Career gone bad?

I went to my first job orientation and tested positive on the pre-employment drug test. Total BONEHEAD move, I know. No one can say anything negative that I already haven't told myself. Belive me I am EXTREMELY DISSAPOINTED, more then anybody else could be. I am not going to try and lay blame on anyone or any false positives. My BAD choice of actions is the ONLY REASON why I am in this situation. The night of my graduation from trucking school, my friends took me out to celebrate. While at the club, I met a very cute and quite younger lady, after the club closed I went back to her place and one thing led to another, including my decision to use a illegal substance. I am not an avid, recreational, or occasional user, I had not done this drug in 17 years. Not making excuses, just letting you know the entire sequence of my predicament. This took place [drug use] on a Friday night and I was scheduled to be at orientation the following Monday. Upon awakening Sat. morning, realizing the complete lack of good judgement, I immediately called my recruiter and delayed my orientation until the Wednesday of that week, thinking that the illeagal substance would be out of my system, but it wasn't. After the immediate suicidal, angry, mad, sad, and generally pissed off view at MYSELF, I collected up my thoughts and kept breathing. I have spent three weeks and 1200 on a S.A.P. provider, which took 3 days to even find one in my area. I completed all that is required from the DOT, to "return to duty" process. After lots of researching on this I ordered a copy of my DAC report to see if the failed drug test would be on it, as I have read a lot of conflicting threads on if it would be or not. Because I was not an employee; i.e....."pre-employment drug screen" the company could not put on my DAC that I had failed one. But here is how they get around it.....they put in your employment history that you were "employed" by that co. and when you give permission to the next co. for them to research your employment history, they will run a DAC report and see that you WERE "employed" and will contact that co. and then discover your positive drug test. Of course if the co. doesn't use DAC they won't find out, but one does have to go thru a SAP provider and complete the "return to duty" process in order to be DOT legal. Here is my dilemma...... you can dispute the DAC employment history, and if the co. does not reply in 30 days or can not prove your dispute, it comes off. I did this and recieved the disputed DAC, but employment history stayed the same. So I am currently trying one last way to get the "employment history" off, hopefully it will work, as no starter co. will hire you if you have a failed pre-employment drug test, which I do not blame them for several good reasons that I am sure you are aware of. I did not recieve pay, never got behind the wheel, and never got my employee badge and #. This was not employment in the eyes of the disputers that are currently working on getting this off my record. If anybody else has some information that could help, I would APPRECIATE it GREATLY. I quit my job of 8 years to pursue my career change, and have invested a lot into this; schooling, time off of work, moved out of my house, blah blah blah. I am not trying to get out of MY problems created exclusively by ME, I am only trying to get a second chance without having to work at an illegal operations or to not get a chance at proving I can be a skilled professional. The main reason I decieded on the trucking career was that I can drive anything with wheels on it and I am very comfortable on the road, and behind the wheel. I have never had an accident of any kind, only 4 tickets in the 24 years I have had a license. Also, I don't care if I ever get "home" time as I would be perfectly happy on the road for 52 weeks straight. I was a really quick learner at the truck driving school; backing, shifting, etc. I am not blowing smoke up anybodys ##### just telling you exactly how I feel. I haven't been applying at ANY co.s as I am seeing where my last stand will get me, but I am currently at my wits end. Do I still have a chance in this career? Does someone know of a legitimate co. that will give me a chance for redemption if I cannot get the "employment" record off of my DAC?... or you can just LAMBASTE me as I am so deserving for this total lapse of judgement on MY part.

 

TruckingBum.... no it was not pot, like I said in my post, delayed my orientation, thought it would be out of my system in 3 days. It was not, yes I should have waited 2 more days and this conversation would not be happening. Shoulda, coulda, woulda...these are all in the past. I am now trying to rectify my mistake. LuckyLady7, thank-you for the heartfelt and honest reply. I MADE a crucial error, I was not thinking about the consequences for my actions at THAT time. I was doing as the "Romans" were doing as I was IN "Rome". The drug I did was Like drinking a gallon of coffee in 2 mins. Caffine, alcohol, nicotine, ibuprofren, these are all drugs that get abused on a daily basis, the only difference is that they aren't illegal. I actually know why "people take drugs", because they want to. Please try to accept that I am NOT a person who is going to let drugs "take everything I got" and "destroy me". I am a hard working man who has had the same job for 8 years land surveying, I am half-way intelligent, and have some actual higher [no pun intended] aspirations for myself. I am not here to argue over the drug laws and defend my OBVIOUS poor judgement, I wanted to see if there could still be a way for me to make my entrance into the trucking industry as I feel very positive with my ability to drive a truck. I would NEVER drive in a unsafe or reckless way, or put innocent people in harms way. I have NEVER had a DUI or a wreck for that matter and WOULD ALWAYS put safety FIRST. I am being totally upfront and honest and would hope for some honest advice, not just an anti-drug post and the effects of driving a 40 ton rig high on drugs, I completely understand the zero tolerence. I was never intending to drive or go to work "on drugs", just as I have done in my past...NEVER. I have though, had some beers on Sunday and actually went to work on the following Monday, say 12 hours later, and performed exceptionally well, go figure.

 

MXH.... I am laying out my HONEST MISTAKE for everybody to read and I am hoping for someone with some ACTUAL knowledge with a reply to my question; "is there someway to dispute my 'employment' with the co. that I had the positive PRE-EMPLOYMENT drug screen at." I REALIZE that I am an EASY target to "rake over the coals" with....so... YOU talk like you KNOW what smoking rock is like.... at least your being honest in a condescending way.... you sure picked-up on it QUICK, it almost sounds like you MIGHT have done it yourself....OH, BUT SURELY NOT ...UH?[pearched on pedestal].... Back to my original topic/question.... I was never EMPLOYED, which in turn the co. DID NOT and CANNOT put on my dac that I had tested positive. The ONLY way that the company can report the positive drug screen is to say that you were EMPLOYED and can give all DAC affiliated companies that are searching your employment history, for which you apply at, the results of your positive drug test. This is THE QUESTION that I am trying to get some EDUCATED replies to. I have already recieved my DAC report and there is NOTHING on my drug history at ALL, but the company, that I had the positive drug test with, put on my DAC that I was employed at there company, which is totally FALSE. I never recieved a pay check and NEVER got behind the wheel. This is what I am disputing, and how I am trying to get a fresh start in the trucking industry instead of applying with a tarnished beginning. I TOTALLY realize that this is somewhat a "taboo" topic in the industry, but I am a person who has made amens with my faults and I am trying to travel down the righteous path to my future. I am going to fight MY demons head-on and TRY LIKE HELL to get my second chance at the career that I am extremely passionate about being in. Has anybody else been in a situation that has been of there own doing, i.e.....mistake, accident, bad decision, etc....... I can't be the only one who is living this self inflicted, bad judgement, predicament,....can I?????