Am I hireable???

i had been self-employed for over 10 years before i went to school to get my cdl adn the school and most jobs required nothing more than my tax returns for the years in question

 

When you apply for a training company just state you worked for family business, and have family verify it for you when they call. I doubt seriously any company will request documents to back this up. I know when I started over four years ago with a training company they never questioned my references other than a phone call. They did check background, consumer reports, dac. I requested a dac for myself a while back and it includes driving and criminal checks... No previous employment history was listed.

 

I worked for my aunt and uncle's home improvement company before truck driving school, money paid under the table. Shortly after truck driving school I was hired on at Schneider, as far as I know they(Schneider) never even called to see if I worked where I said I did (I asked my aunt). My understanding is that they want to know what you've been doing for the last 3-10 years, I think some kind of notarized letter will do most of the time. Best thing to is call companies that hire students and see what they say.

 

When it comes to work history, not having a CDL vs having one won't make a difference.

 

what if you didnt earn enough to file tax returns

 

Regulations regarding work history information:

Note item number 2. The prospective employer must attempt to contact each previous employer to verify. If you have gaps in your employment record that can't be verified, then it could be assumed that you may be hiding information that may point to your being a safety risk. Should you be involved in a serious collision while working for the new employer, you can be sure that an in-depth investigation into your background will be conducted. Should it turn out that you did hide information during the application process, the company can be held liable for accepting you at your word without requiring further proof. It's the company playing CYA and limiting their liability. Don't take it personally, just give them the information they ask for. Blame the government and the insurance companies for the hassle and inconvenience if you must, but the company is just following the rules.

 

is that only for trucking though ? I talked with someone from FedEx regarding a general labor position for example, and explained my lack of work history because of self employment, and she said they still hire...

 

Some companies aren't as picky as others about employment history gaps.

 

I see Redwoods, up in Eureka. Have you checked w/them? I see it only has 8 to a class tho. Might be hard to get it. http://www.redwoods.edu/departments/community-ed/truckdriver.asp

As far as your documentation, the Fed 1040 tax form is used most often for proof. Time in school, etc can be used. Get Notarized statements of where you worked, should work. The MAIN thing is to get the CDL. I am a big, big fan of Community Colleges, and California has several of them. That Redwoods is 6 weeks, and basically at night 6-8:30. And $4000. Plus housing/trans there, food, etc.
I went to Central Tech in Drumright, OK. We had 18 in our class,,,and had 10 trucks or so on a 40-acre driving site, run by the State of Oklahoma. In other words, it was a great place to learn. Took 1 month, 7 am to 3:30 pm or so. Had 7 students from out of state, one from Wash DC, several from Texas, one from New Jersey. I see it now costs $4,800 for out of state tho. Yikes. Was $1,250 when I went in 2001. haha. Inflation. But it is one, if not THE, best truck driver training schools out there. You must have a regular Drivers License from your state, before you start. They DO teach HazMat, tho you will have to get that added back in CA. at DMV test there, too. You will learn it at Drumright tho, just not authorized to issue it. '
It isn't cheap, no matter where you go. I'd think the Community College system in your state would be the best choice. You do your own homework. I'd check Oregon, Washington, etc. Check some different states, maybe even Nebraska. Maybe an out of state Community College would still be cheaper than your local CC. I would NOT tho go to some Private School that charged a heck of a lot more than a Community College! No way. NOO... You want to really learn, go somewhere like this one in Oklahoma. http://www.tdt-ok.com/entry-level_tuition_housing.html They have over 3 miles of paved roads on their course. And they go out on 100 miles out and back trips, too! Real road experience. Don't worry, you WILL 'know how' to drive a big rig by the time you go out on the road. All in 30 days, Here is a view of their course: http://www.tdt-ok.com/training.html How cool is that? You get the CDL, and you will go with a trainer for a few weeks, no matter where you go. Look to Werner, USExpress, Schnieder, etc and you will do ok, and make $30,000+ the first year. Keep safe, with no accidents for at least 6 months, and you have written yourself a ticket to go to any of the better paying companies. Believe it.

 

I would wait til you atleast get your permit the start shopping around for a company take your time dont rush it.