Consensus on Best OTR Company, New Driver?

OK, you need a company that has nice trucks set up for driver comfort, since you'll be using it for an apartment on wheels. This narrows it down quite a bit. Many companies don't allow the driver to idle the truck except in extreme cold or hot temperatures and many cities/towns don't allow trucks to idle at all. Look at companies that use APU's in the trucks. A diesel APU is used when the truck engine is shut off; it provides power for your computer, television, cooking, refrigerator, heat & air conditioning, etc. and keeps the engine block heated in cold weather.
Some companies have battery APU's which are also good but do have some limitations, but still makes life pretty good on the road.
Check these companies and do the online applications the very first day of school. Don't wait until graduation or the end of school. This way you have plenty of time to choose the company you want and can start right to work at graduation.
Danny Herman Trucking - coast to coast dry van.
Dynamic Transit - coast to coast refrigerated.
Freymiller - coast to coast refrigerated. www.drive4freymiller.com (click on "Restore Program")
Britton Transport - coast to coast dry van & refrigerated.
Navajo Express - coast to coast refrigerated.
Schuster - coast to coast refrigerated.
All the above hire new cdl grads, even if the website has different. Some websites are hard to navigate. All the above have APU.
Apply to as many companies as you want; the more the better. You'll have job offers within a day or so. Job offers will be contingent on completion of cdl school.
Submit online applications the first day of school; you don't have to inform the school if you don't want to; it's your career, not anyone at the schools career.

 

No. There are too many variables gor each company and each driver. There is a better consensus on which companies to avoid.

Picking a company is like picking shoes. Expensive shoes that don't fit you is not a good match.

 

Danny Herman Trucking has two facilities in Southern California.
All those companies I listed hire California CDL drivers.
Each company sets their own hiring area and where their headquarters is located is irrelevant.

Since you're already set up for school, go ahead and do that and get a California CDL. Later and since you plan to live in the truck, move your license to a state with no personal income taxes.

 

We have some good discussions on here about drivers wanting to live in the truck and change their domicile to a no-income tax state. In fact, just this week a good thread was started about that. Nevada and Texas are popular for that because of the weather, but there are others.
I'll look for that thread and tag you; maybe you'll get some information to help for later.

 

If none of those Chinatown recommended hire you (like me because I have gaps in employment) then look to Swift before any other mega. They do seem like one of the better beginner companies despite all the memes and jokes. Source for that recommendation: