Dedicated Regional Automotive Parts Shuttle
CDL-A Automotive Parts Driver — Joliet, IL | Home Weekly
Hiring Area: Joliet & surrounding Will County / Chicagoland • Terminal: Joliet-area operating location
Joliet, IL Dedicated Regional 2021–2025 Day Cabs & Sleepers
Time-sensitive automotive parts shuttle out of Joliet serving Midwest supplier and production facilities. Earn $1,450–$1,700 weekly on an hourly-plus-overtime model with home weekly and regular 1–2 night regional runs.
Weekly Gross Range
$1,450–$1,700
Estimated Annual: $83,200
Base Hourly $32/hr
Home Time Home Weekly
Driver Type Company Driver
Typical Hours 42–48 / week
Freight Type Automotive Parts
Production-sensitive parts move between supplier plants, cross-docks, distribution centers and manufacturing customers on a recurring Midwest network.
- Protect scheduled delivery windows that support active production lines.
- Perform both drop-and-hook exchanges and live trailer work at customer yards.
- Stay in direct contact with dispatch when traffic or loading times shift ETAs.
- Verify seals, trailer numbers and complete POD documentation at each stop.
- Reposition empty equipment when a loaded backhaul is not immediately available.
- Report any equipment defects before departure so appointments stay protected.
Compensation is built on a clear hourly foundation with overtime and a dedicated-account premium that together support the advertised weekly range.
Base Hourly Rate $32.00 / hour
Overtime Rate $48.00 / hour after 40 hours
Account Premium Dedicated automotive account premium
Typical Weekly Gross Approximately $1,600
Advertised Weekly Range $1,450–$1,700
Estimated Annual $83,200
Home Time Home weekly with regular 1–2 night runs
Typical On-Duty Hours 42–48 hours per week
Operating Corridor Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa & nearby Midwest
Home Terminal Joliet-area operating location
Typical Weekly Miles 1,500–2,100 (secondary to appointment needs)
Model Years Primarily 2021–2025 (some older maintained units)
Tractor Options Freightliner Cascadia & Kenworth T680
Cab Configurations Day cabs for short cycles / short-sleepers for overnight runs
Transmission & Ride Automatic transmissions, air-ride suspension
Safety Systems Forward-facing cameras, collision mitigation, lane-departure alerts, adaptive cruise
53-ft dry vans (generally 2019–2025) carry logistics posts, load bars and seals. Electronic logging and onboard communication are standard; electronic trailer tracking is present on many units. Temporary slip-seating occurs only during maintenance or coverage needs.
Loads consist of automotive replacement parts, packaged components, engine and drivetrain pieces, suspension and chassis parts, electrical components, service parts, returnable containers and production-support materials—primarily palletized dry freight.
- Joliet outbound to Indianapolis and surrounding Indiana supplier network
- Fort Wayne and northern Indiana industrial destinations
- Detroit-area manufacturing and parts facilities
- Grand Rapids and western Michigan production customers
- Milwaukee and Madison Wisconsin distribution points
- Cedar Rapids and eastern Iowa industrial freight
- Columbus, Ohio and Louisville, Kentucky longer regional turns
- Daily load sequence is set by production needs and available trailers.
- Gate check-in includes appointment verification, trailer confirmation and seal check.
- Trailer is spotted at the assigned dock or staging area for drop-and-hook or live work.
- Paperwork and POD are completed after unload or trailer exchange.
- Any delay past the detention threshold is reported immediately to dispatch.
- Cycle ends at the Joliet terminal or an approved customer drop yard before home time.
About the Carrier
Midwest manufacturing depends on reliable inbound flow of automotive components and service parts. Dedicated regional operators meet that demand by running appointment-driven shuttle networks linking supplier facilities, cross-docks and production plants instead of random long-haul freight. The focus stays on protecting delivery windows that keep assembly lines moving. Drivers follow a predictable regional pattern with recurring customers rather than open OTR dispatch. Communication between operations and the driver is tighter than standard dry-van work because a missed appointment can affect production schedules. Maintenance and equipment decisions prioritize appointment integrity over pure mileage accumulation.
