What trucking typically pays better: flatbed, refrigerated, bulk, etc

Tankers without hazmat is pointless.

 

It all depends on the person and the company you end up with. I hauled gasoline for my last company and was working for a major oil company with top pay and benefits. But there were guys hauling gasoline for common carriers that didn't get paid so well.

I did the LTL thing for awhile and found it the worse job I ever had. But it was non-union and a cheap outfit. And just like gasoline haulers, LTL companies are going out of business and/or reducing their fleets.

One of my better jobs was hauling specialized heavy equipment for the Navy all over the country. Pay and benefits didn't matter because I was active duty. It wasn't like the Army Tank haulers or any other tactical vehicles, it was a Ryder rental pulling a lowboy that was owned by the Navy. That was fun dropping $10 grand on the counter at Ryder and telling them I need a tractor. I still had to have oversize permits and all I just didn't have to pay for them.

My first job was just a T/T running team and it wasn't that great but for first jobs it was ok.

So it all depends on what you want and want you need. I suggest that you make a list of what you expect and go from there. It will help you to decide what type of work you go for. I have found that any trucking company that is hauling their own product is better than a company that solely depends on the truck. But you never know what you may find. You may get real lucky and find an O/O that wants to teach you and take over. Then again look for your benefits and protect yourself and family so when it's time you can not work anymore you won't need to worry. Do as much research as you can.

 

Anytime you start looking at positions that pay significantly better than similar counter-part positions, you're looking at jobs that require 3+ years of impeccable experience, and in many cases the experience needs to be similarly associated with what you're wanting to move into.

i.e. general tank hauling into fuel hauling
flatbed into specialized heavy haul
dry van with lot's of HM into explosives transport
Household Goods hauling into trade show good hauling

It also helps in some situations to have some connections and/or lots of patience. But the main thing is to get 2-3 years experience in anything that suits you now, and keep your nose and CSA score clean, and strive for zero incidents. Then in that time you will learn a lot more about the different advancement options. Besides, in 3 years, things might change and there may be new specialized driver positions we don't even see today.

But when it gets right down to it, their probably wouldn't be enough pay difference between one specialized position and another to base today's decision on one or the other. It's all about the added compensation benefits as well as the lifestyle that each will offer and what you need. Will you be single? married? kids? need to be close to ailing parents? need/want to be as far AWAY from "home" as possible? Hometime needs (or lack thereof) will affect most decisions before money concerns.

 

Aaaaactually the bbbbest pppppaying job is hhhhhauling Nnnnnittro an Exxxxxplosives. Nnnno mmmore dddangerous than oooother jobs if you kkkkknow what yer dddddoing. Ppppiece of cake rrrrrreally. Hhhhhang on a mmmmmminute, I......( connection lost).