Looking To Drive Again but Need CDL

Good Afternoon Everyone,

I'm looking to get back into the saddle again after being out of the transportation industry since '09. I drove for SWIFT from '07-'09. I did the training and got my CDL through SWIFT. However, I was terminated due to service failures which I believe I could have avoided if only I had been trained on the business operations better. My training was more concerned with being able to handle the vehicle than it was about the ins and outs of the business. I had to learn that on my own.

Now I'm sure that I wasn't really mature enough to be a driver back then but I feel that I have my head on straight now and I'm ready to make money. REAL MONEY, not chump change. I have a three kids to provide for, a wedding to pay for (I'm engaged), and a house to build (need money for that). With all of that said, I'm not the kind of driver that will be asking to come home every week or even every other but I do need to be able to get home if any emergencies arise. I was looking into driving for PRIME but since I can't seem to ever talk to my recruiter there, I'm now carrying my job search elsewhere.

I'm wondering if you all can suggest some companies to look into. The things that I'm looking for includes companies that treat drivers like people and not numbers, have decent equipment (preferably with APUs or Tri-Pacs installed on all company vehicles), and can pretty well keep me rolling. As a company driver, I know that miles count so I don't want to spend days sitting in a truck stop. Due to a medical condition, I can't travel to Denver because of the high altitude so a company that is sensitive to this is definitely needed. And of course, I don't currently have a CDL thanks to SWIFT so I need CDL training. I don't have the money to go to a truck driving school plus I need to start making money as soon as possible. I'm hoping to be able to start training immediately. I'm looking for sound advice and detailed explanations as to why this company over another.

 

Back in 2008, SWIFT wa under investigation for giving illegal immigrants licenses under one ssn. When the feds stepped in, the order the Memphis terminal (my terminal) to layoff 5000+ drivers and then the feds snatched everyone's license to ensure that they got all of the illegal licenses. Basically, anyone who went through the training program in Memphis since 2006 or 07 (not sure which year was the starting year) was let go and their license snatched. Therefore, it was because of SWIFT's illegal deeds that I lost my CDL.

I live in Mississippi. I was wondering if that would be relevant information of not. Thanks

 

Of the service failures I recieved while with SWIFT, only one of them was because of a late delivery. That one, I kicked my own ### for. Another one I kicked my ### for was getting to a shipper with a dirty trailer. Those were two that I knew about and could have prevented. There was an incident where I was asked to bring a trailer with no holes in it. I was already hooked to a trailer that was missing a cap on the side. I asked if it was okay and no one replied until I got to the shipper and got turned down for the load. My DM got on my case for doing this but I asked her if the trailer was okay and she never replied. A similar incident happened to cause the final SF. So basically, I asked if I was good to go and didn't get a response so I assumed I was. I made the wrong assumption and yes, I may have been better if I had used a bit more common sense. Thus the reason why I stated that I wasn't mature enough to drive back then. I am now.

I never said that me being fired was the reason for me losing my license. I was fired for my own stupidity and immaturity. However, because of their illegal actions in hiring illegal immigants, I and about 5k other drivers lost their licenses. That wasn't on me. That was on SWIFT. It's the very reason why I'm reluctant to get my license through another trucking company now. The only reason I'm even entertaining the idea is because I can't afford TDS (truck driving school).

I do agree with what many of you are saying about running out west and the elevation. I have sickle cell. I can run out west because I'll have my nebulizer on my truck with me. I would just prefer not to run out there. It would help if I wasn't a smoker and so I am working on quitting. I'm just hoping that I can also have a DM that will nice enough to keep me from sitting too long on the mountain top. I happen to love the trip from Sacramento to Salt Lake. In fact Salt Lake was one of my favorite places to travel. I love being able to see mountain peaks in almost every direction. I just know that I can't afford to get stuck running in the mountains out west. But as long as I have my breathing treatments on the truck with me and I don't smoke while in the elevated places, I can still run. That just because personal responsibility. That I can handle. Again its just a preference. I got sick in Denver twice. Never got sick in any of the other places people have named. Other than the heat in the summer, I actually I actually enjoyed running in the Southwest and Cali. I have family out in Cali so it's great when I get to go and visit them.