Benefits vary by carrier and employment package. Confirm medical, dental, vision, retirement, PTO and other coverage details during the recruiting process.
- Valid Class A CDL
- Prior regional or dedicated experience preferred
- Clean MVR and consistent attendance history
- Ability to operate 53-ft dry vans and perform drop-and-hook
- Comfortable with overnight regional schedules and appointment freight
- DOT-compliant record and ability to meet Clearinghouse / drug-screen requirements
- Chicago metro congestion and ongoing interstate construction
- Winter weather across Midwest corridors
- Customer gate queues and yard congestion during peak periods
- Morning receiving windows and shift-change slowdowns
- End-of-week shipping volume spikes
- Live-load waits that occasionally exceed one hour
1
Apply
Submit application online or by phone
2
Review
MVR and experience screening
3
Interview
Account and schedule discussion
4
Onboard
Orientation and equipment assignment
Q: How much of the work is drop-and-hook versus live loading? ▼
A substantial share of the account operates drop-and-hook where customer yards maintain trailer pools. Live loading or unloading still occurs when freight is not preloaded or a specific trailer is required.
Q: Do the daily destinations stay the same each week? ▼
Customer facilities recur, but the exact sequence changes with production schedules, inventory levels and trailer availability. One week may emphasize Indiana and Michigan; another may focus more on Wisconsin or Iowa.
Q: What happens when a customer delay risks missing the next appointment? ▼
Drivers contact dispatch right away and keep accurate arrival, dock and release times. Operations manages any detention claim with the customer; the driver does not negotiate at the dock.
Q: Will every week end back at the Joliet terminal? ▼
Most regional cycles return to the Joliet-area terminal. Some assignments may finish at a customer yard or approved drop location before the driver heads home.
Q: How are empty trailers handled between loads? ▼
Empty equipment is not always waiting at every customer. Drivers may reposition an empty trailer before receiving the next loaded assignment.
Q: How much physical loading or unloading does the driver perform? ▼
Most freight is palletized and handled by customer or warehouse personnel. The driver’s primary responsibilities are accurate trailer positioning, seal control and paperwork rather than manual freight handling.
Joliet and the broader Will County / Chicagoland corridor form one of the most active trucking labor markets in the Midwest. National fleets, dedicated-contract operators, LTL carriers, intermodal companies and regional outfits all recruit from the same pool of CDL-A drivers. Transportation and material-moving occupations represent a significant share of local employment. Dedicated and regional positions commonly compete on weekly earning potential, home-time predictability and account stability rather than mileage alone. Drivers who already understand appointment freight, customer yards and Chicago-area traffic remain in consistent demand because production-sensitive accounts require reliable on-time performance. The concentration of warehouses, intermodal facilities and industrial parks along the I-55 and I-80 corridors keeps hiring active throughout the year.
Joliet operates as a major inland logistics hub centered on the I-55 and I-80 junction. Large industrial and distribution developments, including the CenterPoint Intermodal Center with BNSF Logistics Park Chicago and Union Pacific’s Global IV facility, generate continuous trailer volume. Automotive parts distribution is a core segment within this network. Major parts distribution operations in the Joliet–Chicago corridor serve multi-state Midwest territories, supporting supplier networks, manufacturing plants and aftermarket channels. Local 3PL providers handle sequencing, just-in-time movements, kitting and related services. The same corridor feeds regular freight toward Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Milwaukee, Madison, Cedar Rapids, Columbus and Louisville. Manufacturing plants, supplier warehouses and cross-docks keep both outbound and inbound volume relatively steady across seasons. Traffic, construction and weather remain normal planning factors, yet the density of industrial parks and trailer yards sustains consistent automotive and general dry-freight demand.