Dedicated CDL-A Position Regional Reefer
CDL-A Dedicated Reefer Grocery Truck Driver – Chicago, IL
Hiring Area: Chicago, IL and surrounding Chicagoland communities • Terminal: Chicago-area terminal
Chicago, IL Dedicated Regional 2021–2025 Model-Year
Dedicated refrigerated grocery freight out of Chicago with 2–3 nights out per run, weekly returns to the Chicago area, $1,600–$1,850 typical weekly gross and recurring Midwest distribution routes.
Typical Weekly Gross
$1,600–$1,850
Estimated Annual: ~$88,400
Hourly Rate $34.00/hr
OT Rate $51.00/hr after 40
Sign-On Bonus $1,500
Home Time Weekly, 2–3 nights out
Weekly Miles 900–1,300
Prairie Chill Logistics runs a dedicated temperature-controlled grocery account from the Chicago freight network. Drivers handle recurring distribution and retail appointments across the Midwest rather than open broker freight.
- Manage reefer set points and report abnormal temperature readings.
- Verify seals, BOLs and appointment numbers at every facility.
- Complete POD signatures and lumper paperwork when required.
- Communicate gate, dock and detention delays to dispatch promptly.
- Perform safe yard and city maneuvers around congested grocery docks.
- Conduct full pre-trip and post-trip inspections on tractor and trailer.
This account pays hourly rather than by the mile. Earnings come from on-duty time, overtime after 40 hours and qualifying stop activity, so the 900–1,300 weekly miles do not limit gross the way a CPM model would.
Base Rate $34.00/hour
Overtime $51.00/hour after 40 hours
Stop/Activity Pay $25 per qualifying completed stop
Detention $51/hour after qualifying threshold
Typical Weekly Gross $1,600–$1,850 (typical week ~$1,700)
Sign-On Bonus $1,500 ($500 after 30 days, $500 after 90 days, $500 after 180 days)
Pay Frequency Weekly direct deposit
Home Time Typically 2–3 nights out per run; drivers return to the Chicago area weekly
Operating Corridor Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan; occasional Iowa or Ohio
Terminal Chicago-area terminal
Weekly Miles Approximately 900–1,300 paid miles
Dispatch Route and appointment details normally issued before the shift; same-day changes possible when customer volume or equipment availability changes
Work Pattern Four to five dispatch days; most weeks 42–48 on-duty hours
Tractor Years 2021–2025 model-year
Tractor Makes Freightliner Cascadia sleeper and Volvo VNL sleeper
Transmission Automatic
Trailers 53-foot refrigerated, primarily 2019–2025; Carrier or Thermo King units
Safety & Monitoring Electronic temperature monitoring, ELD, electronic DVIR, dash camera, forward collision mitigation, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control
Mixed late-model regional fleet with air-ride suspension, sliding tandems and standard grocery load locks. Assigned tractor when available; temporary equipment changes or limited slip-seating can occur during maintenance. Drivers check reefer fuel, set point, return-air temperature, alarms, doors and seals before departure. Routine maintenance is handled through the terminal network and approved vendors.
Temperature-controlled grocery freight moves between Chicago-area cold-storage and distribution facilities and retail or regional grocery points. Primary commodities include refrigerated produce, dairy, chilled packaged foods, refrigerated meat, frozen grocery products and other temperature-controlled items. Freight is primarily dock and palletized; lumper service is used at facilities where required. Drivers are not routinely responsible for hand-unloading cases.
- Bolingbrook, IL → Indianapolis, IN
- Joliet, IL → Milwaukee, WI
- Bedford Park, IL → Grand Rapids, MI
- Romeoville, IL → Detroit, MI
- Elk Grove Village, IL → Madison, WI
- Joliet, IL → Fort Wayne, IN
- Bedford Park, IL → South Bend, IN
- Bolingbrook, IL → Rockford, IL
- Route and appointment details arrive before the shift or during the prior day.
- Drivers start at the carrier terminal, a designated yard or a staged customer facility.
- Preloaded trailers are common; live loads occur when the warehouse builds the order.
- One primary DC delivery or several store stops depending on the assigned route.
