Your first CDL job, honestly.

Mostly yes. Local and regional jobs almost universally want 1–2 years OTR before they'll touch you, because insurance costs are tied to experience. There are exceptions — some food-service local jobs (Sysco, US Foods) and some intermodal carriers — but plan on OTR for 6–12 months. Use that time to learn the truck, build a clean MVR, and pick your next move strategically.

Yes, but each carrier has its own pet policy. Maverick allows pets after solo, Werner allows them at trainer phase end, Prime is dog-friendly. Some require a refundable deposit ($150–$500). NOT all carriers — check the policy before you sign. And if you have a dog already, write down which carriers do/don't allow them when you're shopping.

Forced dispatch means the carrier picks your loads — you take what they give you, or you turn it down with consequences (loss of pay, reduced miles next week). Most big-fleet OTR carriers are forced dispatch. Owner-op or some elite reefer programs (Prime LP) offer self-dispatch where you choose loads. As a new grad, forced dispatch is fine — you're learning, not optimizing.

Per diem is a portion of your pay paid as a non-taxable meal allowance. Pro: more take-home in the moment. Con: lowers your taxable W-2 wages, which can hurt mortgage qualification, Social Security accrual, and 401(k) match. As a new grad with no mortgage and a low retirement contribution rate, per diem usually nets positive. Run the numbers; don't default-accept.

Sometimes — but read the contract. Best deals (Roehl, Maverick, Prime, TMC) have clear "stay 12 months and the school cost is forgiven" structures. Bad deals (some CR England contracts historically) have compounding clawbacks if you leave early. The economics: company-sponsored school is "free" only if you complete the term. If you're sure about the carrier, take it. If you're unsure, pay for your own school ($4K–$7K at a community college program) to keep your options open.

Document everything (dispatches, communication, any safety concerns) and request a different trainer through the safety department — not your recruiter. If the carrier won't reassign, that tells you a lot about the carrier. Some new grads quit and re-start at a different carrier. That's costly (you re-set your first-year clock) but sometimes correct. A bad trainer can put you in unsafe situations or just damage your learning.

Depends on how old. Most big carriers have a 5- or 7-year look-back window for DUI/DWI. Some (Prime, Maverick) are stricter; some (Western, Stevens historically) are more lenient. A DUI over 10 years old plus a clean MVR since then is workable at most new-grad carriers. A DUI in the last 3 years severely restricts your options. Be upfront with recruiters — they will see it on your MVR anyway, and lying gets you blacklisted.

Rarely. Insurance underwriting drives this — local fleets typically can't insure a 0-experience driver for less than 1–2 years. Exceptions: family-owned small fleets, some food-service local positions, and some intermodal port drayage (these specifically hire new grads because their lanes are short and predictable). If you must stay local, expect to spend 6–12 months at one of these niches before any "real" local job opens up.

Dry van: simpler — load, drive, drop. Less waiting at receivers. Slightly lower pay. Reefer: temperature checks every few hours, tighter delivery windows (grocery DCs are unforgiving), more detention time but detention pay covers some of it, slightly higher CPM. As a new grad, dry van is easier to learn the basics on. Reefer is fine if you land at Prime or Stevens — both train new grads properly. Don't pick reefer at a carrier that doesn't have a structured new-grad reefer program; the consequences of a load loss are bigger.

Three tests. (1) Ask for the exact pay structure in writing — base CPM, training pay, accessorials. Reputable carriers will email you a pay summary; sketchy ones will tell you "we'll discuss at orientation." (2) Cross-reference the carrier's own published rates on their corporate site. (3) Check the carrier's FMCSA SAFER score (DOT number lookup) — out-of-service violations and crash rates tell you about operational discipline. If recruiter pay doesn't match the carrier site, or the SAFER record is bad, you have your answer.