Getting into Driving after nearly 5 years off the road

That's ridiculous. You probably can drive as well as the trainer can after about 20 minutes to shake the rust off. Don't waste your time with those clowns. You don't need some guy farting in the seat next to you for the next 6 weeks watching you drive an automatic truck and straight line back a trailer into a dock or parking space. They already figure you can drive, they're trying to use you for cheap labor for awhile.

 

IDK who runs all those companies but they must all be the same clowns if they can't tell a real driver from a steering wheel holder. They aren't worth your time. Smaller companies will talk to guys who have a CDL and experience. Or another option if you like the road is go buy a 1-ton dually and haul campers or boats with you own rig. I took a nearly 6 year break from class A company driving doing non-CDL hotshot work and found a seat at a local company here in town. Learning how to play nice with that automated manual transmission took a little time but point being is it's like riding a bicycle...once you become proficient at it you never forget how to do it. So it's a joke how they hit us with the recent-this and refresher-that nonsense. You're either a good driver now/still or you never were IMO so all of that is BS.

 

I'd say go back to work with a small company then transition to a bigger company. Less headaches with Mom & Pop outfits. You have the skills just need to lube your chain to remove the squeak. Also look towards the oil fields. They are always looking.