First Post! I'm thinking about joining USA Truck

Cool no problem. Sue is the advisor there and she is great. You should here from her pretty soon I would think.

WIA - Workforce Investment Act - helps people that are out of work or been laid off get funding to go to trade schools and such. Sue can help you with that but you sign up and if you qualify everything is paid for, just not sure how long it would take to get approved etc. You just basically just need money for food and stuff while there.

 

Some other companies that offer training are Swift, Prime, Central Refrigerated Service, USA Truck (they go through Driver Solutions too), and CRST (team only). Just check out their websites to see if they interest you or fit what you're looking for. They aren't for everyone.

 

I went to C1 in Fort Wayne, IN. I paid cash and then went to Schneider. Alot of their jobs have tuition reimbursement, and the routes are alot more desirable than USA IMO. Lastly, with USA/PAM you will be on a contract which may double the cost of school if you quit in less than a year. With paying on your own, and getting reimbursed you can get some money back while looking for a better opportunity, with no legal penalties i you do leave early.

Good Luck!

Raid3r

 

Jason; You've raised a couple of different questions here.
First: You don't have anything to worry about. They don't test hair, and the SAMHSA 5-panel doesn't test for that.
FYI, the five substances that the DOT requires you to be tested for in the regs are: Amphetimines, Opiates, Marijuana, Cocaine, and Phenylcyclidine. Although, I do recall reading that they were adding Ecstasy (MDMA, or Methylenedioxymethamphetamine)
to the list, but I can't say for sure if that's in place yet. It might be.
Either way, benzodiazepine is not on that list. Companies are allowed to run a SEPARATE test via hair or for other drugs not on that list, but if it's a DOT-required test (Pre-employment, Post-Accident, Random, or Reasonable Suspicion test) it HAS to be LIMITED to what the DOT requires.

Regarding USA Truck: Everybody has their own opinion, because everyone's experience is the sum of their personality when combined with their dispatcher's or equipment manager's personalities, with a bit of corporate culture thrown into the mix. Stir well, and you have a unique experience for everybody.
MY experience was fairly good. They didn't seem to care much about getting me home when I asked, or even when I said I NEEDED to get home for divorce court dates, despite PLENTY of advance notice. I wrote it off to "hey, they're a company in business to make money". Like the old saying goes, if the wheels ain't turning, the truck ain't earning. That applies to drivers AND companies. SO, I just put my foot down, drew my line in the sand, and we got along fine after that. Decently maintained equipment. Not brand new, but not garbage. Newbies get the old stuff, but that's typical. I stuck around, eventually became a trainer, and stayed on for a few years. I only left because I needed to be with my kids more, so I found a local company with daily milk-runs, home every night.
Now I'm in the safety department.
Stick with it... It's a good industry, but like so many other industries, it is what you make of it. You'll get out what you put in. Not daily, but eventually.
Best of luck!!!!

 

I was on my DOT drug test as an item being tested for that I took in early April.

 

Now your thinking, JOIN the MILITARY.