Hire Truck Drivers in Illinois

Chicago handles more intermodal containers than any other city in North America. The BNSF Logistics Park in Joliet and UP Global facilities process millions of containers annually, creating continuous demand for drayage and intermodal drivers.

Illinois drivers earn $54,000-$72,000 per year. Chicago-area intermodal drivers can exceed $75,000 with overtime. However, the high fuel tax (46.7 cents/gallon) and extensive tolls reduce net earnings for owner-operators.

Chicago traffic adds 2-3 hours to many routes, which means drivers need to be experienced with city navigation and have patience for delays. Companies offering Chicago-based positions should factor in detention pay to attract quality drivers.

Intermodal drayage dominates Chicago. Dry van is strong statewide from e-commerce. Flatbed serves manufacturing (Caterpillar, John Deere). Reefer handles food processing (ADM, Tyson) and agricultural freight.

Illinois has 120+ CDL programs producing approximately 10,000 new CDL holders annually. The issue is not supply but retention — many new drivers leave Illinois for states with lower taxes and fuel costs within their first year.