Regional Flatbed Position Building Materials
CDL-A Regional Flatbed Driver – Building Materials
Hiring Area: Jacksonville, FL • Terminal: Jacksonville, FL
Jacksonville, FL Southeast Regional 2020–2024 Tractors
Move building materials on multi-day Southeast runs from Jacksonville with weekly pay of $1,450–$1,850, annual earnings $76,000–$96,000, and weekend home time after four to five days out.
Weekly Gross
$1,450–$1,850
Estimated Annual: $76,000–$96,000
Sign-On Bonus $1,200 after 90 days
Home Time Weekends most weeks
Driver Type Company Driver
Weekly Miles 2,100–2,800
Freight Type Building Materials Flatbed
Drivers handle outbound building-material loads from Jacksonville-area yards and return with Southeast backhauls while completing all securement and documentation.
- Inspect and secure every load with chains, straps, and tarps before departure.
- Recheck cargo after the first 50 miles and after weather changes.
- Coordinate unloading at distribution centers and active construction sites.
- Collect POD signatures and update dispatch on delays or reloads.
- Maintain electronic logs and inspection reports through Samsara.
- Communicate appointment changes and equipment issues immediately.
Mileage forms the base, with activity pay added for tarping, extra securement, and multi-stop work. Detention starts only after free time expires under company policy.
Weekly Pay Range $1,450–$1,850
Annual Estimate $76,000–$96,000
CPM Rate $0.59–$0.66
Sign-On Bonus $1,200 after 90 days
Activity Pay Tarp, securement, stop pay
Pay Frequency Weekly direct deposit
Home Time 4–5 days out, most weekends home
Operating Area FL, GA, SC, occasional NC & AL
Terminal Jacksonville, FL
Weekly Miles 2,100–2,800 (avg 2,400–2,600)
Dispatch Window Sunday evening or early Monday
Tractor Years 2020–2024
Tractor Makes Freightliner Cascadia, Kenworth T680
Transmission Automated manual
Safety Systems Collision mitigation, adaptive cruise, lane departure, ESC, forward collision alert, dash cams
Assignment Assigned sleeper when available
Trailers are 48-ft and 53-ft flatbeds plus limited curtain-sides. Every unit carries steel chains, ratchet binders, heavy-duty winch straps, edge and corner protectors, coil racks, full-size lumber tarps, smoke tarps, winch bars, and dunnage storage. Samsara ELD is standard. Preventive maintenance runs through the Jacksonville shop and approved Southeast vendors.
Outbound freight leaves lumber yards, engineered-wood plants, and wholesale distributors around Jacksonville, Baldwin, and the Westside corridor. Backhauls are staged near Atlanta, Savannah, Greenville, Orlando, and Tampa.
- Jacksonville to Orlando via I-95 / I-4
- Jacksonville to Tampa via I-75
- Jacksonville to Savannah via I-95
- Jacksonville to Atlanta via I-75
- Jacksonville to Columbia or Charleston via I-95 / I-26
- Jacksonville to Greenville via I-95 / I-26 / I-385
- Jacksonville to Charlotte via I-95 / I-26 / I-77
- Pre-planned load released Sunday evening or early Monday morning.
- Complete pre-trip, verify securement gear, and depart 5:00–8:00 AM.
- Live load or pick preloaded trailer at supplier yard or plant.
- Deliver one or two stops, then take nearby reload when available.
- Recheck straps and tarps after first 50 miles and during weather.
- Return to Jacksonville terminal Friday for reset and maintenance check.
About the Carrier
Construction supply networks across the Southeast depend on steady flatbed capacity that moves dimensional lumber, engineered wood, roofing, drywall, and steel framing from manufacturers and wholesale yards to dealers and active job sites. This mid-sized regional operation focuses exclusively on those building-material lanes, matching outbound Jacksonville freight with planned backhauls so equipment stays productive while drivers keep realistic appointment windows and Hours-of-Service compliance. The carrier runs a practical, well-maintained fleet rather than a premium boutique model, supporting residential, commercial, and infrastructure projects throughout Florida and neighboring states.
Medical / Dental / Vision Begins after 60 days
Retirement 401(k) with company match
Paid Time Off Vacation by service length + paid holidays
Additional Quarterly safety bonus, rider program, boot reimbursement, uniforms, paid DOT physical, EZPass, fuel card
Terminal Amenities Driver lounge and secured parking
- Valid Class A CDL
- Minimum 12 months verifiable flatbed experience
- Demonstrated construction-material securement skills
- Acceptable MVR and current DOT Medical Certificate
- Pass DOT drug screen and Clearinghouse query
- Ability to handle tarps, chains, and binders outdoors
- Live load times stretch when production or yard forklifts lag.
- Construction-site unloads wait on crane or telehandler availability.
- Afternoon thunderstorms force extra tarp checks and route changes.
- I-95, I-75, and Atlanta traffic slow morning and evening runs.
- Soft ground after heavy rain limits job-site access.
1
Recruiter Call
Within one business day
2
Screening
CDL, MVR, Clearinghouse, drug test
3
Orientation
1–2 paid days at Jacksonville terminal
4
First Dispatch
Usually next business day
Q: How often do loads require full tarping? ▼
Weather-sensitive building products frequently need full or partial coverage; not every shipment is fully tarped.
Q: What percentage of stops are drop-and-hook? ▼
Roughly 25 percent drop-and-hook, 35 percent live load, 40 percent live unload.
Q: Are construction-site deliveries common? ▼
Yes. Many loads go directly to contractor yards or active job sites where crane or lull availability sets the pace.
Q: Does seasonal weather change the freight mix? ▼
Spring, summer, and post-storm periods increase plywood, roofing, treated lumber, and fencing volume.
Q: Is overnight parking available at the terminal? ▼
Secured terminal parking is provided for tractors and trailers during home time.
Q: How are reload opportunities handled? ▼
Dispatch stages backhauls near Atlanta, Savannah, Greenville, Orlando, or Tampa to limit empty miles.
Jacksonville ranks among Florida’s strongest CDL-A markets because of its port, interstate network, and expanding industrial base. Regional carriers, private fleets, flatbed operators, container haulers, food distributors, and LTL companies all compete for experienced Class A drivers. Dry-van openings remain the largest category, yet demand for qualified flatbed drivers stays consistently above average—securement experience is specialized and fewer applicants accept the physical work of tarping and chaining. Construction growth across Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina keeps lumber, roofing, engineered wood, and steel-framing freight steady year-round. National carriers recruit aggressively, but many drivers prefer mid-sized regional fleets that deliver predictable home time and closer dispatch relationships. Flatbed pay in the area typically exceeds comparable regional dry-van rates because of the extra securement and weather-protection duties.
Jacksonville functions as a primary Southeast logistics gateway thanks to deepwater port terminals, rail connections, and direct access to I-10, I-95, and I-295. Building-materials distribution is especially strong: lumber reload facilities, engineered-wood manufacturers, roofing suppliers, drywall producers, and steel service centers feed continuous outbound volume into Florida’s growing residential and commercial markets plus neighboring states. Population-driven construction of housing, warehouses, schools, and infrastructure sustains demand for dimensional lumber, plywood, OSB, metal roofing, fencing, and framing components throughout most of the year. Hurricane recovery cycles periodically spike plywood, treated lumber, and roofing shipments. Afternoon thunderstorms and tropical systems require careful tarping and routing, yet the combination of freight density, highway connectivity, and ongoing regional growth keeps the market one of the more stable Southeast corridors for experienced flatbed operators.
