Well that's it. I'm done.

I don't drive any more because of DAC. Kept my CDL just in case.

 

Well there is always somthin out there for everyone...I didnt have much luck with trucking...I would take drivin in Iraq over drivin here any day of the week lol...You should keep your cdl though..I had problems with jobs too..I had a few different trucking jobs here and none lasted more then a month.One I didnt even get to drive for it was that quick...I know what most will say,but none of it was my fault...The first was transport america..After orientation,you were supposed to get $350 a week after the first week of waitin on a trianer..I waited three and only got paid for one..Then he quit three weeks into my training so he could drive local.Was supposed to get paid while waiting on another trainer.2 weeks and no dime,and they said $350 wasnt "all that much" anyway,so I told them to get lost.Then I went to nick strimbu trucking.Smaller outfit,union,flatbed..Thought ok could work.Didnt plan on staying long,their idea of retirement was them putting $70 a month into a stock of your choice..I finnished my training and everything was ok.Then they told me i had to work in the warehouse for about 3 months..Yeah ashtabula to hubbard is about and 1 1/2 hours away..They had the nerve to say i could stay in the rat motel at truckworld to save on fuel cost,but they just didnt have any trucks and were anticapating someone quiting over the next few months...That was goodbye for me.Then went to us express.I was told I would get a trainer at orientation.5 Weeks later and nothing..So I went with a company called tl express..Went through training and everything was good.Got 2 loads under my belt solo and i thought i was a bad motor scooter lol..Then...,,on their instruction I had to pick up a experienced driver/new hirer at their little "outpost" in gary IN and bring him to the terminal in mantua so all he had to do was get a truck..I was instructed to let him drive..It was real bad with the snow out and all,and I was honestly glad it was him and not me..He had 6 years exp and it showed..One sharp curve came up though and a deer ran out in front of him...for some reason he swerved and we went into the ditch..They gave him a preventable,and let me go..They acted like i was his trainer and I ws suppose to be "monitering" him...yeah ok..Then by the grace of god I got the job in Iraq and made alot of money..Bout $8,500 a month...Sorry for the long story..Anyways,dont give up cause u never know what a CDL can get you..You just might have to leave the country to get good money and be treated decent....

 

Well there is always somthin out there for everyone...I didnt have much luck with trucking...I would take drivin in Iraq over drivin here any day of the week lol...You should keep your cdl though..I had problems with jobs too..I had a few different trucking jobs here and none lasted more then a month.One I didnt even get to drive for it was that quick...I know what most will say,but none of it was my fault...The first was transport america..After orientation,you were supposed to get $350 a week after the first week of waitin on a trianer..I waited three and only got paid for one..Then he quit three weeks into my training so he could drive local.Was supposed to get paid while waiting on another trainer.2 weeks and no dime,and they said $350 wasnt "all that much" anyway,so I told them to get lost.Then I went to nick strimbu trucking.Smaller outfit,union,flatbed..Thought ok could work.Didnt plan on staying long,their idea of retirement was them putting $70 a month into a stock of your choice..I finnished my training and everything was ok.Then they told me i had to work in the warehouse for about 3 months..Yeah ashtabula to hubbard is about and 1 1/2 hours away..They had the nerve to say i could stay in the rat motel at truckworld to save on fuel cost,but they just didnt have any trucks and were anticapating someone quiting over the next few months...That was goodbye for me.Then went to us express.I was told I would get a trainer at orientation.5 Weeks later and nothing..So I went with a company called tl express..Went through training and everything was good.Got 2 loads under my belt solo and i thought i was a bad motor scooter lol..Then...,,on their instruction I had to pick up a experienced driver/new hirer at their little "outpost" in gary IN and bring him to the terminal in mantua so all he had to do was get a truck..I was instructed to let him drive..It was real bad with the snow out and all,and I was honestly glad it was him and not me..He had 6 years exp and it showed..One sharp curve came up though and a deer ran out in front of him...for some reason he swerved and we went into the ditch..They gave him a preventable,and let me go..They acted like i was his trainer and I ws suppose to be "monitering" him...yeah ok..Then by the grace of god I got the job in Iraq and made alot of money..Bout $8,500 a month...Sorry for the long story..Anyways,dont give up cause u never know what a CDL can get you..You just might have to leave the country to get good money and be treated decent....

 

sorry for double post

 

It's a disease. I gotta' have stuff goin' by at 70. You'll be back. If not....you don't have the disease.

 

Don't give up... I've been out 2 years, had a jackknife, was not charged but was fired. Didn't wake up that morning planning on it either, but thank God nobody else was involved, and I walked away. Now, no companies want to hire me, but I was told after 3 years, it will be off my DAC. Accident is not on my MVR...So, I'm not giving up, just taking a break... Does anyone know of any companies that will give me a shot? I also have to get my CDL back, but that's because the school I went to got busted for improper training... So, I'm looking for a company that will retrain me, cause I know by the time I get back into driving I'm gonna need a refresher course, retraining, whatever I need to do to be a safe professional driver again....

 

Are you still doing the Iraq gig ?? if so how does one get into it ? I would love to do something like that ! Thanks for any info you may have. have a safe one !

 

Never let go of the CDL!!!

I also got out of trucking back in 1994 after having been in it for 12 years.

Wanted to see if there was something else out there I enjoyed more.

Did sales, made decent money & moved into sales management, better money in management but wasn't happy.

Decided to go into radio, on-air not sales, wanted to when I was younger but got talked into getting a "real job" instead. Made decent money & had a heck of a lot of fun. Unfortunately the consolidation in the radio biz wiped out a bunch of good gigs. By good I mean decent pay & not having to spend the better part of your day kissing or sucking upper managements various body parts.

So 2 years ago I was offered the chance to get back into trucking hauling cars, hey I kept the CDL but had let the HazMat go when they started the new b.s. you have to go through for it, so hauling cars was a good fit.

Needless to say the car biz has taken a serious hit & I find myself looking for another gig but since I kept my CDL & I have a clean criminal record & the only terrorizing I do is to my moron kids, I am in the process of getting my HazMat & Tanker endorsements back & will also get my TWIC to make myself more desirable to my future employer(s).

Never would have thought I would be back in trucking but after doing the rest of the stuff I have been doing I just want to be back behind the wheel doing what I was born to do. Since I kept my CDL all this time I am one step closer than if I had let it go.

The moral of my post.....Never let go of the CDL!!!

 

Why would a person spend so much money to get a CDL in today's economy ? P.T. Barnum phrased it well . "There's a sucker born every minute " . A CDL without recent driving experience is useless . But if someone wants to pay the extra fees for theirs plus pay for physicals to keep their medical card current as required for CDL renewal and have all their violations in a 4 wheeler on record with CSA 2010 that's their choice .

 

I wouldn't spend money to get a CDL in the current economic environment but I did keep mine for the 13 years I was out of trucking. Never had to get a physical to keep it either. Maybe I was just lucky but the state of Texas renewed without the physical.

The only problem I am having right now is that the car hauling outfit I was with only ran Texas, Louisiana & Oklahoma so a lot of companies don't consider that OTR enough but there are other companies & options for me.

Hauled gas locally for 6 of my 14 years so I might end up doing that again.

True enough on the moving violations in personal vehicle being on my CDL but I make it a practice not to get moving violations in a truck, in my car or on my motorcycle so that isn't a big thing.

If you keep the CDL you keep a door open for the future if you should ever want or need it.