Local CDL-A Position Full-Time Company Driver

CDL-A Warehouse Shuttle Driver — Joliet, IL

Hiring Area: Joliet industrial corridor • Reporting Yard: Joliet, Illinois

Joliet, IL Warehouse Shuttle Day-Cab Tractors

Short-haul trailer repositioning across the Joliet–Elwood warehouse network pays $1,500–$1,650 typical weekly gross with daily home time and a consistent early weekday schedule.

Typical Weekly Gross
$1,500–$1,650
Estimated Annual: $81,500
Sign-On Bonus $750
Home Time Daily
Driver Type Company Driver
Weekly Miles Local 5–25 mile runs
Freight Type Palletized dry freight

Position Overview

Precision trailer control inside active warehouse yards defines the daily work more than highway miles.

  • Completes 8–14 drop-and-hook exchanges in a typical shift.
  • Performs full coupling checks including fifth-wheel, landing gear, air and electrical lines.
  • Inspects trailer lights, tires and visible damage before every move.
  • Confirms dock release status and seal condition when required by facility rules.
  • Reports missing, misidentified or incorrectly staged trailers to local dispatch immediately.
  • Follows yard check-in and check-out procedures at each facility gate.
  • Coordinates tightly with shipping and receiving personnel on live dock positioning when needed.

Pay & Compensation Breakdown

Pay follows a straight hourly model. Forty regular hours plus five overtime hours at time-and-a-half produce the typical weekly total; shorter or longer weeks shift the number according to warehouse volume and occasional Saturday coverage.

Regular Rate $33.00 per hour
Overtime Rate $49.50 per hour after 40
Typical Paid Hours Approximately 45 per week
Typical Weekly Gross $1,500–$1,650
Estimated Annual Gross Approximately $81,500
Sign-On Bonus $750 paid in two installments ($375 at 30 days, $375 at 90 days)

Schedule, Home Time & Routes

Home Time Daily return to the same Joliet yard
Shift 5:00 AM–2:30 PM with 30-minute unpaid meal break
Workdays Monday–Friday; occasional Saturday paid at the same hourly rates plus overtime rules
Operating Network Joliet–Elwood warehouse cluster and nearby distribution corridors
Reporting Location Designated Joliet operating yard

Equipment & Cabin Specs

Tractors Freightliner Cascadia day cabs (2021–2025) and Kenworth T680 day cabs (2020–2024)
Transmission Automatic on most assigned units
Trailers 53-ft dry vans (primarily 2019–2025); occasional 48-ft units
Safety Features Collision mitigation and lane-departure systems; backup cameras on selected tractors only
Assignment Tractors shared across shifts according to maintenance and coverage needs

Electronic logging, GPS tracking and electronic movement confirmation are standard. Drivers inspect and report defects before the next assignment.

Real Routes

Most activity stays inside the Joliet–Elwood logistics cluster that surrounds the CenterPoint Intermodal Center. Off-site transfers remain short and serve specific warehouse or overflow needs rather than a fixed multi-stop route.

  • Primary moves between Joliet yard facilities and Elwood distribution buildings
  • Transfers supporting CenterPoint Intermodal related warehouses
  • Short runs into the Plainfield–Romeoville distribution corridor
  • Repositioning to Bolingbrook warehouse locations when capacity requires
  • Occasional overflow staging in Lockport and Shorewood industrial areas
  • Typical off-site distance 5–25 miles; majority of exchanges stay on-campus or between adjacent staging rows

Typical Week & Daily Workflow

  • Shift opens with pre-trip inspection and the first set of trailer numbers from local dispatch.
  • Early hours focus on placing empties at outbound doors and pulling released loads.
  • Mid-shift volume rises as receiving and shipping windows overlap, producing 3–6 short off-site transfers mixed with on-yard moves.
  • Drivers wait at docks only when a live placement is required; most exchanges remain drop-and-hook.
  • Afternoon work clears staging rows and positions equipment for the next day’s shipping plan.
  • Friday often includes extra overflow repositioning before the weekend; Saturday coverage appears only when warehouse volume demands it.

