Regional CDL-A Position Dedicated Retail Account
CDL-A Dedicated Retail Linehaul Truck Driver – Columbus, OH
Hiring Area: Columbus, OH • Terminal: Columbus-area
Columbus, OH Dedicated Account 2021–2025 Mix
Dedicated retail account moving no-touch palletized freight on recurring Midwest lanes from Columbus. Typical weekly gross $1,650–$1,950, annualized range $85,800–$101,400, 2–3 nights out with regular home resets.
Typical Weekly Gross
$1,650–$1,950
Annualized Range: $85,800–$101,400
Sign-On $1,500
Home Time 2–3 nights out / ~2 days home
Miles 2,300–2,650 / week
Freight Dedicated retail / no-touch dry van
Drivers pick up staged or preloaded trailers at Columbus distribution points, complete overnight linehaul runs, meet delivery appointments, and take the next available reload while tracking HOS.
- Verify trailer number, seal, and shipping documents before departure.
- Run planned overnight segments to Midwest distribution centers.
- Complete gate check-in, yard placement, and drop-and-hook or live turns.
- Report arrival, departure, and any detention or seal issues immediately.
- Accept the next reload based on remaining hours and appointment windows.
- Document equipment defects and coordinate roadside repairs when needed.
Weekly gross is built from paid miles at approximately $0.70 CPM plus qualifying accessorials such as detention. Actual earnings move with weekly dispatch volume and documented delays.
Typical Weekly Gross $1,650–$1,950
Annualized Range $85,800–$101,400
Mileage Rate Approx. $0.70 per paid mile
Detention $25/hour after 2 qualifying hours
Sign-On Bonus $500 after 30 days / $500 after 90 days / $500 after 180 days
Payroll Weekly direct deposit
Home Time 2–3 nights out, approximately 2 consecutive days home each week
Operating Pattern Dedicated retail account with recurring Midwest lanes, not a single fixed route
Base Columbus-area terminal or drop yard
Weekly Miles 2,300–2,650 paid miles
Dispatch Predominantly evening and night departures, 4–5 operating days
Tractors Freightliner Cascadia and Volvo VNL
Model Years 2021–2025 mix with some older well-maintained units
Transmission Automatic
Trailers 53-ft dry van, generally 2019–2025
Safety Systems ELD, electronic DVIR, forward-facing dash camera, collision mitigation, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise on selected units
Sleeper tractors for overnight work. Assigned tractor when available; temporary slip-seat or tractor changes occur during maintenance or peak equipment balancing. Preventive maintenance is handled through the regional terminal network.
Palletized household merchandise, apparel, consumer products, and seasonal retail inventory move between distribution centers, cross-docks, and vendor facilities. Freight is predominantly no-touch.
- Typical lanes may include Columbus, OH → Indianapolis, IN
- Columbus, OH → Cincinnati, OH
- Columbus, OH → Cleveland, OH
- Columbus, OH → Louisville, KY
- Columbus, OH → Detroit, MI
- Columbus, OH → Chicago, IL
- Columbus, OH → Pittsburgh, PA
- Columbus, OH → Fort Wayne, IN
Primary corridors are I-70, I-71, I-75, I-65, I-69 and I-80/90. Return freights commonly reload in the destination market or nearby logistics parks. Sequence changes with trailer readiness and appointment windows. Drop-and-hook is favored at high-volume DCs (roughly 55–65 %); live turns make up the rest.
- First trailer is assigned from the Columbus terminal, a drop yard, or a customer facility.
- Evening or night departure is timed to the next receiving window.
- After delivery, dispatch reviews remaining HOS and available reloads.
- Gate check-in, seal verification, and yard placement precede the drop or live activity.
- BOL or electronic confirmation closes the stop; delays are reported immediately.
- Overnight parking is planned near the destination market when customer yards are unavailable.
- 34-hour reset normally returns the driver to the Columbus-area home or terminal location.
