The Guerrilla Guide to Getting a Trucking Job

OK, so I got a phone call from a guy that knows another guy that knows me from this forum. The guy that called me started off the conversation really nice, but I could tell he was irritated about something. I could hear him grinding his teeth big time, and told him to just lay it out on the line. Im a big boy and I can handle it (I told him), I promised I wouldnt hang up on him. Oh boy did he!

He was a trucker with a couple years driving under his belt and had really had the screws put to him by the system. He had medical problems, DAC problems, issues with the cops and tickets. Every problem under the sun you could think of this guy had. BUT! He was a solid canidate for a job with a dang good work history, no felonies, drug problems. He was Po'd at me because he had read my ragging on Big Companies on here a million times, and wanted me to put my money where my mouth is.

He and I talked for two hours straight, and I told him everything I know (which actually only took about 15 minutes ) but I had to repeat it again and again until the ideas sunk in.

Ive decided to post some of those ideas on here: Caveat Emperor, and your mileage my vary, etc. I am not intending to speak in absolutes. So please dont trash me out with little nit pick examples of how I am wrong. I simply intend to shed a little light on things that others may struggle with.

Big companies keep tracking of everything in spades. Keep this idea in mind as you read through the rest of this.

Big companies report to DAC and they love to share all your information with the next guy.

Many little companies have never even heard of the DAC system, and dont care. At most the little companies will have YOU get a copy of your own driving report. Im not telling you to lie, but I am telling you this gives you some latitude to control some of the information they receive. For instance, if you have a ticket that falls off in about a month. You might chose to leave that off, if they do spot it. You might simply explain you thought it had already fallen off and didnt show on your copy.

Many little companies dont report to DAC, and many little companies will not even bother to reciprocate an "Inquiry to past employer" Read that part again, and let it sink in. A lot of little companies simply dont have the manpower to fill one of these forms out. Nor do they want the legalities associated of releasing YOUR information to another company for any reason. At the very most theyll probably verify your employment dates and name. They simply dont have a legal team to tell them "its ok, or not ok". BTW, this works on both sides of the fence for you in reference to little companies. They wont do digging to deep into your work history, and on the other end. They wont give much info away about you to the next guy. That is HUGE!

Medical:
Big companies send you to their company doctor, or a doctor of their choosing. That doctor knows who butters that bread (hint, it wasnt you) and they are there to protect the interest of the company to which you are applying, not you. Tell that doc nothing, keep your mouth shut unless asked a direct question. Lie when ever possible (Yep, I said lie. #### the Fed govt, who gave them the right to take away our ability to get a job simply because a guy might snore at night), if you actually want the job, that is. Dont tell them about the time you hurt your back or twisted your ankle when you were 16. They don't want damaged property, its the docs job to weed out the undesirables. If the doc asks you if you snore, for GOD sakes tell him hell "no my wife would tell me if I did". Again, doc isnt there to help you, he is there to #### you out of a job. Every time that doc asks you something, your answer is "I am fit as a fiddle, never felt better in my life" and then smile. Only an absolute fool would voluntarily tell a company doctor they have a CPAP machine. You'd have to be an idiot!

Little companies just want to comply with Fed regulations nothing more, they arent part of the machine. Always tell them if you already have a physical card and let them know when it expires. Save them some money, and tell them youd be happy to go to your own doc and pay for the physical yourself. Your doc knows you, he knows if your healthy enough to drive a truck, and you should easily score a new dot physical card as long as you pass the most important stuff. You have complied, you have done everything 100% legal, and most important. Nothing can ever come back to bite you in the butt later.

Big companies want you to fill out 10 years (or what ever) of work history. They want all the I's dotted and T's crossed. They have a staff to double check, and re check it. The more you have to enter, the more chance of them finding something to disqualify you.

Little companies have the lady who does their books on Wednesdays do the verification of your credentials. She dont know what shes looking at, and as long as she doesnt smell serial killer on your breath, and you smiled and say hello when you walked in the door. She's probably gonna help you out. Small companies may ask you to explain a gap in work history, but odds are they arent going to make a Fed case of it.

