Regional CDL-A Position Reefer
CDL-A Regional Refrigerated Freight Driver – Dallas, TX
Hiring Area: Dallas, TX • Terminal: Dallas-area
Dallas, TX Regional Late-model fleet
Regional reefer freight out of Dallas covers Texas and selected neighboring-state lanes, with drivers typically running 2,200–2,500 paid miles per week and spending 1–2 nights out before returning to the Dallas area.
Typical Weekly Gross
$1,600–$1,800
Typical Annualized Earnings: $88,400
Sign-On Bonus $1,500
Home Time Usually 1–2 nights out
Driver Type Company Driver
Weekly Miles 2,200–2,500
Freight Type Refrigerated / Frozen
Temperature-controlled regional truckload work based around the Dallas–Fort Worth freight network. Drivers handle refrigerated and frozen loads moving between food manufacturers, cold-storage facilities, grocery distribution centers and regional receivers.
- Pick up preloaded or live-loaded reefer trailers from DFW-area facilities and verify temperature settings before departure.
- Run scheduled Texas and selected neighboring-state lanes, with frequent freight moving through Houston, Austin, San Antonio and Oklahoma-area markets.
- Manage appointment times at grocery, food-processing and cold-storage facilities where dock delays can affect the next dispatch.
- Monitor reefer operation, fuel level, temperature readings and trailer condition during transit.
- Handle seals, bills of lading, temperature records, delivery paperwork and electronic proof of delivery.
- Coordinate with dispatch when traffic, detention, HOS limitations or a changed reload affects the planned schedule.
- Complete required tractor, trailer and reefer inspections and report mechanical or refrigeration issues before continuing the trip.
Pay is mileage-based at $0.70 CPM. A typical week of roughly 2,350 paid miles produces about $1,645, with detention of $35 per hour after free time adding another $35–$70 when 1–2 hours of qualifying delay occur. That combination puts most normal weeks near $1,680–$1,715.
Weekly Gross Range $1,600–$1,800
Typical Annualized $88,400 (based on $1,700 typical week)
Sign-On Bonus $1,500 paid in installments at 30/90/180 days
Detention $35/hour after free time
Typical Detention Impact 1–2 hours/week ($35–$70)
Pay Frequency Weekly direct deposit
Home Time Usually 1–2 nights out, with frequent returns to the Dallas area
Operating Area Texas and selected neighboring states
Terminal Dallas-area
Weekly Miles 2,200–2,500 paid
Dispatch Window Typically 4:00 AM–9:00 AM
Tractors Freightliner Cascadia and Kenworth T680
Model Years Primarily late-model, most units 2021–2025
Transmission Automatic
Cabin & Systems Inverter on many units; ELD-equipped
Assignment Assigned when available; slip-seat may occur
53-foot refrigerated trailers with Thermo King or Carrier units and electronic temperature monitoring. Air-ride suspension standard. Newer tractors carry collision mitigation and lane-departure warning; dash cameras are on company equipment. Preventive maintenance is scheduled through the Dallas-area shop network and approved roadside vendors.
Most loads are refrigerated or frozen food products—packaged meat, dairy, frozen foods, produce, beverages and temperature-sensitive grocery items—originating from DFW cold-storage and manufacturing points. The mix of drop-and-hook and live loading varies by customer; grocery and food-distribution facilities often require longer dock time.
- Dallas, South Dallas, Hutchins, Lancaster and Burleson origins to Houston, San Antonio, Austin or Laredo.
- Fort Worth outbound to Little Rock, Oklahoma City or Memphis on selected runs.
- Primary corridors include I-35, I-20, I-45, I-30, US-287 and US-67.
- Reloads frequently shift; a Houston delivery may be followed by an Austin or San Antonio pickup.
- Reloads are generally arranged around available freight in the destination market; empty repositioning can occur when the next load is not immediately available.
- Produce season and holiday volume can tighten appointments and change dispatch priorities.
- Week often begins with a preloaded reefer from a southern Dallas logistics point.
- Morning departure toward Houston, San Antonio, Austin or another regional destination.
- Gate check-in, appointment verification, seal inspection and dock assignment or trailer exchange.
- After delivery, dispatch works the next load while paperwork is finished.
- Live dock time commonly runs 45–120 minutes; longer waits occur at busy grocery DCs.
- Overnight parking is planned along I-35, I-45, I-20 or I-30 truck-stop networks.
- HOS limits, traffic and customer delays can shift return timing or the next reload location.
