards, roofing suppliers, commercial building-material distributors and contractor supply yards
- Commodities cover lumber, roofing products, drywall, insulation, siding, engineered wood and millwork
- Next load is usually planned the afternoon or evening before through the ELD or dispatch.
- Outbound pickups often start between 5:00 and 8:00 AM from Savannah-area shippers.
- After material is placed, the driver completes securement, axle checks and tarp work if needed.
- Delivery points range from distribution centers to lumberyards and active construction sites.
- A nearby reload is arranged during or right after the first delivery.
- Live loading typically takes 45–120 minutes; job-site waits can stretch longer.
- Shift closes with documentation, electronic updates and planning the next 10-hour break.
About the Carrier
Lumber, roofing and engineered wood products move steadily between Southeast manufacturers, distribution yards and contractor locations. A mid-sized regional carrier supports that flow with open-deck equipment focused on building materials rather than containers or general freight. Based in the Savannah industrial area, the operation links coastal Georgia shippers with customers across South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama and Florida. Dispatch adjusts reloads around available construction freight instead of holding trucks for one preferred lane. Drivers who can handle practical securement and customer-site coordination fit the account better than those seeking pure high-mileage patterns.
Health Coverage Medical, dental and vision with employee contribution options
Retirement 401(k) with company match after eligibility
Paid Time Off Paid vacation after applicable service period; company holiday schedule
Additional Support Paid orientation, DOT physical reimbursement, safety apparel support
Rider Policy Subject to company approval and insurance requirements
- Valid Class A CDL
- At least 6 months verifiable CDL-A tractor-trailer experience preferred
- Prior flatbed experience preferred, especially with construction materials
- Acceptable MVR, safety history and ability to pass DOT physical and drug screen
- Ability to tarp, use straps/chains/binders and work outdoors at job sites
- Traffic congestion on I-16, I-95 and industrial approaches to Pooler and Port Wentworth
- Loading windows of 45–120 minutes, longer during construction-season congestion
- Heavy rain, tropical weather and high winds slow tarp work and job-site deliveries
- Customer yards sometimes require staging time or waiting for forklift or crane availability
- Empty trailer supply tightens when several shippers move freight at the same time
1
Recruiter Call
Within one business day
2
Verification
CDL, MVR, employment, Clearinghouse
3
Orientation
1–2 day paid at Savannah-area terminal
4
First Dispatch
Usually within one business day
Q: How much physical work is involved? ▼
Drivers climb the trailer for securement checks, handle straps, chains and binders, apply tarps when required, and work outdoors around forklifts and uneven job-site surfaces.
Q: Is tarping required on every load? ▼
Only when the commodity or customer requires weather protection. Qualifying tarp loads pay $25 each.
Q: How much driver-assisted loading and unloading is involved? ▼
Most loads require the driver to inspect and secure the freight. Forklifts or cranes usually handle the actual loading and unloading.
Q: Are construction-site deliveries common? ▼
Yes. Freight goes to lumberyards, contractor yards and commercial job sites in addition to distribution centers.
Q: What happens if a preferred backhaul is unavailable? ▼
Dispatch may reposition the tractor to a nearby freight point rather than wait several hours for one specific load.
Q: Is a HazMat endorsement required? ▼
No. Standard freight is non-hazardous building materials.
Q: Can a dry-van driver move into this role? ▼
Possible if the driver completes company securement training before running independently and demonstrates solid load-securement knowledge.
Savannah maintains a broad CDL-A hiring base supported by port activity, warehouse distribution, regional truckload, food distribution, manufacturing and construction materials. The metro area employs several thousand heavy and tractor-trailer drivers, with competition strongest around Port Wentworth, Pooler, Garden City and the I-16 corridor. Drivers can compare dry-van, dedicated, intermodal, flatbed and building-material roles without leaving the market. Regional flatbed earnings vary by mileage, tarp work, home-time expectations and freight type. Experienced open-deck drivers remain in demand because securement and customer-site delivery require more hands-on responsibility than no-touch freight. Both local building-material employers and larger carriers recruit regularly, so the market stays competitive for drivers who already understand straps, tarps and job-site work.
The Port of Savannah drives one of the East Coast’s busiest logistics corridors, feeding warehouse and distribution activity across Chatham and Effingham counties. Industrial zones in Garden City, Port Wentworth, Pooler and along Highway 21 and Jimmy DeLoach Parkway host large DCs, manufacturing plants and construction-related suppliers. Direct links to I-95 north-south and I-16 west toward Macon and Atlanta, plus Class I rail, keep freight density high. Building materials move between manufacturers, lumber yards, contractor locations and regional distribution centers rather than solely through the port. Seasonal construction cycles lift volume in spring and summer. Coastal weather can temporarily slow loading and job-site deliveries. These conditions sustain steady demand for regional flatbed capacity that serves the Southeast construction supply chain.