Advice and Perspective

Here's some tanker companies to research that hire new cdl school grads:
All these hire new cdl school grads on a case by case basis, so don't let the websites mislead you about needing experience. Call each one and ask which school they hire from in your area.
Gemini Transport
Superior-Carriers
Tidewater Transit
A & R Transport
W. W. Transport
Foodliner - new grads contact "[email protected]
Carry Transit - owned by Superior-Carriers but is food grade vs. hazmat.
Schneider Bulk
Southern Tank Transport - www.sotank.com
Atlantic Bulk Carrier

 

Virginia is not in the hiring are of this trucking company but you can see what they pay new drivers. The will pay for training at local school to them. They don't run their trainer trucks as team. They run them as solo drivers. Most trucking company that train, run their trucks as teams because. That's the only way to pay for two driver. Lots of trainers are just guys looking to make money. That's how they do it, that's how the trucking companies sell people on being a trainer. The trainer gets paid for all the miles the truck runs. That's a lot of miles because the trucking company runs the truck like a team, 1,200 miles in 24 hours. So you can see not a lot of good training time.

I was trainer we for a big trucking company. It just to hard running the truck 24/7 and trying to show someone stuff. Just not enough time. That's what people don't want to think about. Even when I went thru training they say your trainer will show you everything. The trainer has to answer to the trucking company and keep the truck rolling 1,200 miles in 24 hours. So you can see the game they play.

ENTRY LEVEL REGIONAL - Keller Trucking

They run their training trucks as solo. That pretty unusual in trucking

 

About the best company in VA that hires new cdl school grads is Old Dominion Freight Line.
Call and ask which schools they hire from.
Teams doing long haul can make about $125K for each driver.
Solo drivers can probably make $80K the first year.
.

 

I don’t see anything wrong with this school that’s close to you. CDS Tractor Trailer Training located in Fredericksburg, Virginia

Looks like TMC and Schneider recruit out of there... reviews look decent.

 

Old Dominion also has an in house driving school, as do other LTLs. Work the dock part of the day. School the other half. Very good money and benifits in that sector.

 

That's a good deal also; "Dock to Driver Program."

 

Old Dominion indeed.

What of the old Blue and Grey? They the same? Ive lost too much detail on them in memory. Remember anything about those?

Not all trainers run like team with no time for teaching. FFE had a policy to run no nights when training and have short loads like 230 miles over 6 days on a salary so it have PLENTY of time to pop into a truckstop for some backing drills.

 

Only way to do it in my opinion lol. Why pay for something (even if you will be reimbursed) when you can get paid to do it and have a job that pays more than 90% of the rest of them the first day you get in that truck. You are also building company seniority and getting benefits while you are working the dock waiting on your number to come up.

 

IMO, dry van is the easiest type of trucking for newbies. Dry van is majority of freight, requires little attention from driver. The biggest drawback are pulling 53 ft trailers. I did it for 21 years. With 1-2 years experience you can find really good tanker jobs. I love tankers and they are SOOOOO much easier to park at crowded truckstops. A few companies hire newbies for tanker, but not many.

 

Yes, ok to mention company names. Just be discreet. You never know who is reaiding so don't "set yourself on fire". Post like your boss and ambulance chasing attorneys are reading anything you post.