new cdl: start off: Van or Tanker

I currently haul chemicals in a smooth bore and have done fuel in a baffled tank. My advice is to get experience in the dry van first. Tanks are scary beasts. Most of the physical part is carrying hoses and climbing ladders. Dry van you may end up in a grocery warehouse sorting 40 thousand pounds of soup cans.

 

My recommendation is different; go tanker and skip the vans. You're wasting precious time pulling vans when you can be making $60K+ as a new cdl grad pulling tankers. Tanker company I worked for hired 2 new cdl grads and they did just fine; as good as any other drivers at the company. If you start out with tankers, you will have no bad habits to break and no adjustments to make because of the difference in pulling vans & tankers.

 

Agree go tanker. I started out in van for past 15 yrs. Now I'm in best job I ever had pulling a tanker. Had to learn again cause they dont pull the same.

 

Go Tanker. Schneider actually has very good training for tanker

 

I did refer for 4 weeks lol hated , we to tanker and just liked it , shorter trailer that you can see around , load distribution is a non issue , yes you need to learn how to drive a " live load " it does move a bit just have to get used to it . Might as well start off with it , if thats what you want to do later , plus pay can be a little better .

 

I learned tanker with a smooth bore and still drive one. Never wanted to bump docks.

Skip dry vans, anyone can bump docks and swing doors. Set yourself above the competition.

 

I'd go with tanker work if I could. Most of us had to pay our dues with vans or reefers before we ended up pulling tankers and I don't know anybody who would go back. In general, tanker drivers make more money, run fewer miles, and get home more often than van drivers. And we're also treated more like professionals when we pick up and deliver. And even as a new driver you'll start out somewhere around .50/mile, and get hourly pay for layovers, detention, breakdowns, etc. We always get paid detention if loading or unloading takes more than two hours, on top of a base rate for that first two hours, and we even have our own word for it: demurrage, which basically means that it usually takes two hours or less. Some of us get sleeper pay for every night we spend in the truck. Basically, starting out in tankers is like getting to cut the line as far as pay and benefits go, and it's not at all unrealistic to make $70k your first year while still being home every other weekend, if not more often.

Oh, and most of our freight is no-touch, also—technically, all of it is because if you come into contact with the liquid you're doing something seriously wrong. But even when we do have to load or unload, it's just hooking up a hose or two, operating a couple of valves, and climbing up a ladder to open and close the dome lid. It's really easy, and often I prefer doing the unloading myself because at least then I have some control over the process. And I don't usually care too much how long it takes because I'm getting paid for every hour anyway. Which is way better than being at the mercy of lumpers or some surly dude on a forklift, something van and reefer drivers can tell you all about...

 

Or if you want to do local there is a bunch of jobs too. I haul def and make good money and I don't have a hazmat. I won't get one because now when they ask me to run a fuel route it's my way out without flat out telling them no. I like my weekends off.