Eagle Systems · Charleston terminal
Local Owner Operator Jobs in Charleston, SC
Eagle Systems hires CDL-A owner operators with their own trucks for local drayage from its Hanahan terminal, a short run from North Charleston Terminal and up I-526 to Wando Welch. You haul import, export and domestic containers, gross $3,000–$5,000 a week and get home daily. Every port move needs a pre-advise gate code.
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- Weekly gross
- $3,000–$5,000
- Home time
- Daily
- Dispatch
- Not forced
- Open now
- 3 jobs
Gross revenue before fuel, insurance and truck expenses. Not a guarantee; actual earnings vary by loads, lane and costs.
Freight from this terminal
Three SC Ports terminals and North Charleston rail
Your boxes come from the three SC Ports container terminals, plus street drays to the Charleston market's rail yards in North Charleston. If port work is new to you, read a plain guide to intermodal drayage.
Ports served
- Wando Welch Terminal
- North Charleston Terminal
- Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal
Rail ramps served
- CSX North Charleston
- NS North Charleston
Freight handled
- 20', 40', 45' international containers
- 53' domestic containers
- Open tops
- Hazardous materials
- Overweight containers
- Bonded carrier
Chassis at this terminal
21 total
- 21 20'/40' combo
Local know-how
Gate codes, I-526 and the engine rule
SC Ports runs Wando Welch, North Charleston and Leatherman itself. Every container or chassis move needs a pre-advise gate code from GO!Port or Port Manager, and Leatherman takes Port Manager only. You need a TWIC, and your truck needs a 1994-or-newer engine under SC Ports' Clean Truck Certification.
Wando Welch in Mount Pleasant handles most of the port's boxes and opens 5:00 AM to 5:00 PM on weekdays, plus Saturday mornings. North Charleston and Leatherman run 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with weekend gates only by request. The I-26/I-526 interchange is the region's main bottleneck on the way to Wando.
Rail freight means a street dray to the CSX and Norfolk Southern yards in North Charleston. The near-dock Navy Base Intermodal Facility is planned but not open, with no opening date announced. Outbound loads head up I-26 to Palmetto Commerce Park, Summerville and Ridgeville.
Sources (13)
- Wando Welch Terminal — SC Ports
- North Charleston Terminal — SC Ports
- Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal — SC Ports
- Gate Operating Hours — SC Ports
- Motor Carriers — SC Ports
- Attention Motor Carriers: Register for Port Manager — SC Ports
- TWIC — SC Ports
- Navy Base Intermodal Facility — SC Ports
- NS Intermodal Rules Circular — Norfolk Southern
- SC Ports gives private update on public rail yard project — SC Daily Gazette
- SCDOT offers 100,000-lb permit for shipping containers — SC Ports
- OS/OW guidelines for movement — SCDOT
- Logistics — Charleston Regional Development Alliance
Home time and schedule
A Hanahan day starts with a gate code
Most days start with a pre-advised pickup at North Charleston Terminal, about 5 miles from the yard, a delivery out I-26 toward Summerville, and an empty back before the terminal's afternoon cutoff.
- 01
Start near home
Roll out from home or the Charleston yard.
- 02
Pick up the box
Wando Welch Terminal
- 03
Deliver local
Customers around Charleston.
- 04
Return the empty
Back to the port, ramp or yard.
- 05
Home tonight
Every night. No forced dispatch.
Pay and settlements
Charleston owner operator pay, settled weekly
Gross is $3,000–$5,000 a week, the same range at every Eagle terminal, paid by weekly direct deposit. Before your call, see how pay and settlements work for leased operators.
- Weekly direct depositSettlements land in your account every week.
- Nationwide fuel discountsFuel card with discounts across the network.
- Low-cost insuranceLow-cost insurance premiums for leased-on operators.
- Clean inspection bonusesPaid for clean roadside inspections.
- Flexible schedulingBuild the week around your business.
Weekly gross revenue
$3,000–$5,000
per week, before truck costs
- Paid
- Weekly, by direct deposit
- Fuel
- Nationwide fuel card discounts
- Bonus
- Clean roadside inspections
Gross revenue before fuel, insurance and truck expenses. Not a guarantee; actual earnings vary by loads, lane and costs.
Hiring area
Hiring around Hanahan
Current owner operator jobs in Charleston, SC appear in the live list and map below, and a recruiter confirms the hiring area for your ZIP. Closer to the Georgia line? Look at Savannah, GA owner operator jobs, or browse all owner operator jobs in South Carolina.
