CDL-A Position Intermodal Position
CDL-A Intermodal Container Driver – Dallas TX
Hiring Area: Dallas–Fort Worth & North Texas • Terminal Area: Alliance / Hutchins / Mesquite
Dallas, TX Local / Regional Intermodal 2021–2024 Day Cabs
Company drivers move domestic intermodal containers between North Texas rail ramps and distribution facilities, earning $1,400–$1,800 weekly with home time every day.
Typical Weekly Gross
$1,400–$1,800
Typical Weekly Earnings: about $1,650
Estimated Annual: $85,800
Sign-On Bonus $1,500
Home Time Home Daily
Driver Type Company Driver
Weekly Miles 900–1,500
Freight Type Domestic Intermodal Containers
This company-driver role centers on short-haul domestic container moves between North Texas intermodal terminals, distribution centers, and designated empty-return locations. Terminal procedures, chassis and container inspections, appointment-based deliveries, and continuous communication with dispatch define the work more than long-haul driving.
- Pick up loaded containers from assigned DFW rail ramps and verify container, chassis, seal, and release data before departure.
- Complete terminal ingate/outgate procedures and follow ramp-specific instructions for equipment exchanges and inspections.
- Deliver containers to distribution centers, transload sites, and industrial customers across the Dallas–Fort Worth network.
- Return empty containers or chassis only to the location specified by dispatch.
- Record gate delays, customer wait times, equipment defects, and unavailable containers so dispatch can adjust the day.
- Perform required pre-trip and post-trip inspections, keep accurate ELD records, and report mechanical or chassis issues immediately.
- Rework the sequence of assigned moves when rail releases, appointment windows, traffic, or equipment availability change.
Local intermodal volume is paid through an hourly base plus activity pay for each qualifying completed container move, protecting drivers when rail or customer delays reduce mileage.
Base Rate $30/hour
Overtime $45/hour after 40 hours
Container Activity Pay $35 per qualifying completed move
Typical Week Example 40 hrs + 6 OT + 5 qualifying moves ≈ $1,645
Sign-On Bonus $1,500 paid in three installments (30/90/180 days)
Payroll Weekly
Home Time Home daily
Operating Area Dallas–Fort Worth intermodal network
Typical Operating Radius Approximately 50–100 miles from primary ramp; longer turns possible depending on customer and container destination
Weekly Miles 900–1,500
Shift Start Most accounts begin 5:00–7:00 AM; some evening starts available
Tractors 2021–2024 Freightliner Cascadia and Kenworth T680 day cabs
Transmission Automatic
Safety Technology Collision mitigation, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise on selected newer units
Cabin Systems ELD, electronic DVIR, forward-facing dash cameras, company communication
Assignment Assigned when available; slip-seat may be used during maintenance or peak coverage needs
Mixed fleet maintained at the local shop. Older units stay in service only when mechanically sound and compliant.
Domestic intermodal containers carrying retail merchandise, packaged consumer goods, household products, and industrial components move between DFW rail ramps and surrounding warehouses.
- Haslet (BNSF Alliance) to Fort Worth, Dallas, Arlington, and Denton distribution zones
- Hutchins (UP DIT) and Wilmer-area ramps to Dallas, Arlington, Lancaster, and Grand Prairie
- Mesquite terminal to Dallas, Garland, Balch Springs, and nearby east-side warehouses
- South and central DFW industrial corridors serving multiple customer yards
- Drop-and-hook, live deliveries, empty returns, and occasional chassis changes as directed by dispatch
- Receive the first assignment near the start of the shift and complete the pre-trip.
- Arrive at the rail ramp, complete gate procedures, and inspect the assigned chassis and container.
- Deliver the loaded unit within the customer appointment window.
- Return the empty or reposition for the next available move as directed by dispatch.
- Most days involve several short turns; the actual number of qualifying paid moves varies with rail releases, appointments, traffic, and equipment availability.
About the Carrier
Short-haul intermodal and dedicated freight in the Dallas–Fort Worth market requires carriers that can react quickly to rail release times and customer receiving windows. This mid-sized regional operation runs company trucks focused on rail-ramp pickups, warehouse deliveries, empty returns, and scheduled appointments rather than long-haul OTR freight. Daily mileage and the number of turns shift with container availability and terminal conditions, yet most drivers return to the same home terminal after completing their assigned moves.
Health Coverage Medical, dental, and vision options after the eligibility period
Retirement 401(k) with company match
Paid Time Off According to company tenure and policy
Orientation & Support Paid orientation, company uniforms after probation, terminal parking
Other Toll-road / NTTA support on authorized routes, referral program
- Valid Class A CDL
- Minimum 6 months tractor-trailer experience preferred
- Acceptable MVR with no serious recent DOT violations
- Current DOT physical, pre-employment drug screen, and Clearinghouse query
- Ability to inspect chassis and containers and work outdoors in changing weather
- Terminal credentials or site-specific access may be required depending on the account
- Rail-gate congestion during high-volume periods
- Customer appointment waits that can run 30–90 minutes or longer at busy facilities
- Chassis shortages or required chassis changes at the ramp
- Late container releases that force resequencing of the day’s work
- Heavy traffic on I-35, I-45, I-20 and major DFW connectors
1
Application Review
Recruiter phone screening
2
Verification
CDL, MVR, employment history, drug screen
3
Operational Call
Terminal procedures and expected schedule
4
Orientation
Company onboarding, safety, chassis and terminal training
Q: Is this no-touch freight? ▼
Generally yes. The driver does not load or unload freight inside the container. Customer or warehouse personnel handle unloading while the driver manages the tractor, chassis, positioning, paperwork, and terminal procedures.
Q: How much time is typically spent waiting at rail terminals? ▼
Wait time varies by ramp, container availability, and daily volume. Some turns move quickly; busy periods can involve extended gate or equipment waits. Qualifying delays are documented so dispatch has a clear record.
Q: How are detention times handled? ▼
Detention is recorded separately through the dispatch system using arrival, check-in, and release times. It is not automatically included in every week’s earnings.
Q: What happens when a container is not released on time? ▼
Dispatch assigns the next available move based on current location, remaining hours of service, and open containers rather than leaving the driver waiting indefinitely.
Q: Are evening or night shifts available? ▼
Major rail facilities operate around the clock, so some accounts support evening or night starts in addition to the more common early-morning pattern.
Q: How is chassis inspection handled? ▼
Drivers check tires, lights, air connections, locking pins, and structural condition before leaving the ramp. Any defect is reported immediately and the equipment is not taken on the road.
Dallas–Fort Worth supports a broad mix of local, regional, dedicated, LTL, private-fleet, construction, foodservice, and intermodal CDL-A work. The intermodal segment clusters around facilities such as BNSF Alliance in Haslet, the Union Pacific Dallas Intermodal Terminal in Hutchins, and UP Mesquite. These terminals create a distinct group of short-haul driving jobs in which terminal procedures, chassis management, customer appointments, and traffic conditions often matter as much as total mileage. Drivers looking for home-daily work find multiple options across company, dedicated, and private fleets throughout the metro.
North Texas functions as a major inland freight hub because of its central location, interstate network, and concentration of rail intermodal facilities. Containers arriving at BNSF Alliance, UP Hutchins, and UP Mesquite feed the dense warehouse and distribution zones surrounding Dallas and Fort Worth. Retail, consumer products, and industrial materials continue by highway to regional distribution centers. Rail-release timing, warehouse appointment windows, chassis availability, and congestion on I-35, I-45, and I-20 all influence daily container movement. South, east, and west industrial corridors keep intermodal volume active throughout the year, with 24/7 rail operations allowing freight to keep moving across the metro.