Local CDL-A Position Dedicated Grocery
CDL-A Grocery Distribution Driver
Hiring Area: Denver Metro • Terminal: Denver-area warehouse
Denver, CO Local Dedicated 2020–2025 Equipment
Early-morning dedicated grocery runs haul refrigerated and frozen products from a Denver warehouse to Front Range retail docks, earning $1,600–$1,800 weekly with daily home returns.
Weekly Gross
$1,600–$1,800
Estimated Annual Gross: $83,200–$93,600
Sign-On Bonus Up to $1,000
Home Time Home Daily
Driver Type Company Driver
Weekly Miles 800–1,300
Freight Type Refrigerated Grocery
Appointment-driven grocery deliveries require managing product temperature, stop sequence, and store receiving windows across the Front Range.
- Confirm reefer setpoint and temperature before leaving the warehouse.
- Work multiple store stops while protecting cold-chain integrity.
- Handle pallet exchanges with electric pallet jack when required.
- Separate and document rejected or damaged merchandise on site.
- Update dispatch promptly when dock or traffic delays appear.
- Close out ELD, temperature, and delivery records at shift end.
Base hourly rate applies to driving, dock time, and store work. Overtime at 1.5× begins after 40 hours. Typical weekly gross of $1,600–$1,800 reflects scheduled hours, route volume, and qualifying overtime rather than a fixed guarantee.
Base Hourly Rate $29–$32/hr
Typical Weekly Gross $1,600–$1,800
Estimated Annual Gross $83,200–$93,600
Sign-On Bonus Up to $1,000 ($500 after 30 days / $500 after 90 days)
Extra Stop Pay Paid when stops exceed standard route structure
Detention / Reefer Delay Paid when waiting exceeds carrier threshold
Home Time Home Daily
Workweek Five days with rotating weekend coverage
Dispatch Window 2:00 AM–6:00 AM
Shift Length 10–12 hours
Weekly Hours Approximately 50–55
Weekly Miles 800–1,300 (secondary to paid hours on this hourly local role)
Operating Area Denver metro and Front Range
Tractors Freightliner Cascadia day cabs (2021–2025), International LT (2020–2024)
Transmission Primarily automatic
Trailers 48' and 53' refrigerated, standard and multi-temperature
Trailer Age Approximately 3–8 years
Safety Features Forward-facing cameras, collision warning, lane-departure alerts, adaptive cruise on newer units
Assignment Assigned when available; temporary slip-seat during maintenance or coverage changes
Reefer trailers carry temperature monitoring, standard controls, interior lighting, and electronic temperature records. Electronic logging and onboard communication are standard. Denver-area maintenance plus approved regional providers handle preventive service and roadside issues.
Temperature-controlled dairy, produce, packaged foods, beverages, meat, frozen items, and prepared grocery products leave the Denver distribution center for retail receiving locations under fixed appointment windows.
- Denver DC → Aurora via I-25 / I-225 / E-470
- Denver DC → Parker via I-25 / E-470
- Denver DC → Lakewood via I-70 / C-470
- Denver DC → Golden via I-70
- Denver DC → Westminster / Broomfield via US-36
- Denver DC → Thornton via I-25; Brighton via I-76 / US-85
- Selected extended runs to Castle Rock or Colorado Springs on I-25
- Start at the Denver-area warehouse with pre-trip and reefer verification.
- Receive trailer number, load confirmation, and planned stop sequence.
- Depart for the first early-morning store receiving window.
- Move through successive retail stops performing pallet work and paperwork.
- Alert dispatch early so later stops can be resequenced if needed.
- Return empty pallets, rejected product, or transfer freight to the DC.
- Stage the trailer, finish documentation, and park the tractor at terminal.
