Central Refrigerated or Western Express Flatbed?

You've already graduated from a CDL school?
Any particular reason you're only looking at those two companies?
Personally, I would choose flatbed.

Western Express Flatbed
Howard Transportation
Maverick
Boyd Bros.
TMC
Decker Truck Line

 

Most companies want a refresher since you've been off the road over a year. Try Falcon Transport flatbed division. One driver on here went to Western Express after being off the road, then after orientation, they sent him home for not having enough recent experience. He posted that he contacted Falcon and explained what happened & they hired him.

Did you try Prime Inc. flatbed division?

Another route is Paschall Truck Lines refresher; they will send a bus ticket to you for Murray, KY. The trucks have APU's but it's dry van. After refresher obligation, you could go to most any flatbed company.

 

Remember experience is experience try a few small companies in the area. Might be able to land a local job for a little while. Also remember if you decide to go OTR stay off dedicated they won't consider that OTR experience. Also if the company is willing to pay for the refresher, or sponsor the refresher it may not be a bad idea. Nothing against you at all but hey if I could take a refresher course for free I would. I'll admit that too sometimes its nice to go back and see what bad habits you have picked up and be humbled by what you need to work on.

 

If you want to flatbed I would do everything I could to go out with a flatbed company from the get go. That way you don't have to spend time on a second trainer when you hire on.

 

Goof luck. Keep us posted.

 

But but but but what about all those bad things you've heard about Western Express ????