Intermodal Position Regional Fleet
CDL-A Regional Intermodal Driver Jobs in Tucson, AZ
Hiring Area: Tucson, AZ • Primary Terminal: Union Pacific Intermodal, East Century Park Drive
Tucson, AZ Regional Intermodal Modern Fleet
Move intermodal containers on 2–4 day regional cycles from Tucson with $1,400–$1,850 weekly pay and 34–48 hour home resets. Routes connect Southern Arizona with Phoenix, Southern California and Nevada freight markets through scheduled rail and customer moves.
Weekly Gross
$1,400–$1,850
Estimated Annual: $72,800–$96,200
Sign-On Bonus Up to $3,000
Home Time 2–4 days out / 34–48 hr resets
Driver Type Company Driver
Weekly Miles 1,600–2,200
Freight Type Intermodal Containers
Container moves coordinated with rail schedules form the core of this Southwest regional operation. Drivers link the Tucson Union Pacific COFC terminal with distribution centers and customer locations rather than running fixed dry-van lanes.
- Verify container, chassis, seal and release data before departure.
- Complete rail-ramp ingate and outgate procedures accurately.
- Follow terminal appointments, customer delivery windows and rail gate instructions.
- Document chassis defects, lighting issues and lock problems promptly.
- Submit arrival and release times for qualifying detention claims.
- Handle BOL, interchange and POD paperwork for each move.
- Report rail delays and gate queues to dispatch immediately.
Weekly earnings combine paid mileage, qualifying container activity and documented detention. Typical weekly gross is $1,400–$1,850, depending on dispatched miles, number of qualifying moves and terminal or customer delays. Mileage forms the base; container activity and detention layers are added when documentation requirements are met.
Weekly Gross Range $1,400–$1,850
Estimated Annual $72,800–$96,200
Mileage Rate $0.58–$0.72 CPM
Container Activity $60 per qualifying move
Detention $30/hr after 2 hours
Sign-On Bonus Up to $3,000 (paid in stages)
Monthly Safety Bonus Up to $200
Referral Bonus $1,000
Pay Frequency Weekly
Drivers generally spend 2–4 days on regional rotations before returning to Tucson for a 34–48 hour reset. This is a multi-day regional operation rather than classic over-the-road scheduling.
Home Cycle 2–4 days out, 34–48 hour Tucson resets
Operating Corridor Southwest regional (AZ, CA, NV)
Primary Base Tucson Union Pacific terminal area
Weekly Miles 1,600–2,200
Dispatch Windows Daytime and early-evening starts
Weekend Work Periodically required
Tractor Age Approximately 2–5 years average
Tractor Makes Freightliner Cascadia & Kenworth T680
Transmission Automatic
Cabin & Safety Sleeper, air-ride, collision mitigation, lane-departure, adaptive cruise on select units
Assignment Assigned when practical; slip-seating possible
Chassis Standard intermodal, including slider configurations
ELD & Visibility Integrated ELD platform + company GPS
Cameras Dash cameras on newer tractors
Preventive maintenance is scheduled through the fleet department. Drivers report chassis, lighting, brake, tire and lock issues before leaving any facility.
Containerized consumer, industrial, retail, agricultural and transloaded freight moves between the Tucson rail ramp, Southwest distribution sites and customer locations. Empty repositioning is common.
- Tucson to Phoenix and reverse moves form core short-haul turns.
- Tucson to Los Angeles and Long Beach multi-leg California sequences.
- Tucson to Las Vegas via I-15 corridor when demand requires.
- Tucson to Nogales and Casa Grande for border and regional freight.
- San Bernardino and Ontario area stops on Southern California runs.
- Primary highways: I-10, I-8, I-19, US-60, US-93 and I-15.
- Drop-and-hook approximately 50–65 percent of customer work.
- Receive next container assignment the evening prior or same-day when rail releases change.
- Inspect tractor and assigned chassis, then proceed to the Tucson rail facility for pickup.
- Complete ingate, locate or wait for the released container, and depart once equipment is ready.
- Deliver to customer or rail destination, document times, then accept empty return or reload.
- Plan 10-hour breaks at established truck stops along the dispatched corridor before parking fills.
- Return to Tucson for the scheduled 34–48 hour reset once the regional cycle is complete.
