Ramblinman: welcome to EO! You've found the right place to get answers, ideas, opinions, etc, so don't blame us if you don't get rich, ok?
Seriously, the answer remains the same: start with the Newbies FAQ, then Newbies Forum, then proceed through every forum, (ok, you can skip the 'just for fun' fora, if you're eyes are crossing) for the past year or so. You will find that most every question you have has been asked, answered, and debated, because that's what we do here.
The next step is to try to talk to expediters you see on the road, usually at truckstops, or Walmart lots. Ask them if they'd recommend their carrier to a newbie, ask how many miles they average each week, or month, how dispatch treats them, etc. (Do keep a few caveats in mind, here: don't approach any vehicle that has the curtains over the windows, ok? Do offer to buy them a cup of coffee in return for their help, and don't forget 2 critical questions: "How long have you been doing this?" and "How many carriers have you driven for, in that time?"
Also, ask ATeam if you can get a copy of "Intro to expediting" (haha, Phil, beat you to it!) it does have some very good information for newbies.
Then you may be ready to call the recruiters for several carriers, and the first question you need to ask is "Are you adding any vans?" because many aren't. (That's a clue, right there - the van market is quite possibly oversaturated at this time.) Having the ability to drive a larger C or D or E unit, you may want to look in that direction - but before you can make any decisions, you need as much information as you can gather.
Last, but certainly not least - check the scheduled seminars listed here, and sponsored by, EO. Attending one will be one of the best investments of time that you can make, truly.
If you do all that, and still have questions, fire away!
Good luck, happy reading, and hope to see you succeed!
