New and Seeking Info

Don't go with truck company schools . They are pretty much scams. Find a real school community collage . You can line up your first job before you finish school. Once you get 1 year exp you can make 40 to 50 k per year and still be home most weekends.

 

Wouldn't worry about hazmat or tanker yet. Just get your cdl first see if like driving . It's not for everyone. First year it will be rough. Do you have any experience around trucks ?

 

I'm a big proponent of hazmat/tanker for new CDL grads because that's where the money is. A new CDL grad in Michigan posted a few months ago he was hired by Trimac Transportation for a local job making average $60K per year. If you don't want tankers, look at NTB Trucking based in Michigan. Good company, good home time.

The OTR Trimac drivers make $60K - $80K per year, even the new CDL grads.
Here's some more tanker outfits that hire new CDL grads:

Schneider Bulk
Groendyke Transport
A&R Logistics
SVTN
Tidewater Transit
CTL Transportation
Superior Carriers

Not all these tanker companies hire in your area; study the websites to figure out which ones do. Attend a good 160 hr. CDL school. Superior Carriers and Trimac Transportation are pickey about which schools they recruit from. Some websites have "experience required" but don't let that stop you from submitting applications; they bend their own hiring rules for high quality applicants.

 

Get tanker/hazmat endorsements plus TWIC and a passport. TWIC is for entering sea ports, military bases, chemical plants. Google for nearest TWIC office.

 

Boomer47: Thanks, that's what I am trying to do but finances are rough right now.