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Regional Flatbed Position Building Materials

CDL-A Flatbed Building Materials Driver

Hiring Area: Denver Metro • Terminal: Denver, CO

Denver, CO Regional 2020–2024 Tractors

Haul dimensional lumber, drywall, roofing and steel framing on Front Range flatbed runs with $1,650–$1,900 weekly gross pay, typical annualized gross of roughly $92,300, and home most weekends after 1–3 overnights.

Typical Weekly Gross
$1,650–$1,900
Typical Annualized Gross: $92,300
Sign-On Bonus Up to $2,000
Home Time Most Weekends
Driver Type Company Driver
Weekly Miles 2,500–2,600
Freight Type Building Materials

Position Overview

Construction-product flatbed work moves lumber, engineered wood, drywall, roofing, steel framing and rebar from supplier yards to contractor sites and lumber yards across the Front Range.

  • Secures loads with chains, binders, straps and edge protectors after forklift placement.
  • Coordinates crane or telehandler unloading at active construction sites.
  • Completes BOL, POD and customer documentation at each stop.
  • Performs en-route securement checks and adjusts tension when weather shifts.
  • Reports trailer defects and worn securement gear before next dispatch.
  • Manages appointment windows and communicates delays to dispatch.

Pay & Compensation Breakdown

Mileage pay sits at $0.64–$0.70 CPM on normal regional miles. Base mileage earnings are approximately $1,600–$1,820 at 2,500–2,600 paid miles, with tarp, detention and other qualifying activity pay contributing to the stated weekly gross range.

Weekly Gross Range $1,650–$1,900
Typical Weekly $1,775
Typical Annualized Gross $92,300
Annualized Range $85,800–$98,800
CPM $0.64–$0.70
Tarp Pay $25 per qualifying load
Detention $25/hour after 2 hours
Sign-On Bonus Up to $2,000 (staged 30/90/180/270 days)

Schedule, Home Time & Routes

Home Time Most weekends
Overnights 1–3 per normal week
Workweek 5-day regional
Operating Area Front Range, S. Wyoming, selected N. New Mexico
Weekly Miles 2,500–2,600 paid
Dispatch Window Approx. 4:00–7:00 AM

Equipment & Cabin Specs

Primary Tractors Peterbilt 579 (2021–2024), Kenworth T680 (2020–2024)
Typical Configuration Sleeper tractors for multi-day regional runs
Transmission Primarily automated manual
Safety Systems Air-ride, engine brake, adaptive cruise, collision mitigation, lane-departure, forward dash cams
Trailers 48-ft & 53-ft flatbeds, step-decks (4–8 years typical)
Securement Gear Company-supplied chains, binders, straps, edge protectors, tarp systems
ELD Modern electronic logging platform
Assignment Assigned when utilization allows; occasional slip-seat

Mixed sleeper fleet with limited older units kept after inspection. Maintenance handled through company shops and approved regional vendors.

Real Routes

Outbound loads leave supplier yards and manufacturing sites around Denver, Aurora and Commerce City; reloads come from the same construction network.

  • Denver to Colorado Springs via I-25 for lumber, drywall and roofing.
  • Denver to Pueblo via I-25; longer runs often produce an overnight.
  • Denver to Fort Collins or Greeley on I-25 / I-76 / US-85 corridors.
  • Denver to Cheyenne or Laramie via I-25 and I-80 for Wyoming building products.
  • Selected Grand Junction movements west on I-70 when freight is available.
  • Return movements northbound from Colorado Springs or Pueblo into the Denver metro.
  • Reload points include Brighton, Henderson, Aurora and northern Front Range yards.

Typical Week & Daily Workflow

  • Pre-trip and securement-equipment check between 4:30–5:00 AM.
  • Travel to supplier yard, gate check-in and live loading.
  • Driver securement, weight placement check, documentation and departure.
  • Regional linehaul followed by delivery coordination and POD.
  • Afternoon reload or reposition depending on available freight and HOS.
  • Overnight parking near next-day early appointment when required.
  • Mix of roughly 65 % live load/unload and 35 % drop or staged trailer.

About the Carrier

Construction supply networks along the Colorado Front Range depend on regular flatbed movements that keep lumber yards, contractor facilities and active job sites stocked with dimensional lumber, engineered wood, drywall, roofing and steel products. A mid-sized regional carrier established in 2014 operates 90–120 power units focused exclusively on these construction-related lanes. The operation sits between a small local fleet and a large national carrier, serving building-material distributors, lumber wholesalers, roofing suppliers, manufacturers and commercial construction customers across the Front Range, southern Wyoming and selected northern New Mexico markets. Freight volume rises with spring and summer building activity and eases in slower periods, requiring flexible reload planning rather than fixed dedicated lanes.