About the Carrier
Scheduled grocery replenishment across the Front Range depends on dedicated refrigerated capacity that connects regional distribution warehouses with supermarket and neighborhood store docks. Temperature-controlled dairy, produce, frozen foods, beverages, and packaged inventory move under tight receiving windows rather than long-haul interstate schedules. A regional refrigerated operation founded in 2013 maintains approximately 95 power units focused on this Colorado market, with Denver serving as the primary transportation base. Local dispatch, safety, and maintenance teams coordinate equipment and routes so store appointments remain protected throughout the metro and surrounding Front Range communities.
Health Coverage Medical, dental, and vision options for eligible full-time employees
Retirement 401(k) with company participation
Paid Time Off Paid vacation after eligibility requirements; paid holidays per policy
Training Paid orientation, reefer temperature training, pallet-jack safety, grocery receiving instruction
Additional Support Terminal parking, uniform or apparel support, paid DOT physical renewal, ongoing safety program
- Valid Class A CDL and current DOT medical card
- 12 months recent tractor-trailer experience preferred
- Acceptable MVR meeting carrier insurance standards
- Ability to operate electric pallet jack and work outdoor receiving areas
- No HazMat or tanker endorsement required
- Peak congestion on I-25, I-70, US-36, and E-470
- Construction or incident slowdowns on Front Range corridors
- Store dock congestion ahead of weekends and holidays
- Snow, ice, or freezing conditions near foothills and I-70
- Seasonal volume increases that raise pallet counts and stop density
- Reefer temperature issues after loading that require maintenance support
1
Application
Online application and recruiter phone screen
2
Verification
CDL, MVR, employment, background, Clearinghouse
3
Orientation
Paid 1–2 day orientation and account training
4
First Dispatch
Independent route within 3–7 business days
Q: Do drivers unload product at every stop? ▼
Yes. Most routes require operating an electric pallet jack or hand truck and assisting with palletized freight into store receiving areas.
Q: How many stops are typical on a route? ▼
Six to ten store stops is common. Pallet volume and geography can push the count higher or lower on any given day.
Q: Is previous reefer experience mandatory? ▼
Helpful but not required. Temperature procedures, cold-chain practices, and trailer monitoring are covered during paid orientation.
Q: Will I work weekends? ▼
Rotating weekend coverage is part of the schedule because grocery stores receive freight seven days a week. No single driver is assigned every weekend.
Q: What if the first delivery runs late? ▼
Notify dispatch early. Later appointments can often be resequenced when customer windows allow flexibility.
Q: Are loaded trailers taken home? ▼
No. Trailers stay at the terminal or designated staging area unless operations specifically authorizes otherwise.
Q: Is this an hourly or mileage-based position? ▼
Hourly. Multi-stop delivery, dock time, and urban traffic are paid by the hour, with overtime after 40 hours.
Q: What equipment will I operate day-to-day? ▼
Day-cab tractors paired with 48- or 53-foot refrigerated trailers. Most units are automatic and equipped with electronic logging.
Denver’s CDL-A market draws steady demand from grocery warehouses, food wholesalers, beverage distributors, LTL terminals, manufacturing plants, and regional carriers. Local dedicated and refrigerated positions remain active year-round because retail and foodservice supply chains require daily replenishment. Drivers who handle early starts, multi-stop urban work, temperature-controlled freight, and customer interaction stay in demand. National fleets and mid-sized regional operators compete for experienced talent, while the concentration of distribution centers along the Front Range keeps openings consistent across grocery, foodservice, and general freight segments.
Denver functions as the primary distribution hub for Colorado’s Front Range. Grocery, dairy, produce, frozen foods, and beverages move through warehouse and cold-storage facilities positioned along I-25, I-70, I-76, I-270, and E-470. The eastern metro—Aurora, Commerce City, Henderson, Brighton, and the DIA logistics corridor—offers direct access to major distribution infrastructure. Retail replenishment generates daily multi-stop movements from these centers to stores stretching from Fort Collins south toward Colorado Springs. Appointment windows, seasonal volume shifts, and weather on mountain-adjacent corridors shape daily operations. Population density, retail demand, and interstate connectivity keep temperature-controlled freight flowing steadily through the region.
