Which truck

Old truck with an automatic transmission is a bad idea. I have 3 and all have been converted to manual (easy job if its autoshift with clutch)

 

How much cash over and above the 30 k do you have? To answer your question, I would go Freightliner. Parts and service are plentiful. Volvo....not so much.

 

I second the opinion on Freightliner for your first truck. There's a shop on every corner. But if you can find a Volvo with a Detroit engine, that should still be decent.

 

Detroit. Not necessarily more reliable but parts are cheap and shops are everywhere. Freightliner owns Detroit, that's why Freightliner tops the list. They do put some Cummins in some of their trucks and those are good too but just not quite as easy finding shops for them. Play around with the fancier stuff once you're established.

 

$30k doesn't buy much truck. Anything newer will be on the threshold of needing $30k worth of emission repairs in the first year. Anything pre-emission is going to need $30k in repairs on everything else.

 

Good point. And on top of that, I believe the OP said in another thread that they've not started CDL school yet. Might be a little early to buy a truck.