new cdl grad what companies to go for & who to stay away from

If at first you don't succeed, skydiving isn't for you.

Youre going to mess up as you learn, accept that. We all had to swallow the first year lessons no matter how good our training was. Stay away from the, "oh ####" as much as you can though.

For your first year, I'd stay away from jobs that haul primarily to shopping centres. Navigating those and keeping your record clean can be tough the first year.

 

After all the training is complete with hazmat/tankers and you're running solo, can easily make over $60K per year.

 

I was barely scraping 20k gross at my previous job. So yeah, when I got hired and saw my first check (wasn't even a real check. It was the, "you're new, so we are going easy on you" check.) I nearly #### a brick.

Probably would have if I'd made the same as I do now that I'm doing all the loads and not just the easy ones.

Flatbed and tanker is what I'm looking at wanting to do next. Right now I'm just van. But yeah, the money we make isn't half-bad to say the least.

 

I pulled hazmat/tankers 48 states; best trucking in my whole career. Made $65K doing that and some of the drivers made up to $72K.
Trimac drivers can make over $100K.
All those tanker outfits on the list are good.

 

Trimac (I think) is one of the ones I have had my eye on for after I leave SNI and move to America's Hat.

From what I have read, they are a really good company.

 

"ethos" that posts on here works at Trimac and is in the big money. He started with Schneider Bulk and worked there about 8 years; says it's a good company also. Most OTR tanker outfits are good; hazmat/tankers is a whole new world and decent people at shippers & receivers, not like the trash shippers & receivers at many refrigerated places.

 

FYI: Matthew, I fixed your userpic to prevent you from getting a 'crick' in your neck.

 

Pretty much what Chinatown said I would agree with. Though he would be more familiar with the better companies on the list I can def agree on the ones he left off.