About the Carrier
Container moves coordinated with rail schedules require specialized capacity that bridges Union Pacific terminals and regional distribution networks across the Southwest. This mid-sized operation focuses on intermodal freight rather than conventional dry-van linehaul, handling consumer, industrial, retail and agricultural cargo that arrives by rail and continues by highway. The Tucson base supports regular connections into the Phoenix market, Southern California ports and border-related lanes, giving drivers consistent regional cycles instead of extended over-the-road rotations. Equipment and chassis networks are managed through rail and customer systems, while the fleet department coordinates maintenance so drivers can concentrate on safe container handling and timely documentation.
Medical / Dental / Vision Available with employee contribution
Retirement 401(k) with company match
Paid Time Off After eligibility requirements
Holidays Paid according to company policy
Additional Support Paid orientation, DOT physical renewal, fuel card, EZPass/toll support, terminal parking, intermodal training, roadside assistance, safety apparel
- Valid Class A CDL, minimum age 21, interstate eligible, current DOT medical card
- 6–12 months CDL-A experience preferred; intermodal or chassis background helpful but not required
- Acceptable MVR with no recent major preventable violations or disqualifying offenses
- Ability to climb, inspect equipment, connect air/electrical lines and work in Arizona heat
- No HazMat endorsement required; TWIC is only required for assignments involving facilities that specifically require it
- Rail release and train arrival timing can hold containers at the Tucson terminal.
- Gate queues and chassis shortages occur during high-volume periods.
- Phoenix I-10 traffic and construction affect appointment windows.
- Southern California congestion around San Bernardino and Long Beach reduces available driving hours.
- Summer heat impacts tire condition and roadside service response times.
1
Application
Submit CDL-A application with history
2
Recruiter Screen
Call within one business day
3
Qualification Review
MVR, background, Clearinghouse, drug screen
4
Road Evaluation
Road test or equipment orientation
5
Orientation & Dispatch
Paid Tucson orientation then first load
Q: How often do Southern California trips occur? ▼
Frequency depends on container availability and customer demand. Some weeks include one or more Southern California sequences; other weeks stay primarily within Arizona.
Q: Is overnight parking available at customer sites? ▼
Most customers do not provide overnight parking. Drivers use commercial truck stops along I-10, I-8 or I-15 and plan breaks before parking fills late in the evening.
Q: What percentage of work is live unload versus drop-and-hook? ▼
The majority of moves are drop-and-hook or rail-yard exchanges. Live customer loading or unloading occurs on some assignments, while the remaining work involves terminal, chassis and interchange activity.
Q: Can the tractor be taken home during the Tucson reset? ▼
During the 34–48 hour reset the tractor normally remains at the company designated parking location unless the specific arrangement permits home parking.
Q: How are chassis problems handled on the road? ▼
Report defects before leaving a facility. The company coordinates roadside repairs through its regional dealer and mobile maintenance network.
Q: Does the job require manual freight handling? ▼
No. The role centers on driving and equipment inspection. Lumper service may appear at certain distribution facilities but is not standard.
Tucson’s CDL-A market remains competitive rather than saturated. Regional company-driver openings can offer competitive weekly earnings, while local and intermodal opportunities vary by equipment, freight type, experience and pay structure. This position offers $1,400–$1,850 in typical weekly gross pay. Demand is strongest for drivers who already understand rail-ramp procedures, chassis inspection and appointment systems. Distribution, construction materials, industrial manufacturing, food products, retail merchandise and mining-related freight all generate consistent hiring. Border traffic through Nogales and the I-10 corridor further support year-round openings for both local and regional CDL-A talent. Experienced drivers with clean records move between carriers more readily than entry-level applicants.
Tucson sits on the I-10 corridor between Phoenix and Southern California, with I-19 providing a direct southern link to Nogales and the Mexican border. This geography creates steady intermodal and regional freight demand even though the local market is smaller than Los Angeles or Phoenix. Union Pacific’s COFC terminal at 6800 E. Century Park Drive anchors container activity, feeding consumer goods, industrial components, building materials and agricultural products into Southern Arizona distribution networks. Construction, manufacturing, food processing and mining continue to generate outbound and inbound volume throughout the year. Retail import cycles and seasonal agricultural movements add temporary spikes, while empty container repositioning keeps equipment circulating between rail ramps and customer yards. The combination of rail infrastructure and highway access sustains regular demand for drivers who can handle both terminal and highway segments of intermodal moves.
