Verified Currently Hiring
CDL-A Regional Retail Distribution Driver — Joliet, IL | Home Weekly
Hiring Area: Joliet, IL • Operating Base: Joliet, IL
Joliet, IL Regional Dedicated 2021–2025 Tractors
Dedicated multi-stop regional CDL-A position based in Joliet, IL. Drivers haul packaged grocery, beverages, paper products, and general merchandise in roller-equipped 53-foot dry vans, perform driver-assisted unloading at retail stores, work four to five days out, and return home weekly. Typical weekly gross approximately $1,800 ($1,400–$2,000 range).
Typical Weekly Gross
$1,400–$2,000
Estimated Annual: ~$93,100
Sign-On Bonus $750
Home Time Home Weekly
Driver Type Company Driver
Weekly Miles ~1,000 Paid Miles
Freight Type Packaged Retail / Grocery
A mid-sized regional carrier is hiring CDL-A company drivers for dedicated retail distribution of packaged grocery products, beverages, paper goods, household consumables, and general merchandise from Joliet-area facilities to stores throughout the Midwest. This is a multi-stop operation that combines highway driving with active driver-assisted unloading rather than conventional no-touch freight.
- Operate 53-foot roller-equipped dry vans and assist unloading at individual retail locations.
- Serve Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, and selected northern Kentucky destinations.
- Complete approximately four trailer assignments and about 16 store deliveries each week.
- Work four to five consecutive days on the road before a planned weekly 34-hour reset at home.
- Significant portion of the workday is spent on unloading, customer coordination, and delivery documentation.
Pay is activity-based. Drivers earn mileage pay plus a separate payment for each completed trailer unload and additional pay for every store stop beyond the first stop on that trailer assignment. The $175 unload payment applies to each qualifying trailer that is successfully unloaded under the account’s delivery procedures; it is not a per-stop payment. Actual weekly earnings vary with completed miles, number of trailer unloads, and additional stops.
Advertised Weekly Gross $1,400–$2,000
Typical Weekly Gross Approximately $1,800
Estimated Annual Gross Approximately $93,100
Base Mileage Pay $0.85 per paid mile
Completed Trailer Unload $175 per qualifying trailer
Additional Store Stop $20 each (beyond first stop on the trailer)
Sign-On Bonus $750 (paid after 90 days of continuous employment)
Representative week calculation: 1,000 paid miles × $0.85 = $850; 4 trailer unloads × $175 = $700; 12 additional stops × $20 = $240; total approximately $1,790. This supports the stated typical weekly figure of about $1,800 and the annual estimate of roughly $93,100 (52 weeks).
Home Time Home weekly (planned 34-hour reset)
Work Cycle 4–5 consecutive days out
Operating Territory IL, WI, IN, IA, MI, selected northern KY
Operating Base Joliet, IL
Typical Weekly Miles Approximately 1,000 paid miles
Dispatch Window Early morning, generally 4:00–8:00 AM
This is a dedicated multi-stop retail delivery operation. A substantial share of on-duty time is spent at stores operating the roller system, coordinating with receiving personnel, and completing documentation rather than pure highway miles. Home weekly is the normal scheduling objective; it does not guarantee a fixed Friday return or every weekend off. Exact reset timing depends on completed deliveries and the next dispatch cycle. Weekend departures may occur when customer demand requires them.
Tractor Model Years Generally 2021–2025
Tractor Makes Freightliner Cascadia and Kenworth T680
Transmission Predominantly automatic
Cabin Configuration Sleeper tractors for multi-day regional assignments
Tractor Assignment Assigned when scheduling and availability permit; occasional slip seating
The fleet mixes newer units with properly maintained older equipment. Trailers are 53-foot dry vans (generally 2019–2025 model years) fitted with roller floors designed for case and carton unloading. Roller systems, floors, and doors vary in condition; drivers are expected to inspect the unloading equipment before each delivery and report damaged rollers, obstructed tracks, or defective doors. Tractors include ELDs with GPS-enabled dispatch communication, forward-facing cameras, and collision-mitigation / lane-departure systems on equipped units.
Representative corridors from the Joliet base. Most assignments include several retail stops within one metropolitan area or along the same regional corridor. Florence, KY is a longer selected destination and is not a short daily run.
- Joliet, IL to Milwaukee, WI via I-55, I-294, I-94
- Joliet, IL to Madison, WI via I-39, I-90
- Joliet, IL to Davenport, IA via I-80; Cedar Rapids via I-80 and US-151
- Joliet, IL to Indianapolis, IN via I-80, I-65; Fort Wayne via I-80, I-69
- Joliet, IL to Grand Rapids, MI via I-80, I-94, I-196; Kalamazoo via I-80, I-94
- Joliet, IL to Florence, KY via I-80, I-65, I-74, I-75 (longer selected northern KY destination)
- Receive weekly assignment with trailer number, store sequence, and appointment windows.
- Inspect tractor, trailer, and roller unloading system before departure.
- Drive to the first retail location, check in with receiving, and position the trailer.
- Operate trailer-side rollers to move cartons toward the receiving area and coordinate with store personnel.
- Document the delivery, obtain required proof of delivery, and continue to the next stop on the sequence.
- Complete three to five stops per trailer; typically four trailer assignments and about 16 store deliveries per week.
- Return to the Joliet operating area for the planned weekly 34-hour reset before the next cycle.
