What are my chances?

Well flatbed is... well you see them every day, more physical than most van work, more complex, but fun (my opinion)
Osod is over sized over demention,(specialized, biiiiig stuff)

Van is regular freight,
Tankers can be anything from milk to fuel to harsh chemicals.
Reefer is food (mostly) and usually involves alot of waiting

 

Flat: Flatbed (sometimes called a "skateboard"). Also encompasses step-deck trailers.

OS / OD: Oversize / Over-dimension. Generally any kind of "heavy haul" or any freight that hangs off the trailer is over-size.

Reefer: Refrigerated. Dairy, frozen meat, perishable groceries, things like that.

Generic van: The "normal" trailers you're accustomed to seeing are also called "dry van" or "box trailers" and they are what you haul general freight in.

Tankers: Self explanatory, though they do come in two varieties. Smooth-bore, which is what food grade cargo like milk goes in and baffled, which is used for things like gasoline, diesel, and chemicals.

Local: Any job where you leave from and return to the same location, usually in the same day. Sometimes local means intrastate (stay in the same state), but in places like the NE where states are small, that's not always the determining factor.

 

Then aside from sifu Chinatown, stop over in the flatbed forum, peruse the pics and ask questions

 

You will get opinions both ways, depends more on you. Do you like a challenge, can think on your feet, multi task, and take in a hell of a lot of information in a short time? Then you can start flatbed. Wanna take it a little slower, be extra sure you can handle the job and lifestyle first? Then maybe van or reefer at first. Your not restricted to the type you start in.

 

Maverick's school should be a good start

 

you can also apply to Roehl to get paid while you get your CDL, and they have van and flatbed fleets so you could switch when you are ready.

 

not sure,
probably best to ask them
http://www.roehl.jobs/cdl-truck-driving-schools
never hurts to ask