I have two weeks of driving school left

It depends on your circumstances. If you have family you probably want to be home every weekend or daily. If you want to make the most money and cut your living expenses, go OTR and give up paying rent for a house or apt. You can rent a hotel when you get time off. If you stay local you will be in city traffic daily, probably work 12 hour days and commute, money depends on how careful you are about picking where to work. You will probably start on nights, unless you do food service or beverage delivery, starting very early in the mornings.

You need to decide what YOU need to be happy and then sort companies that work the way you need to work. It is up to you to research the company and verify that what they tell you is true. I suggest you talk to other drivers at the company doing the job you are considering before you work for any company. Recruiters and ads are not reliable sources of info. Is a car salesman going to talk you out of buying a car? No, he is not. You have to live with the decision so you need to do enough research to prove the company is a good match for you.

 

Dang bryan, we have a lot in common. Both from Tennessee, wives, mistress's, truckers. You probably like a good glass of wine also.

 

Tanker doesn't require extraordinary skill, just drive like every trip is a road test. The main thing to know is you CANNOT make panic stops and aggressive steering at the same time or you will roll over. You can make very heavy braking going straight ahead, but no steering change,. You need to ALWAYS be down to or below any on/off-ramp speed before you start to curve. Some guys ALWAYS get down to 5 mph under the ramp speed until they gain experience and then allow themselves to get down to the ramp speed. Going faster than the warning speed on a ramp is never an option.

The slosh or the surge at very slow speeds can feel like getting kicked by Godzilla, but at very slow speeds 0-10 mph it isn't dangerous. As you go faster the slosh/surge feels less dangerous but becomes more dangerous. Drive like a State Trooper is in the passenger seat and ANY driver can do tanker. Most tanker drivers wish they started in tanker or moved to tanker sooner. Western Dairy Transport could be a great company for a new driver.

 

Barney Trucking | Specializing in dry bulk hauling
This company sometimes hires new cdl school grads for specific routes.
.

 

I totally agree with post#23. There is one little info missing.
Your first major mistake. According to insurance statistics a rookie
will make a major mistake in the first 2 years of commercial driving.
Possible 3 years, maybe.
In dry van ops is called a major mistake.
In tanker ops is called a major disaster.
I think the difference is significant.
Just something to think about.
Not to be scared, just think about it.
It doesn't have to be your fault either.
A major disaster nonetheless.