- Live load/unload windows typically run 45–120 minutes; longer at peak periods.
- Reloads frequently originate from Indiana, Wisconsin or Michigan facilities.
- Most weeks finish with 42–48 on-duty hours across four to five dispatch days.
About the Carrier
Prairie Chill Logistics is a mid-sized regional carrier operating dedicated temperature-controlled freight from the Chicago market. The grocery account focuses on recurring distribution schedules, 53-foot refrigerated equipment and Midwest delivery lanes rather than constantly changing broker freight. Drivers work the same customer network week after week, handling appointment-driven loads that support inventory cycles at distribution centers and retail points while protecting the cold chain from origin to receiver.
Medical Medical insurance options for eligible full-time drivers
Dental & Vision Dental and vision coverage
Retirement 401(k) with company contribution after eligibility
Paid Time Off Paid vacation after eligibility; selected paid holidays
Additional Support Paid orientation, paid DOT physical renewal, reefer orientation, cold-chain training, safety recognition, driver referral program, PPE support
- Valid Class A CDL
- Approximately 6 months CDL-A experience preferred; recent graduates considered case-by-case
- Clean and acceptable MVR; must pass drug screen and Clearinghouse query
- Meet DOT physical and medical certification requirements
- Ability to inspect and operate refrigerated equipment; work scheduled weekends when required
- No HazMat endorsement required
- Peak-period congestion on I-55, I-80, I-90/94, I-294 and I-94
- Yard congestion at distribution centers during shared receiving windows
- Live dock times of 60–120 minutes or longer during holiday volume or labor shortages
- Winter weather slowing deliveries across Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana
- Reefer temperature alarms, low fuel or prolonged door-open conditions requiring intervention
1
Recruiter Call
Within one business day
2
Document Review
CDL, MVR, employment history
3
Screening
DOT drug screen & Clearinghouse
4
Orientation
Paid at Chicago-area terminal
Q: Is this touch freight? ▼
Freight is primarily dock and palletized. Lumper service is used at facilities where required. Drivers are not routinely responsible for hand-unloading cases.
Q: Are grocery deliveries multi-stop? ▼
A driver may make one primary distribution-center delivery or several store-oriented stops depending on the assigned customer route. Multiple-stop work is more common on smaller regional grocery runs.
Q: Is reefer experience required? ▼
Refrigerated, grocery, dedicated or regional experience is preferred but not mandatory for every qualified applicant. Drivers with less reefer experience may be considered if they demonstrate a strong safety record and complete the company’s reefer orientation.
Q: How often do drivers return to the Chicago terminal? ▼
Drivers typically return to the Chicago area weekly. A workweek may finish at a different Chicagoland facility than the one where it began; dispatch then coordinates the next movement.
Q: Are weekend deliveries part of the schedule? ▼
Drivers must be able to work scheduled weekends when the grocery account requires it.
Q: What percentage of loads are drop-and-hook? ▼
Approximately 45–55% of movements can be handled through preloaded or drop trailers when customer equipment availability allows. The rest involve live dock activity.
Chicago drivers seeking refrigerated grocery work compete in a narrower segment than general dry-van operators. Carriers value reefer experience, grocery appointment work, multi-stop familiarity, temperature-control responsibility and the ability to handle overnight or weekend replenishment schedules. The same labor pool also supports dry van, LTL, foodservice, intermodal and dedicated retail openings, so experienced Class A drivers with cold-chain backgrounds routinely have multiple alternatives among national carriers, food distributors and regional refrigerated fleets. Seasonal produce peaks and holiday grocery volume further increase demand for temperature-controlled specialists throughout the year.
Chicago’s position as a Midwest distribution crossroads creates continuous demand for temperature-controlled capacity. Cold-storage warehouses, food manufacturers, produce handlers, meat and dairy distributors and large grocery distribution centers generate both inbound refrigerated freight and outbound regional store replenishment. The I-55, I-80, I-90, I-94 and I-294 corridors link these facilities to markets in Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Iowa and beyond. Dedicated grocery accounts therefore combine predictable customer demand with changing daily delivery sequences, while backhaul opportunities from surrounding states keep equipment productive on return moves into the Chicagoland network.