About the Carrier

Continuous trailer flow between distribution buildings, staging yards and overflow lots keeps large warehouse networks operating on schedule. Short-haul shuttle capacity supplies that flow without long-haul transit. This operation concentrates on dry-van exchanges inside the Joliet–Elwood logistics cluster, supporting receiving windows, outbound preparation and temporary overflow parking. Accuracy in trailer identification, disciplined coupling and close coordination with facility staff form the core of the service rather than accumulated highway miles.

Benefits & Healthcare Coverage

Medical, Dental & Vision Coverage options available to eligible full-time employees
Retirement 401(k) plan
Paid Time Off PTO and applicable paid holidays
Onboarding Paid facility-specific orientation and yard familiarization
Schedule Advantages Consistent weekday shifts, daily return to the same yard, no routine overnight dispatch, no driver unloading or forklift work

Driver Qualification Requirements

  • Valid Class A CDL
  • Minimum 6 months verifiable recent tractor-trailer experience
  • Recent experience operating 48-ft or 53-ft dry vans with safe backing and coupling
  • Ability to work safely around active warehouse yards, forklifts and other commercial traffic
  • Satisfactory MVR and employment safety history
  • Current DOT medical card; must pass pre-employment drug and alcohol testing plus Clearinghouse query
  • Availability for early-morning shifts and occasional Saturday coverage

Operational Delays

  • Dock release delays and incomplete shipping paperwork
  • Occupied staging spaces during simultaneous door activity
  • Temporary shortages of empty trailers
  • Gate congestion and last-minute priority changes from warehouse staff
  • Traffic on I-55, I-80 and major warehouse access roads
  • Reduced traction and longer coupling times in winter weather

Hiring Process

1
Application
Submit CDL and recent driving history
2
Phone Screen
Review experience and schedule fit
3
Safety Checks
MVR, Clearinghouse, drug test
4
Road Test & Start
Equipment evaluation then paid orientation

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How many trailer moves occur in a normal shift? ▼
Typical volume runs 8–14 exchanges. Three to six of those are usually short off-site transfers; the rest stay inside the yard or between adjacent staging areas.
Q: Are live loads common? ▼
Drop-and-hook is the standard method. Live dock positioning happens only when a facility specifically requires it; drivers never unload freight or run forklifts.
Q: Do I take the tractor home? ▼
No. Every tractor returns to the designated Joliet yard or an approved customer parking spot at the end of the shift.
Q: What special endorsements are required? ▼
None. The assignment uses standard dry vans and does not require HazMat, Tanker, Doubles/Triples or TWIC.
Q: How are wrong or missing trailers handled? ▼
Drivers compare the physical trailer number against the dispatch assignment and confirm release status before moving anything. Any discrepancy is reported to the local coordinator at once.
Q: Does the volume change with the calendar? ▼
Pre-holiday retail shipping increases the number of exchanges. January and February usually shift toward returns and replenishment moves.

CDL Job Market

The Chicago-area logistics cluster keeps a steady inventory of CDL-A openings across local shuttle, dedicated distribution, intermodal, LTL and regional dry-van work. Warehouse and manufacturing facilities generate consistent demand for drivers who can handle repeated coupling and congested yards. Intermodal terminals add further short-haul volume. Hiring activity and available shifts still vary with individual warehouse contracts, overall freight volume and seasonal shipping cycles. Specialized tanker or HazMat roles appear regularly but carry extra endorsement requirements. Drivers who prefer predictable weekday schedules and daily home time find the densest set of options inside the Joliet–Elwood distribution corridor.

Location & Freight Market

Joliet anchors one of the largest inland logistics concentrations in the Midwest. The CenterPoint Intermodal Center stretching across Joliet and Elwood links directly to Union Pacific Global IV and BNSF Logistics Park Chicago, producing continuous rail-to-truck transfer demand. I-55 and I-80 form the primary high-capacity corridors that connect local warehouses to the rest of the region. Distribution centers, manufacturing plants and wholesale operations generate daily trailer movements between buildings, staging yards and overflow lots. Retail inventory cycles create seasonal peaks; industrial and packaging freight supply the baseline volume. Adjacent communities—Plainfield, Romeoville, Bolingbrook, Lockport and Shorewood—add further warehouse density. The compact geography allows short-haul shuttle work to absorb most local trailer repositioning without long interstate hauls.

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