Flatbed, reefer, van or tanker?

The one that is most dangerous and/or most specialized. But you can find that with any of the trailer types you listed.

Like the others tried to expalin to you, figure out what type of work you'd like to do first (vans, reefers, flats, drop decks, tanks, livestock, containers, etc). Then you can figure out where the big money is in that particular type of work. Once you know that, you can start to plot a course that will get you there.

Because just about all of them have the potential to make decent money. And in every case, no matter how great the money is, if you don't like the particular type of work you're doing and/or the particular type of lifestyle that work requires, you're going to be hating life and no amount of money is worth that.

 

How do the different type of works differ? What's good or bad about each of them?

 

I would go for whoever hires you as Les said. With that company you will go out with a trainer and learn the ropes. As for me, I started out with Reefer and do not regret it. However, if given choice, I would go dry van as you drop and hook more than doing live loads with reefer.

KH

 

I'm not real sure what you're looking for here. Reefers haul stuff that needs to be cold. Flats haul stuff that won't fit in dry vans. Tanks haul liquids.

If you want to get beyond that, I would suggest doing some searches on the forum here and find threads where drivers talk about the ins and outs of what particular type of trailer they pull and what particular type of work they do with that trailer. There are way too many variables to be able to hit them all in one post or even in one thread.

 

I was reading this thread and my BS meter went off the charts. I will guarantee there is no company driver in the country that is clearing $5000/week. I would be surprised if there are many independent contractors that GROSS (pay before expenses) $5000/week.

My advice to the OP...if you are looking to move beyond slave wages in a reasonable hurry, I would look strongly at a flatbed company. This is working off the assumption that you are not averse to physical labor. I believe both TMC and Maverick will hire recent grads and teach them the necessary skills to become a flatbedder. Pay rates for newbees on the van side of our industry are a joke. You should be able to see quick pay increases pulling flats. I believe an earlier poster also pointed out that you will open up a bunch of possibilities like specialized and heavy haul. In my experience, few drivers go back to pulling a box once they have done open deck very long, but it is always an option.

 

Do TMC or Maverick hire 21 yr olds?

 

I would be surprised...they will probably require you are 23.