Recruited At Swift.. THEN DROPPED?!? NEW RULES?? WHAT THE HECK?!?

Yea, I was going to say that but trying to be a bit constrained....

The dude needs time to let these tickets expire off the MVR...



-H

 

Actually, he needs a lot more than that. He needs some professional tutoring on job hunting.

About the 23 year old requirement. That was dropped many years ago when companies were having to beg for drivers. NOW, they can cherry pick their drivers, and reduce insurance cost by hiring drivers over the 23 year mark....again.

Calling a recruiter multiple times a day is one thing. But going over a recruiters head, to Corporate and Security....is another.

You have 2 tickets at 15 mph or over. That sir IS reckless driving in a CMV.

The last 2 points prove beyond a doubt, you have not learned from your experiences. You are in a hurry....still speeding. Still taking unnecessary risk, by kicking an application upstairs simply because you're unwilling to wait.

You can call it eagerness to get started if you want. The recruiter may just decide you're rude, and irresponsible. And throw your app in the trash.

You haven't seen anything yet !!! Just wait until they start requiring 3,4,5 even 7 years experience to even consider your application. It's happened in the past with the "top shelf" companies. It could happen agian, easily.

3 years ago, 2 companies that I am aware of. Required 5 years at the same company....to consider you for a job at theirs. And companies were begging for drivers then.

 

You could just wait until you turn 23.

This is probably the WORST time ever to try and get into trucking.
Other than a recruiter..I have not had ONE single person on this forum ever
tell me "Hey...this is the time to go trucking"..look at some of my threads I have started. There is NO encouragement at this time....Thats not to say you shouldnt do it but right now I think there are too many things working against you at the moment.

Millis only wants $500 down and will finance the rest. Some of the companies out there are more/less but I am not aware of anyone that will do it for FREE w/o some type of repayment and 'contract'. Those days aren't around anymore.
Of course you need a fairly decent credit score (650+) for some companies to finance you. Millis and Roehl do that w/o charging interest as long as your credit is decent. I suppose if you have money to pay a lawyer you have money to put down towards schooling...maybe keep that in mind too ?

If your unemployed, maybe there is some state assistance you could go after. Some of the out of work people in IL were able to get unemployment to actually pay towards their private driving school.

If you can fight/correct the ticket - that will help, but you still have the other one and if 2 applications come in, your would be 2nd to a cleaner driver...at least right now.

I think 2010 (2nd or 3rd qtr) things will start to improve. Thats my time frame for getting back into trucking.

Keep us posted...

-H

 

No sir they are not, as represented by your attitude.

The only ego here, is yours. It went down in flames in your own post. Where you plainly stated the recruiter told you she could handle your questions, then proceeded to dump all over you, for going over her head.

My experience also includes "job seeking" as well as management. In over 30 years of doing just that. I've never been told by a recruiter or personnel manager to refer my question to a higher authority/another department within a company via telephone call...prior to being hired.

If I have a "recruiter" that refers a prospective employee TO me. That prospective employee will fill the vacant recruiter slot, that just opened up.

Recruiters get paid to answer your questions, if they don't know the answer, they are paid to get you an answer. Not shift you onto another much needed person, in another department.

PS...Security while a duty of the Safety department of many trucking companies. Don't give a rats ### how many tickets you have. They're concerned with other issues. Issues like theft prevention.

 

Hmm, Just my 2 cents, but SSCCrab, this is an industry with a very, very high turnover rate, Hundreds of newbies rush in and this industry just chews them up and spits them out.
I am not impressed with your lack of respect towards the experienced drivers here. they may not be telling you what you want to hear, they are telling you what you need to hear.
In my opinion, you are lucky. You found out before you left. Do you know how many others have be stranded hundreds of miles from home because they didn't find out until they were at the school, and then they found out the school doesn't pay or provide for a return trip home. So count our blessing there, because you could have boarded that bus and found out on your arrival that the policy changed.
What you are failing to realize, is there is a lot more to being a truck driver than driving. A company is going to entrust to you a tractor and trailer and thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars worth of cargo, so maturity and responsibility is also an issue, and that is what the experience drivers are trying to convey to you.
If you really believe that they are treating you like a holes, than maybe this really isn't the industry for you.
If this is something you truly want to do, the you need to take of your under roos and put on your big boy boxers, and listen to what those who know his industry (those with two digit experience) are telling you and don't whine about how they tell.
I am a newbie, and I get annoyed with all the newbie whining and arrogance. I just finished my third week of a four week school, I passed my tests, have my cdl and all my endorsements, and here is what I know, I am only one of the hundreds and hundreds that got their cdl last week, and next week, hundreds more will get their cdl. There is not a single company out there that needs me, I need a company that will offer me a chance and opportunity.

Now, because I have paid attention to what those with experience have said, and because I been respectful, I have been accepted and offered a position at a few companies, and one of the companies I got connected with through and by an experienced driver, because this company doesn't hire students, and normally does not offer training, but, they do have a driver who is a qualified trainer and has agreed to train me, and the company has agreed to compensate him as well as pay me during training. It was maturity, respect and help from an experienced and established driver that got me the opportunity.

I got connected with this driver and his wife at a local truck stop here, when I was considering getting into the industry, I offered to buy them dinner and coffee at the truck stop if they would talk to me about trucking. At first they were not real warm and friendly, but they ate and talked to me and were straight forward and honest. It wasn't till I was half through school and several coffees later, that they hooked me up.

At school you will learn what you need to get your cdl, during training you will learn a bit more, after training, if you are to succeed you will need help from experienced drivers, and after about five years, if you make it that long, you are only beginning to become a trucker.

 

BrenYoda,
Good post, well written. Thank You !!!!!

 

This reply is not directed towards anything in this thread... just the comment that I quoted. No harm or foul to you BrenYoda, I just want to point something out. All new drivers need to keep this in mind. Just because a driver is experienced and willing to give advice doesn't mean it's good advice or even advice given with your best interests at heart. I've known a TON of experienced drivers.... only about half were worthy of my respect.

 

What half am I in?

 

You know what half you're in Wayne.... You're in the elite group with drivers I respect and like......