Safeway is union. Takes an Act of God to get in there - but if you can make it through the - whatever it was 6 or 9 months - you get in. They pay you $13 for those however many months and that probably isn't too fun, but I did work there a couple of times as a temp driver and the work wasn't too terribly bad. I think a couple of other grocery chains are also union. I'm thinking Fry's.

Thanks very much TrooperRat...never thought of that at all. I'll contact Safeway Monday, and check their website today. Pay if that isn't great...but I would work it if needed to get in... at 57, I need bennies and steady income.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you can cross TMC off your list. TMC is not currently hiring west of I-35/29. The only exception to that is if you have previously worked for TMC as far as I know.

Also benefits at TMC don't kick in for 90 days from your hire date same as the local jobs you were looking at.

__________________
The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.

-- J R R Tolkien

inthewindaz, keep us updated. I am also in Phoenix (Mesa) looking to get back to driving at 43, after a 7 year break to raise my kids after a divorce. I have 10 years accident, ticket, dui - free experience and have been 7 years on my last dead end non-driving job here.

I have one blemish on my DAC/History. A felony in 1991. I won't give details on it here but in a nutshell, it was minor enough to be a misdemeanor that they bumped up to a felony because I was holding out for a trial and not taking their plea bargain due to the fact I had proof I was not even at the scene of the "crime". They wore me down financially over 3 years (to the tune of $30,000 or so) until I had no choice but take probation or become homeless and unemployed. So, for a crime I DID NOT commit...

I have been applying everywhere for 2 months now and have been rejected for pre-hires or re-schooling by:
Crete - Denied.
Gordon - Denied.
May - Denied.
Millis - Requires relocation to even apply.
CFI/Conway - Would not even talk to me.
Watkins Shepard - Would not even talk to me.
KLLM - Would not even talk to me.
Swift - Denied.
Central Refrigerated - No response. These people don't answer or return calls for months.
Arrow - Would not even talk to me.
CR England - Called on a Thursday and asked me to show up Monday for orientation. Called back 10 min. later and denied. ****ing jerks!
US Xpress - Still processing, has ran DAC, expect denial any day.

...and a few more I've forgotten. I'm pretty much out of options and am all ears to smaller companies I am unaware of or whatever.

Estes would be my # 1 pick, good equipment and always clean, even in the NE. Pay good and don't cheat.