Been off the road a while

unfortunately, most companies are very strict in regards to recent experience and I honestly don't understand why. I got off the road in December 2003, also attended a school when I first started driving in 1992, but I guess these companies assume that if you climb out of a truck for a couple years that you forget how to drive, and would rather go with a new driver fresh out of school.

Don't know much about Schaffer, but honestly, you are limited in your choice of companies. If someone is willing to send you directly out with a trainer, that may be who you are stuck with.

You might want to contact Schneider. They said they would hire me, and whether I went out with a trainer or not, would depend on a road test evaluation.

 

Yeah, I figure that is where the issue resides as well, but I honestly don't understand the mentality behind it.

This is a scnenario I faced with U.S. Xpress (and a couple others)

I could have recently attended a truck driving school, got my license, and done nothing. Three months later, if I decide I want to drive, I can hire on with them. So here I am, and extremely small amount of experience via Joe Blow's trucking school, 3 months doing something else (while forgetting what little I learned), and i can jump right in a truck with a trainer.

But

10 years driving experience, complete with trucking school, and additional time driving trucks in the military, and after two years off the road (1 year in some cases), you are basically considered "brain dead".

I don't know what you have to do in life to get in the position of making these types of rules, but I want that job. It has to be the easiest job in the United States. I seriously think many of these rules are a result of 18 holes of golf, with a beer at each hole, then once they stagger into the clubhouse, they conduct business and come up with this crap. It's the only logical explanation.

 

It's all a load of BS, thank you very much you worthless insurance cos, that's all. I had been off the road for eight months (after driving for just over a year) and some companies were pulling the same nonsense with me. Finally I found a small company here that gave me a chance and being back on the road is great. Keep calling, I'm sure someone will say yes, and if they don't, then give Shaffer a shout.

Good luck!

 

I have found the same problem, I drove tracktor trailer from 1980 to 1989 steady. I hauled logs and pulp for 7 years in the Adirondacks of northern New York, then I hauled Log homes all over the Eastern U.S. IN '88 AND '89. I left trucking and got into mining, I have been in mining ever since until february 19th of this year, I now live in North Carolina and am interested in pulling a flatbed, but all the companies I have talked to want recent experience. I hate to start at the bottom again, I'm not sure I buy into the insurance company being behind it. My cousins own a moving company here and I am helping them out, They have no problem sending me out on the road, but bed bugging isn't my thing( although the money is GREAT)I have learned over the years it's not so much what you know, as much as it's WHO you know, does anybody know an owner operator who is looking for a driver? I am also very interested in hearing any suggestions, I have been following the TMC and Maverick threads, looks like the majority of these companies are not trustworthy. Thanks in advance for your help

 

Insurance is the problem. I have had several on here question me on it when I have said no recent OTR or not a recent grad and you will have problems. Even recent local gigs do not qualify for most OTR companies. Some companies are self insured. You might have to do a refresher course tho. Even an O/O that pulls for a co will have to go by the companies policy. Good luck!

 

Thanks for the reply, I have no problem with a "refresher", I guess the most important thing is finding a good company, that seems like the tough part.

 

Your welcome!