CDL-A Regional Grocery Reefer Driver

🗺 Location & Routes

• Terminal: Tampa area distribution hub
• Primary territory: Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, occasional North Carolina
• Freight type: Refrigerated grocery products including frozen, dairy, produce, meat and bakery
• Typical schedule: 2,400–2,900 miles per week with multi-stop runs

📦 What Drivers Handle Day-to-Day

Drivers pull out of the Tampa terminal with pre-planned electronic loads, usually departing late afternoon or evening to hit early morning warehouse receiving windows. Most freight stays sealed. Your main responsibilities involve pre-trip inspections, reefer monitoring and logging, paperwork at distribution centers, and occasional trailer positioning. Routes follow I-75, I-4, I-10, and I-95 corridors. Expect warehouse congestion at both pickup and delivery points — common in grocery supply chains.

🚛 Fleet You’ll Run

• Tractors: Mix of Volvo VNL, Freightliner Cascadia, and Kenworth T680 (3–7 years average age)
• Trailers: 53-foot multi-temp reefers with air-ride and electronic temp monitoring
• Maintenance: Company shops for PMs, nationwide vendor network for road calls
• Expect occasional substitute tractors during service intervals

🔄 Dispatch & Load Flow

Electronic trip packets come through the system after pre-trip. Most weeks include a balance of outbound grocery loads paired with return freight when possible. Some runs are single-stop long hauls, others involve 2–4 warehouse deliveries. Detention starts after 2 hours. You’ll deal with variable dock wait times due to inventory checks and sanitation requirements. Overnight driving is standard to take advantage of lighter traffic and better reefer performance.

✅ Driver Qualifications

💰 Full Compensation Picture

• Base: $0.61–$0.68 per mile
• Weekly performance bonus: Up to $75
• Stop pay: $30 per additional stop
• Layover: $160 per day
• Annual safety bonus potential: Up to $750
• Referral bonus: Up to $500

🏠 Time at Home

Drivers are typically out 3–5 days before returning to the Tampa area. Dispatch works toward a consistent weekly reset whenever freight and appointments allow. Exact return days depend on customer schedules and backhaul availability. Flexibility during peak grocery periods (holidays, produce season, hurricane prep) is expected.

🧑‍✈️ Who This Run Fits

• Drivers comfortable with occasional warehouse delays and multi-stop deliveries
• Those okay with overnight/early morning dispatches
• Not ideal for drivers needing home daily or completely predictable routes

🎁 What We Provide

❓ Questions Drivers Usually Ask

📍 CDL-A Regional Grocery Reefer Driver Opportunities in Tampa

Tampa-based food distribution carriers keep steady refrigerated freight moving year-round across Florida and the Southeast. This regional reefer position moves grocery products — frozen foods, dairy, fresh produce, meat, and packaged goods — between distribution centers and supermarket warehouses. Drivers typically run 2,400–2,900 miles weekly on a mix of I-75, I-4, I-10 and I-95 corridors with 3–5 days out before returning to the Tampa terminal. Pay runs $0.61–$0.68 CPM plus performance bonuses, stop pay, and detention after two hours. Expect warehouse congestion and variable dock times especially during seasonal spikes, but most freight remains sealed with drivers focusing on paperwork, inspections, and reefer management. Fleet includes late-model Volvos, Freightliners, and Kenworths pulling 53-foot multi-temp reefers. Drivers must have at least 12 months recent CDL-A experience. This role suits experienced reefer or dry van drivers comfortable with overnight departures, occasional multi-stop days, and the natural variability of grocery supply chain logistics.

🚀 Apply Now

Submit your information below for the CDL-A Regional Grocery Reefer Driver position in Tampa, FL. Qualified candidates will be contacted by the recruiting team.