Advice please! Newly graduate out of Memphis, TN

I would be cautious of a company with thirty trucks that needs to recruit, or hires three drivers at one time, with the exception of adding trucks. I can't really recommend a company, because they're all a crap shoot with too many variables to determine if they're good or bad for a particular individual. I would stay away from the mega truckload carriers if possible. LTL is nice. But I've never thought it was a good idea to put new drivers in P&D because of the smaller customers and residential areas they may service. Line haul is a pretty good gig, although doubles can get one it trouble quickly if you don't watch yourself.

 

Haven't used intelliapp, but other drivers have and say it's a real time saver.
Schuster is the nations main ice cream hauler. Small company but has that ice cream contract.
Britton Transport has about 100 trucks and is owned by Bison which is a Canadian company.
Many small companies you won't see much about and the don't advertise much; probably don't have to.
Just like Abilene, probably very few cdl schools have even heard the name, so they just go for the easy job placement with the usual suspects.

 

Old Dominion hires new cdl grads for linehaul. That's just drop & hook loads. This is another company you probably didn't hear about in CDL school even though their linehaul jobs are considered a coveted job by drivers.

 

I don't think Old Dominion has online application. If there's a terminal there, just walk in. Some terminals may not have openings and some do.

 

Flat bedding is a very good part of trucking. You will not get obese with flatbedding. And you can pretty much ensure that the cargo itself is no touch, loaded and unloaded relatively quickly and problems with wind etc fighting the tarps etc are overcome with experience.

I would not mind getting back into flatbed because everything has a purpose when you toss down chain and binders to go to work. Lives depend on your ability to do the securement correctly.

I do not trust van companies to be 100% no touch. There is always that one load that will be a back breaking experience somewhere.

Tanker will be my second choice again the cargo is easy. It's the securement, knowledge of cargo and so forth that is a step above ordinary trucking. One can argue tanking is easier than flatbedding but due to the higher center of gravity and the sheer bulk of hazmat I beg to differ.

Christian values is all well and good, but mean nothing when you are confronted with places God and his angels do not exist in. His light is within you is all I need to say...

Good luck out there.