Intermodal Container CDL-A Driver – Local Routes

A mid-sized Southern California intermodal carrier runs local drayage for import and export freight through one of North America’s busiest container gateways. Drivers complete multiple container transactions each shift supporting logistics parks, transload warehouses, and e-commerce fulfillment centers concentrated in the Inland Empire.

• Perform thorough pre-trip and post-trip inspections of tractors, chassis, lighting, brakes, tires, airlines, and safety equipment
• Complete ingate and outgate procedures, verify container and chassis numbers, seal integrity, and report equipment damage or discrepancies immediately
• Maintain accurate electronic logs, bills of lading, proof of delivery, interchange receipts, and intermodal documentation
• Communicate with local dispatch on appointment updates, traffic delays, terminal congestion, and equipment availability
• Safely couple and uncouple chassis, operate landing gear, back in congested yards, and follow customer-specific dock and safety procedures

Hourly pay with overtime after 40 hours forms the core of the package, supplemented by terminal detention premiums and paid container or chassis activity on qualifying moves.

Maintenance is handled at the San Bernardino facility with contracted roadside support across Southern California. Drivers inspect twist locks, slider positions, lighting, tires, airlines, ABS, landing gear, mud flaps, and brakes before every departure.

Container moves follow vessel activity, terminal releases, and customer appointments rather than fixed loops. Primary corridors run through the San Pedro Bay complex into Inland Empire warehouse clusters.

• Port of Los Angeles / Port of Long Beach pickups to Ontario, Fontana, Rialto, Bloomington, and Redlands distribution centers
• Empty container returns and chassis exchanges between marine terminals, rail facilities, and company-controlled staging areas
• Transload facility moves and temporary staging at approved yards in Ontario, Fontana, and Rialto

• Valid Class A Commercial Driver License (CDL-A); minimum age 21
• Minimum 1 year recent tractor-trailer experience; previous intermodal, container drayage, or port operations preferred (strong local or dry van backgrounds considered)
• Acceptable Motor Vehicle Record with no serious moving violations or preventable major accidents within company guidelines; TWIC preferred (obtainable after hire if required)
• Pass DOT pre-employment drug screen, Clearinghouse query, background review, and DOT physical; ability to operate in congested urban traffic and perform routine chassis inspections

• Marine terminal congestion fluctuates with vessel arrivals, labor activity, customs releases, and gate volumes—peak import periods produce longer queues, temporary chassis shortages, and stack delays
• Heavy commercial traffic on I-710, I-10, SR-60, I-15, and I-110, plus construction or incidents near the ports, regularly affects travel times during morning commute and holiday import surges
• Customer appointment windows and warehouse receiving capacity can force resequencing; adverse weather or reduced visibility may temporarily slow terminal operations

Southern California, particularly the Inland Empire and greater Los Angeles Basin, ranks among the densest CDL-A employment markets in the United States. Local intermodal and drayage positions dominate hiring near the San Pedro Bay ports, while dedicated regional and short-haul van work remains plentiful around the logistics parks of Ontario, Fontana, and Rancho Cucamonga. Port-related container, chassis, and rail intermodal roles create steady year-round demand for drivers comfortable with terminal procedures and urban congestion. E-commerce fulfillment and retail distribution centers further sustain openings for local day-cab operators. Specialized segments such as refrigerated, flatbed, and tanker also maintain consistent recruitment. The concentration of warehousing, transload facilities, and major interstate corridors keeps overall demand for experienced Class A drivers high across most of the year, with seasonal peaks tied to import surges before major retail holidays.

The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach form the largest container gateway in North America, handling a substantial share of U.S. import and export volume. Once containers clear the San Pedro Bay complex, the majority move inland along I-710, I-10, SR-60, and I-15 into the Inland Empire—home to one of the densest concentrations of logistics parks, transload warehouses, and e-commerce fulfillment centers in the country. Ontario, Fontana, Rialto, Bloomington, and Redlands host massive distribution campuses that absorb continuous marine-container traffic. Rail intermodal facilities further interconnect ocean freight with inland destinations. Seasonal import peaks ahead of retail holidays intensify truck volumes, while the sheer scale of regional warehousing and manufacturing keeps baseline demand for container movement consistent throughout the year. Geography and infrastructure therefore create a self-reinforcing freight ecosystem centered on short-haul intermodal and drayage operations.