QUESTIONS ABOUT SELECTING THE RIGHT COMPANY TO SELECT.

The weather is horrible in Washington & the politicians are raising corporate taxes so the homeless can have a "free to them" middle class life. Those corporate taxes trickle down, so everyone eventually pays.
Keep shopping around for your final destination for a residence.
Lynden Transport and Brown Line are in Washington and hire new cdl grads. They're mostly OTR but do have local jobs available.
James J. Williams in Washington hires new cdl grads & they're local/regional.

 

All of your questions are why I STRONGLY suggest prospective CDL drivers pick a company FIRST and then decide how to get the license.

Why are you in school in Alabama but looking to work in states far away? CDL school.is not 4 year college where you have plenty of time during the semesters & summers to shop around for an employer. Once you start CDL school you have started a clock to get a job. If you aren't working in a month after school you are now making your job search more difficult. However you are paying your bills now, you probably have more time to read this forum and shop for a job. In CDL school you get used car salesmen selling their "creampuff" to people that hardly know how to hook to a trailer.

Only you & your family can decide which if your numerous desires are no-go items and which are "nice to haves". 90% of newbies do little homework. Ignore what advice they do get. Then VOLUNTEER to work for chump companies like Western Express, or worse, hate their pay & working conditions and blame the industry for the decisions they made. It's going to take a while to sort out trucking companies and brutal honesty about which demands are mandatory & your personality & work ethic.

 

Of the companies you listed Maverick is excellent. Stay away from PTL and CR England. I used to work for Maverick and have nothing bad to say about them. They do not hire out of Washington state but otherwise fits your needs well.Best wishes

 

I run into them a lot at my shippers and receivers. I have not asked them about pay, but I have seen every level of experience from rookies to seasoned veterans, which makes me believe their pay is ok.

I know that their training is excellent and their equipment is top notch.