What should I do now?

Case in point.

When I hired on, I made the mistake of saying that I regularly visited a chiropractor for back adjustment. Dumb idea.

300 mile round trip to take a work steps physical - lift 50lbs and walk around with it - before they'd hire me.

I used to be naive and be very open and honest with employers. Not now. Minimum information policy.

I hope things work out for you, trucking or not.

 

You haven't worked in over 8 weeks and that's this company's fault? I'm not trying to add to the harsh reactions on here, but we mostly bust our ### to make it around here, bad days, weeks, months and all. It's hard to feel sympathy for you seeing that. I hope you find a way to deal with your emotional issues and agree with everyone who says find something that isn't going to be so hard on you. If you really love to drive, pour yourself into finding something local. Even if it's crap work at first, it's experience that you need now. Get 6-12 months working docks or whatever and then start lookin at some of the better opportunities in your area. If you find something good right off the bat, GREAT. But I'd definitely avoid going back OTR. Good luck to ya.

 

Read the thread, then reread the first post. I have to do it all the time.

He's not saying its the companies fault for being off for 2 months, he's asking for advice on what to do from here.

I've had to deal with trickier situations than this before I ever found this forum, and I'm still trucking.

Remember the OP could easily be you tomorrow, you never know.

 

I too agree with a lot of the post saying to drive local, one is you just had a spell with depression, why would you want to go back so soon and drive long haul? maybe the meds or whatever won't work when you are all alone and 2000 miles from home, why put anyone else including yourself at risk?

I'm no doctor but I would go local for awhile and work your way back to long haul if that's where you truly want to be, maybe it's long haul, maybe it's something medical, or maybe it's just being in a truck that makes you tick a little different but by driving local for a bit you will at least be able to ease back in to OTR while eliminating causes and being certain the meds are working fine

 

I think, and this is just my opinion, that you may have just answered your own question, you said there are things you'd rather not discuss??? I don't need the info but the comment speaks for itself and that is that although you had a job a company can't just fire you for no real good reason, ( maybe the things you said that are private??) and maybe they had issues with you,

I am not picking on you but if I had a driver that called me every day for directions, although he did his job, that in itself wouldn't allow me to fire him but I would probably want him out at first chance just because I personally didn't like babysitting

Some companies would rather cut you loose than work through your personal issues, not saying it's right but again, first legal chance they get and they will jump at it, you gave them their out

 

[QUOTE="Hang - Man";3703857]dtcscout, its over - either look for something local or move on to another profession and be done with it.
I am sorry no disrespect for your depression, but what did you expect, think about it.
You told your company in so many words that you were going a little nut's and needed a doctor and medication.
I am starting to see the companies point of view, i have read about 5 threads from drivers with similar issues.
I would love to eat lunch with the dispatchers, i bet they have a "can you top this one" comedic discussion everyday.
Once again i feel for you, but you just cant be an OTR driver, it just isn't for you.[/QUOTE]


:wtf:





You have got to be kidding me. All sort of people get depression all the time; many times, it's just caused by a chemical imbalance that can be levelled out with a mild medication. And, when you factor in the oddball hours truckers have to endure, it's just a matter of time before someone succumbs to this. You may have as well, your reaction might've been to snap someone's head off, or scream to yourself over someone cutting you off in traffic; his reaction seems to have been to internalize it until he couldn't handle it any longer, and he was smart enough to recognize it.

And don't think about saying "you don't get depressed": EVERYONE gets depressed, at one time or another. It's just a human reaction to stress and strife, and it can be dealt with if caught early and treated properly.

Unfortunately, he didn't do it correctly, but it doesn't mean he can't ever drive again. He just needs to word things properly, and not say anything until he knows what's on that DAC.

 

Get your DAC, figure it out, then figure your next step.

Your first mistake was telling them first you needed some help with depression: you should've hit the dr first, gotten the diagnosis and under the dr's care, and then start with the medications until you found one that levelled you out decently, and allowed you to work consistently. At that point, if the dr wanted you to take a couple weeks off, you then file your FMLA with HR (not your dispatcher), with proper documentation from the dr. And forget faxing: too easy for them to "lose" it. Either walk the paperwork in, or mail it Registered-Return Receipt Requested: that way, you have record they received the paperwork.

You CAN still be a trucker: just take control of the information, fix the negative spin, and fix how you approach this. The medication will help, and you'll feel a lot better in the long run if you pull this off.

 

Time to get off the road, I did when it wasn't feeling it --no crying and whining about it took the truck back cleaner than i got it and said thanks.
Frankly Trucking is for tough people, not for tough "i wanna fight" people but for a very special type of people that either can thrive in that environment or who can deal with it.
Original poster made a mistake, if he still wanted to truck, he could have waited till he got home, saw the doctor got his meds and shut up.
I never said any thing in a hater kind of way --it aint for him that's all move on.
You have no idea of what kind of company or how big it is, it could have been a 10- 30 truck company --so now some other driver that was due for home time that might have been out 3-4 weeks has to deliver his load. Not to mention O/P implied a law suit --really get over it.
Home depot, Lowes will probably hire him --might even make better money and be home with his wife and kids every night --who knows.
You just want to start crap with me, i have nothing against him just stating the obvious.
Now go start your next thread "My trainer threw me off his truck" Lux Prometheus

 

I give you credit for recognizing that you had a problem and trying to solve it , but your mistake was giving too much information. certain issues bring up red flags (depression, drug use, back issues, ect.) you have to look at it like this if they put you back in a truck after you wrote that you were suffering from depression issues, and you got into an accident ,the tv. lawyers would have a field day! you should have said you wanted a leave to take care of a family member! I agree with others too look for a local job, Good luck !