- Charleston, SC12 mi
- Orangeburg, SC62 mi
- Columbia, SC94 mi
Live openings
3 open positions near Charleston
Each opening has its own job page with the full description.
Openings updated
- Owner operator job in Charleston, SC · posting #14063 · CDL A Owner Operator Local Intermodal Truck Drivernear the Charleston terminal
- Owner operator job in Orangeburg, SC · posting #14065 · CDL A Owner Operator Local Intermodal Truck Driverabout 62 mi from the Charleston terminal
- Owner operator job in Columbia, SC · posting #14069 · CDL A Owner Operator Local Intermodal Truck Driverabout 94 mi from the Charleston terminal
Equipment and requirements
What you need to lease on
Go through the lease-on requirements for owner operators first. At the Charleston terminals you also need a TWIC and a truck that meets the 1994 engine rule.
- 01Valid Class A CDLCurrent CDL-A in good standing.
- 02Tractor-trailer experience2 years verifiable, or 1 year plus a certified trucking school certificate.
- 03Your own truckYou own a commercial motor vehicle.
- 042000 or newer, or ELD compliantTruck model year 2000+ or ELD compliant.
- 0521 or olderAsked on the Quick App.
- 06Safety standardsMeet Eagle's safety and qualification standards.
Support
What Eagle Systems sets you up with
- Fuel card with nationwide discounts
- Plate and registration program
- IFTA fuel tax program
- Easy-to-install ELD
- Front-facing dash cameras
- Mobile dispatching app
Local FAQ
Charleston owner operator questions
Which port terminals will I haul from out of Hanahan?
Wando Welch Terminal in Mount Pleasant, North Charleston Terminal and Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal, all run by SC Ports. North Charleston Terminal is about 5 miles from Eagle's yard at 929-A Commerce Circle in Hanahan, and Wando Welch is roughly 12 to 15 miles away by I-526.
Are there owner operator openings near Charleston right now?
Yes. 3 postings are live within about 160 miles of the Charleston terminal as of October 30, 2026: Charleston (about 12 miles), Orangeburg (about 62 miles) and Columbia (about 94 miles). Distances are straight-line miles; a recruiter confirms which yard you would run from and the hiring area for your ZIP code.
Is there an appointment system at the Port of Charleston?
There are no weekday appointments, but every move needs a pre-advise, also called a gate code. You create it in GO!Port or Port Manager, and Leatherman accepts Port Manager only. Gates close to new moves at set cutoffs, from 4:00 PM for dual moves at North Charleston and Leatherman.
What truck rules apply at SC Ports?
Drivers need a TWIC at all three marine terminals, and trucks need a 1994-or-newer engine under the Clean Truck Certification. For heavy imports, SCDOT lets sealed international containers run up to 100,000 lb on five or more axles with a multi-trip permit you can self-issue online.
Where is the rail work around Charleston?
The Charleston market's rail yards are the CSX and Norfolk Southern facilities in North Charleston, reached by street dray. The Navy Base Intermodal Facility, a planned near-dock yard for both railroads, is mostly built but not open, and no opening date has been announced.
Where does Charleston freight deliver, and am I home daily?
The work is local drayage from Hanahan, so you are home each night. Freight runs up the I-26 corridor to Summerville, the Jedburg Road area and Ridgeville. Farther south, there are also Jacksonville, FL owner operator jobs.
What support comes with leasing on in Charleston?
Eagle provides a fuel card with nationwide discounts, plate, registration and IFTA programs, an ELD, dash cameras and a dispatch app. Read what you get when you lease on with Eagle. If you are open to Hampton Roads, compare owner operator jobs in Norfolk, VA.
Apply
Run three port terminals from Hanahan
Send the Quick App and the Charleston team will call you about openings, port credentials and your truck.
Send the Quick App
A short form: contact details and a few yes/no questions.
Talk to a recruiter
Pay, freight and your truck, for the terminal near you.
Lease on and run
Plates, IFTA, ELD and fuel card set up with you.
Both open Eagle Systems' secure application on IntelliApp.
Prefer to talk? 843-554-3000Nearby terminals
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Savannah, GA
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Jacksonville, FL
Jacksonville, FL
Blount Island Marine Terminal · Dames Point Marine Terminal · Talleyrand Marine Terminal · CSX Jacksonville rail ramp · NS Jacksonville rail ramp · FEC Jacksonville rail ramp
Questions about Charleston? Call the terminal at 843-554-3000.