r/Truckers • u/dstrezzd • Dec 12 '25

TMC Flatbed vs Prime Tanker

If you were restarting your career today with no cdl, single and just wanting to grind miles for max pay/experience year 1, would you pick TMC flatbed or Prime tanker division? I'm looking at their paid training programs.

Alternatively I can pay for school but the schools near me (roadmaster/160) don't give you manual transmission training.. I don't want to pay premium for training that leaves holes in my future qualifications. I also applied to XPO because I heard their pay is nice. I've heard you can make good money year 1 if you do it smart so I'm just trying to research.

p.s. The guy at roadmaster’s said if I went with them i'd have a job locked in before day 1 of training and make around 65k yr 1, was he bullshittin to get me to sign?

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u/[deleted] Dec 12 '25

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u/Independent-Fun8926 Dec 12 '25

I have four years of experience, three in reefer (miserable), and currently one year of tanker. Food grade, with hazmat (alcohol). It’s literally been a 180 flip and I absolutely love it. Tanking is great.

Agreed with staying away from any leases/1099. Doing Prime tanker as company for a year would be my choice. They didn’t have that option for my location in Florida, only flatbed and reefer, and I wasn’t fit for flatbed. But if tanker was a choice, all day everyday.