The struggle

West Virginia is a dead zone for many companies.

Also try Celadon flatbed division.
Pride Transport flatbed division.

 

When you fill out applications take your time make sure every thing is filled out,make sure you put the correct phone number act act.Make sure when u hit weed,it goes thru.I know the littlest thing can screw up the entire application.

 

You mean even for the well known mega carriers don't hire out of that state?

 

Yes, probably most of the megas do. He specifically wants flatbed though.

 

Try McElroy. I know they hire out of West Virginia. Also I have had better luck just calling first before even applying and usually they will start your application over the phone and you finish it later. Your employment gap is likely your problem. Get some sort of signed,notarized statement from 3 friends stating they know you were unemployed during the specific times going back to 3 years. The recruiters don't like dealing with unemployment but if you show you have already done their work for them it can help. Also try Roehl flatbed and Decker flatbed. Good luck and God bless!

 

that two month gap could be the problem.Trucking companies want every gap accounted for.What did you do during that two months.Put down month and year then put down looking for work.Many applicants get disqualified simply because of their job history.They leave too many gaps unaccounted for,put wrong dates and years.If you can't rememember what you did during certain months just put down looking for work.In my case I out down taking care of my father on some of the gaps and others looking for work.You said you was a stay at home father for two years,put that down.

 

he may have to settle for second best for now if he wants to join the industry.

 

Naw, that gap is not a big deal. It would be noticed by some companies but even they would not have an issue with it. He answered his own question in post #5.

Listen, the OP picked the wrong time of the year and wrong location to get a job. Jan.-March most fleets are working at firing drivers because lack of freight. Most of the industry is seasonal. While the mega-crap companies keep hiring through out the year, during the winter months they try to keep the new hires close to terminals and common shipping routes. This keeps deadhead miles down for hometime during the slow winter months.

For example, I live 50 miles of of I-5 so I am a little off the beaten path. In the whole scheme of things, I am not that far from major shippers and the major shipping route. When I was in the same position as the OP with little experience, numerous companies told me I am out of their hiring area during this time of the year. Come summer, these same companies were running adds, and hitting up the CDL schools for drivers.