About the Carrier
This mid-sized regional carrier operates a dedicated retail account centered on Columbus. Outbound freight is planned from Central Ohio distribution facilities; backhauls are matched from Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Louisville, Detroit, Chicago, Pittsburgh and other Midwest markets. The network runs on recurring lanes rather than a single fixed route, using I-70, I-71 and connecting corridors for 2–3 night cycles that return drivers to Columbus for weekly resets. Trailer availability, appointment windows and seasonal volume dictate daily sequence changes while the focus remains on keeping the retail trailer cycle moving.
Health Coverage Medical, dental and vision options for eligible full-time drivers
Retirement 401(k) with company contribution after eligibility
Orientation Paid orientation and onboarding
Support Items Paid DOT physical renewal, safety equipment replacement, seasonal winter-driving refresher, retail DC orientation
Rider Policy Available subject to company rules and account restrictions
- Valid CDL Class A license
- Approximately 6 months recent tractor-trailer experience preferred; recent graduates considered if safety standards are met
- Acceptable MVR and verifiable employment history
- Must meet FMCSA/DOT physical and drug/alcohol testing requirements
- Able to operate safely during evening and nighttime hours and back 53-ft trailers in busy yards
- Comfortable with ELD, electronic inspections and standard dispatch tools
- Weekday congestion on I-270, I-70 and I-71 around Columbus can push ETAs.
- Live facilities may require 1–2 hours or longer during Monday or pre-holiday receiving.
- Winter weather and construction on major interstates force alternate routing.
- Trailer availability or late releases at DCs can create short waits or repositioning moves.
- Peak retail periods tighten appointment windows and increase yard congestion.
1
Recruiter Call
Usually within one business day
2
Screening
CDL, MVR, employment history, DOT drug screen, Clearinghouse
3
Conditional Offer
After core checks complete
4
Paid Orientation
Columbus terminal — policies, ELD, customer procedures
Q: Which Midwest states are most common from the Columbus terminal? ▼
Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Illinois and Pennsylvania appear regularly alongside Ohio destinations. Exact mix changes with trailer and appointment needs.
Q: Does the account usually run I-70 and I-71 corridors overnight? ▼
Yes. Most outbound and return moves use I-70, I-71 and connecting interstates for evening and night departures timed to DC receiving windows.
Q: How often does a Columbus driver return for a 34-hour reset? ▼
The normal pattern is a weekly return to the Columbus-area home or terminal location for approximately two consecutive days. A fourth night out can occur during peak volume.
Q: What is the typical drop-and-hook versus live mix? ▼
Roughly 55–65 percent of stops are drop-and-hook when preloaded trailers are staged. The remainder involve live load or unload.
Q: Where do drivers park overnight away from Columbus? ▼
Parking is planned near the delivery or reload market. Customer yards and approved carrier locations are preferred; commercial truck stops are used when needed.
Q: How are seal discrepancies handled? ▼
Seal numbers must match dispatch documentation before departure and again at receipt. Any mismatch is reported before the trailer is moved.
Columbus maintains a deep CDL-A labor market fed by LTL carriers, dedicated fleets, national dry-van operators, parcel contractors and regional linehaul accounts. Experienced drivers with clean records and recent tractor-trailer time stay in demand because nighttime schedules, appointment discipline and yard work require proven skill. Local, regional and dedicated positions compete for the same pool, while intermodal activity around Rickenbacker adds further options. Demand remains relatively steady through the year because warehouse, retail and manufacturing freight move continuously. Drivers comfortable with overnight regional cycles find the broadest set of openings in Central Ohio.
Central Ohio sits at the junction of I-70, I-71 and I-270, giving direct access to Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Louisville, Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago and Pittsburgh. The Rickenbacker area combines cargo-airport activity with Norfolk Southern intermodal operations that recorded 335,607 verified lifts in 2025 and is expanding capacity. Surrounding warehouse, fulfillment and manufacturing zones generate steady palletized consumer and general merchandise freight. Retail volume rises ahead of major shopping seasons, especially late summer through the holidays, tightening trailer turns and appointment windows. Interstate connectivity, intermodal capacity and dense distribution activity keep dry-van linehaul freight moving through the metro year-round.