Best way to start in my situation?

Schneider, Swift, and JB Hunt are all good options. They have a ton of different fleets and you can get experience in about anything you want. They aren't the best, but they get your foot in the door.

 

I worked for Schneider 5 years ago and got .495/mile to start with them, when I left I was .50/mile loaded or empty.
Some other Megas don’t pay that good,
I was experienced driver there though, and was an otr tanker yanker

 

@JadeGB
Eagle transport hires school graduates from 220 hour schools, but not 160 hour schools.
You'll start on nights, which sucks, but you're home daily, and the pay is very good.
Much better than Schneider.
You'll need to be 23 to get your hazmat though.
Heniff hires grads too.
Gas hauling is pretty easy money. All things considered.
Put the right product in the right hole, smile, and operate safely
Simple.

 

Schneider Company Driver Review-ish?

 

Post your general
Location so Chinatown can help
Advise
You which companies to talk to in your area.

you don’t have to start off Working OTR being gone for weeks with a company that treats You like garbage.
And you should not do that.
Chinatown can point you to an LTL company that pays good and home frequently.
Every driver has to pass the drug test, but if you have a clean driving record with no tickets and no accidents, and no criminal record and a good credit score ,
You will have many more options than the average new driver who has several tickets and accidents, an arrest or two , owes lots of back child support and has a terrible credit score etc .

my nephew was 20, went to a 320 hours class at the local community college, and got hired by a heavy haul company that had a 9 MONTH training program. where the new hires ride with an experienced driver for 9 months , then get assigned their own Truck .
He’s home every weekend, earned $35k in training , $65k as a driver , averages 80 cents a mile , and that was being off most of November and December since the heavy haul oversize loads they specialize in is very slow around the holidays.

 

you have the wrong attitude man. to the point: apply for a job in operations, saftey, recruiting etc. it will be a better fit for you. as a driver your expectations won't be met. and you will end up disappointed about the results you get out of it. nobody will come out and tell you that. I'm a retired 2 gen veteran driver. do your self a big favor if you become a driver. don't go through any trucking company cdl training programs. stay away from schnieder,swift, covenent,prime, knight, cr england, jb hunt, stevens, us xpress/vatirant. if you wanna pay your dues as an over the road driver, Freymiller, may Trucking, then you never know. you might apply to walmart. They have been known in the last few years to hire drivers out of school and at your age.