About the Carrier
This mid-sized regional carrier runs dedicated retail distribution of packaged grocery products, beverages, paper goods, household consumables, and general merchandise. Freight is consolidated at regional distribution facilities and delivered to grocery stores and other retail locations across the Midwest. Drivers work a fixed customer network using roller-equipped dry vans and multi-stop sequences rather than open-board or spot-market freight.
Job-Specific Training Paid orientation on roller-equipped trailers, multi-stop sequencing, and store receiving procedures
Dispatch Support Dedicated account dispatch familiar with retail appointment windows and delivery exceptions
Equipment & Safety Support Reporting and repair process for roller systems, doors, and unloading components
Working Conditions Sleeper tractors, weekly home-time planning, activity-based pay for unloading and stops
Medical / Dental / Vision Company-sponsored options available to eligible full-time employees
Retirement & PTO 401(k) plan and paid time off according to company policies for eligible drivers
Payroll Weekly direct deposit with itemized mileage and activity pay
- Valid Class A Commercial Driver’s License
- Minimum 6 months of verifiable tractor-trailer experience and recent experience operating 53-foot dry van equipment
- Ability to operate a sleeper tractor on multi-day regional assignments and perform driver-assisted roller unloading at retail stores
- Acceptable Motor Vehicle Record and PSP history under company safety standards
- Valid DOT medical qualification; compliance with DOT drug and alcohol testing and FMCSA Clearinghouse requirements
- Physical ability to stand, walk, bend, reach, and guide carton movement during repeated store deliveries
- Preferred: previous grocery or retail store delivery experience and experience with roller-equipped trailers
- No HazMat, Tanker, or TWIC endorsement required
- Restricted store receiving appointment windows can disrupt the remaining multi-stop sequence if a driver arrives late.
- Morning traffic around Chicago and its suburbs often reduces arrival-time predictability.
- Some retail locations have narrow access roads, limited staging space, or tight backing areas not designed for large tractor-trailers.
- Unloading may take longer when store personnel are unavailable or receiving space is occupied; typical delivery time is 45–120 minutes.
- Damaged rollers, obstructed tracks, or defective doors can halt unloading until maintenance resolves the issue.
- Winter weather across Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana can affect highway travel, appointment schedules, and store access.
1
Application & Screening
Submit application; recruiter reviews Joliet base, weekly home time, pay structure, and unloading requirements.
2
Qualification Review
Verification of CDL, employment history, MVR, PSP, DOT medical, drug testing, and Clearinghouse query.
3
Evaluation & Offer
Road test or equipment evaluation if required; final offer and orientation schedule provided.
4
Orientation & First Dispatch
Paid account-specific training on roller systems and multi-stop procedures; equipment assignment and initial dispatch.
Q: Is this a no-touch freight position? ▼
No. Drivers operate the trailer-side roller system to move cartons toward the designated receiving area and coordinate the process with store personnel. Store employees normally handle merchandise after it reaches the receiving area. The work involves standing, guiding carton flow, and physical activity at each stop; it is not full manual unloading of every individual carton by the driver.
Q: How many days will I be out, and is home time guaranteed? ▼
Drivers generally spend four to five consecutive days on regional assignments before returning to the Joliet area for a planned 34-hour reset. Home weekly is the normal scheduling objective. It does not guarantee a fixed return day (such as every Friday) or every weekend off; exact timing depends on completed deliveries, customer schedules, and the next dispatch cycle.
Q: What does a typical week look like for stops and mileage? ▼
Approximately four completed trailer assignments, about 16 total store deliveries (roughly 12 of which qualify as additional stops beyond the first stop on each trailer), and around 1,000 paid miles. A large share of on-duty time is spent at stores rather than on pure highway driving.
Q: Are any special endorsements required? ▼
No HazMat, Tanker, or TWIC endorsement is required for this position.
The Joliet and greater Chicago area ranks among the more active trucking recruitment markets in the Midwest. Dense clusters of distribution centers, retail warehouses, intermodal terminals, and manufacturing facilities generate steady demand for several CDL-A specialties. Drivers interested in regional retail distribution typically compare dedicated retail and grocery carriers with regional dry-van employers that also offer weekly home time. Many retail accounts structure pay as a combination of mileage plus activity payments for unloading or store stops, so advertised weekly earnings can look different from pure CPM positions. Candidates with intermodal, dedicated warehouse, or conventional regional experience often evaluate these roles for their fixed customer networks and predictable home-time cycles. The principal recruiting filter remains willingness to perform the physical and customer-facing work of repeated store deliveries.
Joliet lies roughly 45 miles southwest of downtown Chicago and sits at the junction of major interstate corridors and extensive rail infrastructure. I-55 and I-80 form the primary axes, with connections to I-94, I-90, I-39, I-65, and I-69 opening efficient routes into Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, and northern Kentucky. The surrounding CenterPoint Intermodal Center and broader Will County logistics network handle large volumes of packaged grocery, beverages, household goods, and general retail merchandise that move from distribution facilities to Midwest stores. Proximity to consumer markets around Chicago, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, and Grand Rapids makes Joliet a practical base for regional multi-stop retail delivery while still supporting weekly home time. The same concentration of freight produces heavy truck traffic, warehouse congestion, restricted delivery access at some stores, and competition for overnight parking.