Interview day. Take a bath that morning, and Dress up. Just because you think you dont smell, doesnt mean the rest of us aint gagging. Cover them tattoos, and if your dumb enough to ask about the company tattoo policy LOL. Trust me, if you are violating a company policy they will let you know. Bring a pen a pencil, and another pen and another pencil for backup. Always be the guy who says "no thanks I brought my own" when asked if you need something to write with. Have your work history, contact information all pre typed out on a sheet of paper so you dont have to make a secretary go dig you up a phone book, because you were too lazy to do your homework. It all adds up! Guys, wear long pants, and a shirt with a collar. Act like you have some common sense. Dont ask if you can smoke, or chew tobacco. Dont bring food or drink in with you. BTW, ALL of this includes orientation days too. You aint hired until YOUR HIRED! Dont assume it was ok for YOU to bring in a Pepsi just because the recruiter did. Watch your language, dont talk bad about anybody. Better yet, just shut up and listen. Dont tell the employees at that company that "you" have a better way to do their job. Dont ask for a ride home, dont clean your teeth, dont play with a swtich blade, dont carve your name into the table even though a 100 other morons already have. Dont be a dumb ###. Trust me, you're being watched in more ways than you can ever imagine.

Ladies, some very special advice for you. Dont let your boobs hang out. You may think they are your best asset. Trust me they arent, and many folks get disgusted by that sort of thing. Last thing a female wants is to be percieved a threat by another female in the office. Cover it all up, swallow that female pride, you got the rest of your life to strut it. Getting hired day, aint that day.

Something else worth mentioning. Never demand ANYTHING ever. Ask nicely, they dont owe you jack ####! Ask nicely. Always go apply early in the morning. But, don't bum rush the door the second they open. Let the employees go inside, get their coffee. Let them settle into their day before having to deal with you. Your desperation for a job, aint got jack nada to do with them. Do NOT Demand!
Most important thing of all on interview day. Be nice, be respectful. Say please and thank you often.

Finding a Job.
Well, youve put your application in on line, now what? Call them, let them know YOU are actually interested in that position for real. Think this through. Mr or Mrs recruiter probably has about 1000 of these things to look through at any one time. So why should they pick you? Because you called, because you bothered to call them back, and that means the fruits of their labor will be worth a whole lot more. How many people put an app in just to satisfy a requirement for an unemployment claim? Not you, you actually want that job. So... How does the recruiter differentiate between who really wants a job and who is bull ########? They dont, all they can do is guess. So set yourself above the rest and call them. After youve talked and verified your interest. Wait a couple days, and call them again. Squeeky wheel gets the grease. Again, youve put yourself to the top of that list. But, dont over due it. Once every two or three days is plenty sufficient.

I always look local first. No need to beg a grey hound bus ticket if you can score a local job. Odds are their going to get you home a whole lot more often if you go with a local company. I can name multiple companies with in 20 miles of where I live that will have you home for two or three days off every ten to twelve days or so.

The best jobs are always found by word of mouth. Ask every where, and ask often. The worst thing they can do it tell you no, or I dont know. Look in places that aren't obvious to you. Go to your local chamber of commerce web site and browse manuf companies. Youll be suprised at how many of those companies run trucks. The last place to look is in those little "trucking jobs" booklets youll find at the truck stops. Keep those for emergency toilet paper. Those rarely contain the company names you really want to work with.


Please feel free to constructively add to what I have begun.

 

I am currently in the process of switching companies. As an O/O who carries a lot of my own insurance I have an additional luxury of having an insurance company on my side to help me scope out whats on my driving record. And yes, they are willing to help me, I too am their customer.

I had the insurance gal pull up my report for my latest company. It only listed one violation, I knew there was a second on there, so I had her pull up the second to last company I worked for. This second report showed that violation that was missing from the first.

Additionally, I went down to the local sheriffs dept. and paid them $5 to run my DMV report. This report listed yet another infraction that had was well over 3 years old.

By doing all of this I armed myself with information. I have prepared myself to deal with what ever questions my perspective carrier may have for me. I dont know which version they will end up seeing when they run my report. But, I do have exact dates, and the nature of the infraction. There should be no surprises, and no red flags, and hopefully no need to look at my history any further. And thats a good thing for both the new company and me.

Please note, I didnt mention DAC. No need for me to waste any time with those fools. In my world, I have done my best to make them irrelevant.