Benefits & Healthcare Coverage

Health Coverage Medical, dental, vision options
Retirement 401(k) with company contribution
Paid Time Off Paid vacation and paid holidays
Life Insurance Company-paid basic life
Additional Support Paid orientation, securement training, roadside assistance, 24/7 ops, referral incentive, paid DOT physical renewal

Driver Qualification Requirements

  • Valid Class A CDL
  • 12+ months recent CDL-A experience; 6 months verifiable flatbed preferred
  • Acceptable MVR and PSP history (individual review)
  • Current DOT Medical Examiner’s Certificate
  • Ability to climb, handle chains/straps/tarps and work outdoors in all weather
  • No HazMat endorsement required for standard building-materials freight

Operational Delays

  • Morning congestion on I-25, I-70 and the northeast industrial corridor.
  • Active CDOT projects and I-70 Floyd Hill construction impacts through 2026.
  • Material not staged or crane/forklift occupied at supplier or job site.
  • Construction site not ready to receive the load.
  • Snow, wind or freezing conditions slowing securement and unloading.
  • Tighter trailer availability during spring/summer construction peaks.

Hiring Process

1
Application
Submit CDL and employment history
2
Recruiter Screen
Phone review of schedule and experience
3
Qualification
MVR, PSP, Clearinghouse, drug screen
4
Orientation & Dispatch
Paid orientation then first load

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How often are loads tarped? ▼
Tarping is required when the product or customer specifies weather protection. Typical activity runs about two qualifying loads per week.
Q: Are construction-site deliveries common? ▼
Yes. Many deliveries go directly to active commercial or residential sites where the driver coordinates with crane or telehandler operators.
Q: What happens if a job site is not ready? ▼
The driver notifies dispatch with actual arrival and wait time. Detention applies after two hours of customer waiting.
Q: Is weekend work required? ▼
Weekend work can occur during peak construction periods but is not the standard five-day schedule.
Q: How is parking handled on multi-day runs? ▼
Drivers use company terminal space, approved customer yards, designated corridor parking or commercial truck stops. Early planning is required near the metro and on I-70.
Q: Will I receive additional flatbed training? ▼
Orientation covers chain selection, strap placement, edge protection, tarping and construction-site positioning. Drivers with limited recent flatbed time may receive supervised training.
Q: Are loads fixed dedicated lanes? ▼
No. Dispatch adjusts sequence daily according to customer appointments, material availability and reload options.
Q: What type of building materials are hauled? ▼
Lumber, engineered wood, drywall, roofing products, steel framing and related construction materials.
Q: How much overnight travel is typical? ▼
Most regional weeks involve approximately 1–3 overnight periods, with drivers generally home most weekends.
Q: Is flatbed experience required? ▼
Recent flatbed experience is preferred, while drivers with limited recent open-deck experience may receive additional securement training.
Q: How much can a driver make per week? ▼
Typical weekly gross earnings are approximately $1,650–$1,900, depending on miles, tarp work, detention and other qualifying activity pay.

CDL Job Market

Denver ranks among the stronger CDL-A hiring markets in the Mountain West. The Denver-Aurora-Lakewood metro employs roughly 15,760 heavy and tractor-trailer drivers, with average wages near $28.72 per hour according to the latest OEWS release. Demand is driven by distribution warehouses, private fleets, LTL operations, construction-material carriers and national flatbed companies. Flatbed and specialized open-deck work form a distinct segment because of securement skill requirements and Colorado weather exposure. Experienced drivers comfortable with customer-site deliveries remain harder to replace than general dry-van operators. Regional and local positions dominate hiring, while OTR opportunities also circulate through the same labor pool. Construction cycles and ongoing highway projects keep year-round pressure on the driver supply, especially for candidates who already understand chains, tarps and mountain grades.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS; Denver-area industrial market data.

Location & Freight Market

Denver functions as the primary freight gateway between Front Range population centers and the Rocky Mountain region. More than 290 million square feet of industrial inventory is concentrated in the metro, with the Northeast/Airport submarket holding the largest share. Building-product distribution, lumber yards, manufacturing facilities and contractor supply chains generate steady outbound movements of dimensional lumber, panels, drywall, roofing and steel. I-25 serves as the north-south spine linking Fort Collins, Greeley, Colorado Springs and Pueblo, while I-70 carries east-west and mountain freight. Aurora’s I-70 industrial corridor alone contains roughly 40 million square feet of logistics and manufacturing space. Seasonal construction activity peaks in spring and summer, increasing demand for flatbed capacity, then moderates in winter when weather and project schedules slow. Ongoing CDOT work along I-25 and the I-70 Floyd Hill corridor continues to influence routing and transit times through 2026, reinforcing the need for flexible regional capacity that can respond to both scheduled and last-minute job-site deliveries.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS; Denver-area industrial market data.

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