CDL-A Grad No Experience - I need help

Hello Truckers,
I need some advise and direction. This is a novel i know but I feel like I need to explain things to get the best help I can. I graduated high school in 2020. After that I worked numerous fast food jobs and gas stations, and then early last year I had been doing gig work like doordash and spark and uber eats for awhile on the side and a friend told me about a career in commercial driving and how the pay was allot better. That's what got me interested in trucking and started me down this journey of trying to become a Truck driver.

I got the Choctaw Nation to pay for my CDL school cause I have an Indian card. I had a great time in CDL school learning about trucking and how to drive and it was awesome driving when i got to. I really enjoyed it and want to do this for a living. Anyways, I passed the exams at the end of class (May 2024) and got my CDL-A with an automatic restriction (I have never driven a stick prior and the school said i sucked at it and to not worry about it and just take the restriction) and I wear glasses (I have valid new eyeglasses as prescribed). I also have sleep apnea and use a CPAP machine (and as of today i have 30 day and 60 day compliance - insurance paid for a new one January 7th so that's why not 90 day). I am also a large guy, I weigh 330. Even as a large guy i get around fine getting in and out of the truck and don't have any mobility issues at all.

Pretty much me in a nutshell. I am 23 about to turn 24, I have never done drugs of any kind, I drink alcohol rarely maybe once or twice a year. I have never committed any crimes ever and thus have no criminal record. I got my regular drivers license when i was 19 so i have only had it for 4 years. My first year driving I got into a wreck and I was at fault and cited for following to close, i rear ended someone (4 years ago, it was 1 month after getting my license). That same first year driving I got a second ticket (speeding 10 over). The year after that I got my third ever ticket failing to stop at a stop sign. the first two tickets were 4 years ago and the third ticket was longer than three years ago (3 years and 1 week today). My current DMV record shows nothing cause Oklahoma don't show past 3 years, but that's my real driving record. It sux I know.

Since I got out of CDL school in May last year I have applied at these companies (werner, schneider, prime, swift, covenant, Melton, TMC, Sysco, US Foods, Pepsi, Tysons, Walmart). During the last 8 months of applying at these places that I have found job openings for online and some my trucking school recommended i try, the only place to call me back was Melton who said they were going to hire me but then the day before orientation they called me back and said i weighed more than 300 lbs, the max they allow (I weigh 330). That was about 5 months ago. No other call backs from any other companies until January this year. Swift called me back in January and said that i needed to resubmit my application again after that third ticket cleared my Oklahoma Driving record, which would be the middle of February. I did what they said after it cleared off my record and HOLY COW SWIFT SAID I WAS HIRED AND SET ME UP FOR ORENTIATION MARCH 3RD !!!!!

I AM IN!! This morning (March 3rd) I arrive at 9400 NW 10th St in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (about 15 miles from my house) for Orientation at Swift, an hour early and ready to begin my career! I'm a trucker now MF'ers, WATCH OUT! I make it half way through the day watching training videos and doing the pee test and hair test which i pass no problem, only to learn that the offer for hiring has been rescinded and they are no longer interested in me working there. Talk about a kick in the nuts man. I was told that it has to do with my job history. No other explanation other than that, have a good life. All I have had are crappy minimum fast food jobs that pay barely minimum wage and only give you 20 hours a week.

I don't know what to do now. I just want to work. I am single and 23 so I don't care about home time I just want to be out on the road driving and making money, live in the truck kind of work. 10$ an hour fast food and gas station jobs are not paying the bills. I don't have time for college i really need to get hired into trucking. I will take anything that gets me cdl-a type experience so I can prove myself. I want to do over the road long haul and I don't care where at. I am ok with being someone's slave for a couple years for noob entry level pay. The trucker entry level pay is like a dream paycheck for what I am used to.

Here is a copy of my resume (in notepad format, it wont let me upload in word document, i can email it in word if needed) Can someone please look it over and tell me maybe why I am not getting hired, or why no one is calling me back. I need to get hired ANYWHERE and maybe can someone please help me find a company (OKC, OK)? I censored out the personal info in my resume. The dates on the past employment are approximations, cause I don't recall exactly the exact start and end dates but are as close as I can verify with check deposits in my checking account. Please, I don't know what to do. I am trying to not get depressed over this but its hard when you want something so bad and everyone ignores you or tells you to kick rocks. Many thanks to anyone who can help or offer advise.

 

The whole industry is slow.
THERE IS NO TRUCK DRIVER SHORTAGE. I wouldn't leave my resume online for strangers, but you do you.

Your weight may explain the being sent home from orientation, but they may not want to say that since some people sue for hurt feelings.

EVERYONE, even drivers with perfectly clean records AND LOTS OF EXPERIENCE are not getting hired quickly like 5 years ago. Normally I suggest find the employer willing to hire you BEFORE going to CDL school. But what's done is done. Keep applying. Our resident expert @Chinatown will probably have suggestions. I would suggest you be willing to move to areas with lots of trucking jobs if you don't already live where 2 or more interstate highways cross, like I-40 & I-35 of I-44.

As of now I can't tell if you are having more difficulty getting hired than other newbies or not. ALL newbies are having some difficulties getting hired. If you have an issue, my guess is your weight. Weight only gets worse in the truck because you burn a lot fewer calories but have the same appetite & worse sleep habits.

Don't be discouraged. Keep applying.

 

Western Express

• Western Express is a logistics leader with over 3,600 power units and 9,500+ trailers, offering reliable and customer-focused transportation services. Whether you need to ship or drive, yo…

 

Contact Us - George-Fikes, LLC
1216 SW 17th Street Oklahoma City, OK 73108.
Flatbed trucking.

 

Stevens Trucking
6600 SW 29th St, Oklahoma City, OK 73179

 

I was going to say western express too. Also, It’s not very popular around here, but as a new driver, you will make more money driving class B. Your class a license is good for class B too. Think garbage man, dump truck, concrete. I hear Amerigas is a great company to start at. You’ll need hazmat. Class b should be easier to get hired currently I would guess.

 

Indian Nation Wholesale Company
230 S 22nd Ave, Durant, OK 74701
This one may be too far, but maybe have some type of driving job where you don't have to go home every night.
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Careers | Indian Nation Wholesale (INW)
Dec 2, 2022 · For drivers, we offer 4-day work weeks and don’t require overnight travel, allowing them to be home with their families daily.

 

Paul Transportation
15202 E Admiral Pl, Tulsa, OK 74116
Interested drivers with no experience are also invited.

 

I am applying at every one you post. Thank you.

I will wake anything that beats the current $10 hour Dairy Queen that I am now working at again. Obviously I want Class A work but I work at Dairy Queen right now and they are pulling the same crap all the others do of only giving me 21 hours a week cause they have 6 cooks. Do places that do class B that also have Hazmat requirements offer training for me to get that with them? Or do I need to go back to truck driving school and pay again?

 

Biagi Warehousing
5001 SW 36th St, Oklahoma City, OK 73179