About the Carrier
This regional carrier operates a mixed refrigerated truckload fleet serving the Dallas–Fort Worth market and surrounding Texas freight lanes. Most loads move between cold-storage facilities, food manufacturers, grocery distribution centers and regional receivers, with dispatch assignments changing according to customer appointments and available reloads. The operation is built around short regional turns rather than long-haul OTR schedules, although selected runs can extend into Oklahoma, Arkansas or other nearby markets. Drivers generally work with late-model tractors and 53-foot refrigerated trailers, while equipment assignments depend on availability at the Dallas-area terminal.
Medical / Dental / Vision Employee and dependent options available
Retirement 401(k) with company match
Orientation & Training Paid orientation and reefer-specific onboarding
Rider / Pet Policy Subject to company policy and equipment rules
Additional Support Dallas-area terminal parking (subject to space), safety recognition program, EZPass for authorized routes
- Valid Class A CDL
- Approximately 6 months recent tractor-trailer experience preferred; reefer experience preferred
- Clean and acceptable MVR; must meet FMCSA/DOT qualification requirements
- Pass required DOT drug and alcohol testing; Clearinghouse query as applicable
- Ability to inspect and monitor refrigeration equipment, manage seals and stay within HOS while handling appointment schedules
- DFW traffic and construction on I-35 and I-20 can compress appointment windows.
- Busy grocery or food distribution centers may push dock time past the usual 45–120 minutes.
- Reefer fuel consumption rises during extended hot-weather runs, especially when trailers wait at facilities.
- Winter weather can slow northern Texas and Oklahoma lanes.
- Produce season and holiday grocery volume tighten dock capacity and reload availability.
1
Phone Screen
Initial recruiter call, often within one business day
2
Verification
CDL, MVR, employment history and Clearinghouse
3
Drug Screen & Offer
DOT testing followed by final offer
4
Orientation
Paid Dallas-area orientation; timing depends on screening completion
Q: What type of freight is most common on these lanes? ▼
Most loads are refrigerated or frozen food products, including packaged meat, dairy, frozen foods, produce and grocery freight. The exact commodity depends on the shipper and daily dispatch plan.
Q: How much live loading versus drop-and-hook should I expect? ▼
The mix varies by customer. Drivers can expect a combination of both, with grocery and food-distribution facilities sometimes requiring longer dock time.
Q: Are trailers pre-cooled before loading? ▼
When the shipper requires it. Drivers confirm the unit is operating normally and suitable for the assigned commodity before departure.
Q: What happens if a planned reload disappears? ▼
Dispatch typically repositions the truck to another available DFW-area warehouse rather than sending it empty back to the terminal.
Q: How are reefer alarms handled on the road? ▼
Stop safely, inspect the unit, verify the controller display and contact dispatch or maintenance before continuing.
Q: Do longer runs to Memphis or Little Rock change the home-time pattern? ▼
Occasionally a second overnight is needed, but most weeks still return toward Dallas within the normal 1–2 night cycle.
Q: Is parking available at the Dallas terminal? ▼
Tractor parking is provided subject to available space. Loaded refrigerated trailers are left only in locations approved by dispatch or the customer.
Dallas–Fort Worth offers a broad mix of local, regional and OTR CDL-A work, but refrigerated freight has its own operating pattern. Reefer drivers in the DFW area commonly work around food distribution, cold storage, grocery and manufacturing facilities located south and east of the metro as well as around Fort Worth. Regional positions can offer more home time than long-haul reefer work while still requiring overnight trips when freight moves into Oklahoma, Arkansas or deeper into Texas. Experience with appointment-based grocery freight, temperature control and live loading is useful when moving between different regional reefer operations. Carriers generally look for recent tractor-trailer experience rather than brand-new CDL graduates for this type of independent regional work.
Dallas–Fort Worth sits at the crossroads of I-20, I-35, I-30 and I-45, giving refrigerated freight efficient access in multiple directions. Large temperature-controlled warehouses in Lancaster, South Dallas, Hutchins, Fort Worth and Burleson form a concentrated cold-chain hub. Food manufacturers, grocery distributors and cold-storage operators generate steady outbound and inbound volume of meat, dairy, frozen product, produce and beverages. The same network supports lanes toward Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Laredo, Oklahoma City, Little Rock and Memphis. Seasonal produce peaks and holiday grocery surges increase dock pressure and reload demand. For a regional reefer driver, that freight mix creates a combination of short Texas turns and occasional longer runs into nearby states, with the exact schedule changing according to customer appointments and available reloads.