First I fly up to Celedon Trucking (at their expense), but when I get there, do the medical exam and they see I have Sleep Apnea they ask where my CPAP machine is and I said I left it at home. I was already burden down when they tell me to bring a bedroll (took up half of my suitcase), 7 days of clothes and other gear. Had to pay extra as it was for the weighted freight. So they said that I was not wanted anymore and sent home.
Then my med card expires after my last company laid me off the year before. This means my CDL is downgraded to an operators.
Swift Transportation comes to the rescue (or so it would seem). They pay to have me get a DOT physical. When they see that I have sleep apnea they want to know the results of the sleep study -- this takes a week to get. Then they tell me they want me to do another sleep study. Do they know how hard that was to get??, but I talk them out of that. They tell me I need 10 days of CPAP use on the new memory card and I do that. Then have the CPAP people read the card and fax the data to the doctor. They are two days late sending the new med card. So I miss the Swift orientation and had to wait until after Christmas (two more weeks). When I do bring the med card to the DMV they say there is less than 30 days of use on the card and it is worthless. So the doctor sends me another card with 6 weeks on it - I stop them mailing it and drive the four hours to their office and back to pick it up. I get my CDL reinstated, but in order to get a longer med card I need another 30 days of data on the CPAP and they will get me a 3 month card. When I use the CPAP for those 90 days I will get a 2 year card.
When I finally go to Swift for the orientation 5 hours away, they said they changed their policy in the last week and now require at least 90 days on the med card... UGH!! So I drive 5 hours back home with no job.
Have driven a truck for 25+ years with a perfect safety record, but unemployed for over a year. Why is this so hard these days? Its a good thing there is a tremendous shortage of truck drivers. I've never quit a job in my life (only layoffs and company downsizing). I sure hope the next job lasts a long time.
Sleep Apnea is a big stumbling block when getting work as a truck driver
Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Diantane, Jan 1, 2015.
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