Cardinal Logistics Trucking Pay

Cardinal Trucking is a dedicated carrier with 100% dedicated routes. They offer both company driver and owner operator positions across the U.S. Reefer, van, tanker and flatbed opportunities are available. Cardinal Logistics primarily serves the building, manufacturing and food/beverage industries.

Drivers enjoy a healthy life/work balance:

• 75% of routes allow for daily home time
• 25% of routes allow drivers to be home multiple times per week
• 5% of routes allow drivers to return home weekly

With more than 175 locations across the U.S., drivers, Cardinal offers steady work to drivers.

Company Driving Positions

Most of Cardinal Logistics management’s company driving positions are dedicated routes that offer daily home time, competitive pay, benefits and:

• 100% dedicated runs
• All miles paid (loaded and empty)
• High-capacity miles every week
• New trucks and equipment
• Solo and team driving positions available

Drivers haul clean, palletized freight. Most of the freight is drop and hook, but some freight requires driver assist unload.

Cardinal truckers drive late model trucks with double-bunker sleepers and other attractive features. Support services are available 24/7, so drivers always have access to support when they need it.

Company drivers work with dedicated customers, so there’s no need to deal with backhauls or brokered loads.

Driver Qualifications

Both company drivers and owner operators must meet the following qualifications to work with Cardinal:

• Class A CDL
• At least 22 years of age
• 9 months of tractor trailer experience in the last 3 years, or 2 years of experience in the last 5 years

Is There a Cardinal Logistics Lease Purchase Program?

If Cardinal does offer a lease-purchase program, they do not advertise it anywhere on their website. We had a few drivers ask us directly but we could not verfiy any type of lease-purchase program at Cardinal.

They do work with owner/operators, but it appears that you will need to bring your own truck or lease through an independent program.

Cardinal does have a vast network of connections, so they may be able to connect aspiring owner operators with a leasing program that meets their needs.

When working as an owner operator with Cardinal, you enjoy:

• Competitive pay
• 100% paid tolls
• Regular home time
• 100% dedicated runs
• All miles paid (empty or loaded)
• Paid fuel surcharge
• Affordable health coverage available

Like company drivers, owner operators usually get daily home time. Some runs get multiple days home per week, while a few are home weekly.

Cardinal Trucking Pay

The amount earned by Cardinal drivers depends on the location and position. The company says that they offer top-of-the-line pay.

More detailed information can be found on their job listings.

• Orlando, Florida (OTR/regional position): $75,000/year average; $1,500-$1,700/week average; out 3 weeks
• Denver, Colorado (local): $60,000-$65,000/year average; Mon-Fri schedule, $3,000 sign-on bonus; home daily
• Kansas City, Missouri (regional): $68,000+/year average; 3 nights out each week
• San Antonio, Texas (regional): $71,000+/year average; $1,400/week average; home weekly
• Valdosta, Georgia (regional; flatbed): $62,000/year average; $1,200/week average; 2-3-night layovers
• Fontana, California (local): $1,100-$1,200/week average; home daily; Mon-Fri schedule

What about owner operators?

Cardinal does have some job listings for owner operators as well, which offer the following pay rates:

• Fort Scott, Kansas (dedicated regional): $125,000/year average
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: $149,000/year average; $2,700/week average gross; some home daily, with others having 1 overnight per week
• Alachua, Florida: $145,000+/year average; dedicated regional and local runs

Owner operators enjoy the following:

• Paid stops/detention
• Reimbursement for tolls/washouts/scale
• Plate program
• 99% no-touch freight
• Fuel surcharge
• Great home time

Indeed.com also offers some insight into how much drivers earn. According to actual drivers, Cardinal offers the following salaries:

• Company drivers: $1,300/week
• Local drivers: $45,238/year
• Delivery drivers: $53,863/year
• Drivers: $50,082/year
• Owner operators: $2,732/week
• Truck drivers: $1,440/week
• Tanker drivers $1,500/week

Drivers are paid weekly through direct deposit.

Driver Benefits

When considering how much you’ll earn as a driver, benefits should be factored into the equation.

After 30 days of employment, company drivers receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Medical insurance
• Vision insurance
• Dental insurance
• Paid vacation
• 7 paid holidays
• 410(k) retirement options (after 90 days)

Newly hired drivers are paid for orientation and training.

Cardinal Logistics is known for their positive reputation among drivers. Employees are treated like family, the pay is competitive, benefits are great, and there is plenty of work to go around. The majority of drivers enjoy daily home time, which promotes a healthy work/life balance.

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