Path Forward

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Mars Ultor, Mar 17, 2020.

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  1. Mars Ultor

    Mars Ultor Light Load Member

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    Howdy folks,
    I'm coming to the end of my first year in the business, and trying to figure out my next step. I spent my first year pulling dry van for CFI, and now that my contract is nearly up, I see three possible roads ahead of me.

    1) Go into flatbed and transition over time into overweight/oversize loads
    2) Go into tankers and trsnsition into hazmat
    3) stay in van but move to a better paying company.

    So I'm looking for feedback from the more experienced guys here. What sae the pros/cons of each path?
     
    Mars Ultor, Mar 17, 2020
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  2. kemosabi49

    kemosabi49 Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    If you go into tankers, get you hazmat endorsement and start with chemical tank or fuel delivery from the get go. They pay more then food service tanks and have less unpaid waiting time.
     
    kemosabi49, Mar 17, 2020
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  3. Valuable Asset

    Valuable Asset Light Load Member

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    Tanker...hazmat, twic, passport...don't look back.
     
    Valuable Asset, Mar 17, 2020
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  4. D.Tibbitt

    D.Tibbitt Road Train Member

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    Ive only pulled a flatbed and love it . If i was starting over i would give tankers a try . Pays better and not as much beating ur body up , fighting frozen tarps and flatbed equipment
     
    D.Tibbitt, Mar 17, 2020
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  5. tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member

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    20 years with dry van and 2-3 pulling tanker. Tanker customers are far nicer than most dry van. Tanker customers are happy you showed up. I never have to pay them to unload the freight they ordered.
     
    tscottme, Mar 17, 2020
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  6. Coffey

    Coffey Heavy Load Member

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    Try both of them out for a couple months there's no reason why you have to pick one and only do that.
    Now i would pick flatbed because I like the stuff they haul but that's me
     
    Coffey, Mar 17, 2020
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  7. Concorde

    Concorde Road Train Member

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    #4 Reefer :)
     
    Concorde, Mar 17, 2020
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  8. Mars Ultor

    Mars Ultor Light Load Member

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    Why refer? What advantages are there?
     
    Mars Ultor, Mar 17, 2020
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  9. Concorde

    Concorde Road Train Member

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    Sometimes we get to keep a lot of product.

    When I hauled boxed meat I could have filled a 1/2 dozen freezers in a year. Unfortunately I just gave it all away since I never made it by my house.

    Run nights often and in 3 years never had a problem finding a parking spot.
     
    Concorde, Mar 17, 2020
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  10. tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member

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    How much do you get paid driving/disposing of rejected freight in reefers? How often do you have some freight rejected?
     
    tscottme, Mar 17, 2020
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