Need advise fast!!

Hey guys and gals!!

I'm in a bit of a tough spot and would appreciate some insight from you truck driving gurus out there.

I graduated CDL school December 18, 2014. I am also my daughter's custodial parent, and I am also re-married. Because of issues of legal responsibility, I've had to petition the Florida Court to relocate with my daughter to my mother's home in San Antonio, TX, just so I can go on the road (no one will offer me a local job fresh out of school, despite many tries). I learned yesterday that the order allowing the relocation has been submitted to the Judge for signature. I expect to have the signed order in my hand within a week. Here's my dilema.

I am interested in an OTR Tanker position with Schneider that's based out of Houston, but I also have a position waiting for me with Werner out of Florida. The position with Werner is an Eastern US regional position based out of Lithia Springs, GA, and I would be shuttled down to Palm Beach on the Werner Coach for my home time and back up to GA for work. Travel time to/from GA doesn't count towards home time. The training for the Tanker job with Schneider is around 30 days, which includes 10 - 15 days OTR with a trainer. The remaining time is local training in Houston. Werner will put me on the road with a trainer for about 5 weeks.

The position with Schneider is 14 days on, 3 days off, but I can choose to stay on 28 days, to have 6 days off in a row. I plan on doing the latter to fly down to Palm Beach and be with my wife, and the former to drive to San Antonio and spend time with my daughter and mother. Werner's position is 14 on 2 off and the time on the coach doesn't count towards my home time. I'm not sure whether Werner will allow me to stay on 28 days and have 4 days off in a row so I can fly to San Antonio and be with my daughter and mother, but I'd like to think they would. I know I should confirm this, but for now, let's go on hindsight. Schneider pays slightly higher than Werner, but I'm not really looking to get rich on my first year on the job. I just want the experience.

My ultimate goal is to suck it up for a year and then return to Florida, to hopefully get a local tanker route. I'm 53 and at my age I don't care to fingerprint refer trailers for Cheney Brothers, US Foods, or Sysco, just to have a local route. I will probably stay OTR, or work elsewhere if I don't get a local tanker job. I think a year driving tankers at Schneider will look better on a resume than a year of driving a van at Werner for what I want after my 1st year.

All carrier bias aside, would you guys think I'd be better off with Werner, or Schneider? Why? I already have Tanker, Hazmat and Doubles/Triples endorsements on my Florida CDL-A, but no TWIC card. My daughter will be heading to Texas either way.

Thanks in advance!!

 

She's 11 going on 21. Actually, she'll be 12 in August. I have spoken, ad nauseum, with her about the move and she's just as excited about it as I am.

There are a couple tanker companies out of South Florida and I've talked to both of them. They will both take me with 6 months TT/OTR experience.

 

Actually, I had my phone interview yesterday and was offered the job. Start date, April 6. Hopefully I'll make enough $$ to pay for air fare to Florida at least every other month.

 

My mother. My brother, his wife and their kids live close by as well.