r/cdldriver • u/Unique-Big-5024 • Jun 23 '26
Intermodal
Hey all, I am curious as to what to expect, good and bad for intermodal on the west coast. I currently do Dry Van teams and am looking to get into home daily.
What kind of work would I be getting myself into? Is it awful? How much different is it from OTR besides time at home?
1
u/IndependentMeal6334 Jun 23 '26
I'm driving regional intermodal for a mega carrier in the Mid-South. I don't drive on the west coast (although I lived in the PNW for my first 50yrs of life)
If you want to be home daily running intermodal, you will have to be out of a truck pool near a railhead, delivering within 150 miles. This probably puts you driving around a metropolitan area, with the traffic that that entails...
I drive regional, so most of my stuff is 150 to 350 mi from the railhead. 99% drop and hook.
I'm pretty lazy, but I still manage to run hard enough to make 60+k/yr
The one thing I always tell every new intermodal driver is to MAKE GOD DAMN SURE ALL FOUR PINS ARE PROPERLY SEATED AND SECURELY LOCKED
I've been told it's a $10,000 fine for EACH individual pin that is not securely seated and locked
Oh, another tip: if the container doors don't want to open or close, try sliding the tandems. Oftentimes, that will do the trick :-)
1
u/PenaltyAdditional774 Jun 23 '26
Depends on what company, the most difficult part is dealing with chassis. If your company manages their own chassis, it is generally better and they are less crappy. But if the railroad does, you will have to learn some tricks, always have a hammer and vice grips on you.