Newbie needs advice

Whew, dedicated driver unload! Think twice about that one. Cardinal Logistics in Goodlettsville would be better; customer unload and driver just counts pallets. Real good paychecks there.

Ard Trucking Company has a terminal in Lebanon.
Tyson Foods is dedicated to Tyson foods; good pay & benefits and 70 mph trucks.
Melton Truck Lines - flatbed & trucks have Tri-Pac APU's.
Saia has a terminal close by; it's LTL.
Keim TS - terminal in Chattanooga(Winchester)flatbed company running studio sleepers.
HO Wolding - good dry van company
Schneider hires tanker drivers out of Nashville.
Prime has dedicated division in Shelbyville running Walmart.
Pride Transport - reefers/vans/flatbed running coast to coast.
Navajo Express - terminal in Jackson,TN; reefers running coast to coast.
Shaffer Trucking - reefers
Falcon Transport - terminal in Nashville; van/flatbed
Tidewater Transit
Superior Carriers
Trimac Transportation
SVTN
Transport National - heavy haul in Chattanooga/Winchester and hires new CDL grads.
Indian River Transport - coast to coast food grade tanker.

There's some physical work to hauling tankers, but mainly the pay is excellent. If you want to apply to tanker companies also, then get the TWIC & a passport plus tanker/hazmat endorsements.

Put in lots of applications and start submitting them on day one of CDL school. Ignore any "experience required" on the websites and apply anyway. Many companies are bending their own hiring rules these days due to a shortage of "quality applicants." Most of these companies probably have online applications, so use them.

 

I don't bash trucking companies on here, just maybe subtle warnings at times. Work toward a successful, financially rewarding career, so stay away from mediocre companies. I've worked in the Averitt family of companies....briefly!

US Express is excellent for teams, not for solo drivers. Teams get the miles. They probably try to recruit from your CDL school.

Definition of Mediocre:
adjective 1. of only ordinary or moderate quality; neither good nor bad; barely adequate.
2. neither very good nor very bad; ordinary; average; not good enough; inferior.

 

You may want to try finding work with an LTL company that does PLENTY of unloads by the drivers themselves. You mentioned that you LOVE physical activity.

 

LTL pays good money plus overtime after the 8th hour, check it out!