1 year of experience

Well as the title implies, I'm finally coming up on the coveted 1 year of experience that it seems most companies want. Accident free with a clean MVR, no moving violations, X endorsement and TWIC.

I've reached a fork in the road about where to go from here. I am not satisfied with my current employer and seeking a new company. For the past 7 months I've been a local driver for a small company that makes blasting abrasives delivered in either bulk pneumatic or pallets on flatbed so I have experience with both.

Now that I have a year under my belt I'm looking to either go Flatbed or Tanker, dedicated or regional.

I live in the southeast TX area (Beaumont) and there seems to be a plethora of both fields of companies.

Any feedback is appreciated, looking for pros and cons of both flatbed/tanker and wouldn't mind some suggestions for good companies either lol!

 

My vote is tanker. You live near the chemical capital of America. and the money is good, and they pay for many things that wagon-dragging does not. Such as breakdowns

 

A&R Logistics is good and has a terminal near Houston.

 

I used to deliver chemicals to Dallas area a lot and talked to a few Groendyke Transport drivers at the various chemical plants. They all liked the company.
Trimac Transportation is also one of the better tanker outfits.

 

Tanker by far. You are in the chemical capital of the US. In the long run, I believe your make more money and tanking jobs usually pay for everything you do.

 

I was paid for fueling the truck and doing a pre-trip and also a post-trip. As long as we logged it, we were paid.

 

That's what I'm talking about...... That's what any good company should be doing, but I've found tanker companies just seem to understand things better and charge for everything. (I do know one company that doesn't pay the O/O's anything to use a pump or compressor, but that's very rare. Although I did hear schneider doesn't either, but I honestly don't know if that's true.)

 

Chemical capital?

 

Couple other companies to check:
Air Liquide - website shows 1300 locations nationwide with the main office in Houston.
Praxair - website shows a terminal in Houston

 

Tanker heaven!