Employment gap? Why on every application?

Welcome to the industry. Figure out a path too put yourself in the top 10 percent. As you are finding out it's not that hard. Just look around. Choose who you work for carefully. The true beauty of this industry is the cream rises to the top fast.

 

Condolences on the death of your mother. May she rest in peace. May God be with her for all eternity.

God bless every American and their families! God bless the U.S.A.!

 

Espeically if that involves theft or a felony of certain kinds. You will find that if either was true and discovered then you pretty much can write off trucking as a way to earning a living becuase with certain crimes it's closed to you for life.

I have many gaps in my own history which encompasses 50 plus employers, half of which do not exist any more. However it is still possible to google certain persons who were company officers in those days and ask general questions, did this company exist? and more importantly do you remember so and so? (Me.) most of the time they don't (That is a good thing) once or twice they will roar (HIM!? OMG THAT *&^$ Do I remember HIM!? and goes off on a rant.) yup, thank you for the conformation. lol.

Comes back to me and ask what is the real story about such a such a company with so and so? I'll tell him. If tney don't like it or are too stiff and prudish or whatever it is, then I don't do well with the company. If they smile and say we have some drivers like you, then that is one outfit I would not mind hiring on to.

Employment gaps to heal a set of ribs after you get kicked off your flatbed deck all the way to the ground far away down for a few weeks is a pretty good reason, provided you back that up with medical reocrds. But a gap that says you got your ### beat in jersey city and a pallet of electronics stolen off your trailer is not something that will work well in your favor.

To this day I hope there is no longer a Jersey city. I say burn it all. lol.

 

Are you being driven to the point of exhaustion and your personal limit?Dispatchers/Managers are not your family, you cant expect them to care and many ,in their character, dont. Have you noticed certain hearts are waxing cold? Most drivers will choose home and family,throw up their hands and leave the truck for a time until home matters are settled. I have done this more than once.Its taken your lifetime to build your family,would you keep the truck and let the family go? of course not! Employment gaps for most drivers are the times we spend in between the last broken promise and the next hope of a better truck/life balance. Trucking companies have created this cycle yet make a case against you asking why. Just tell it like it is at the interwiew,its not personal anymore they are only doing what the law requires them to do.

 

I have 20+ years driving as a company driver and owner operator. In my work history, many companies offered me from the beginning a good position with better pay and when I get there and start working for some of them, they come with excuses that they cannot pay what they offered before because of whatever reason. At this one company, I checked my statements where they were supposed to pay me 50 CPM and they ended up paying me 47 CPM. I asked them about it and they let me down saying they can't pay what they've offered me after receiving my first check and working two weeks. I stayed at the company for a little bit longer before moving to my next job. At that point, I couldn't do anything about it because nobody would care. The way I receive my checks and they talk to me shows they don't care. As a driver, I have gaps in my work history and that's harming me and my record with their new recruiting system. They get off without any bad reviews but I'm stuck looking for another job. This is all a big joke to them. I was working for a company, who offered me the same false benefits, since February 2023. It was a Russian-owned company which come from a communist culture totally different from this country, where you grow up with freedom and are able to do what you want to do. This company is trying to submit USA citizens. I resigned because of the health of my wife and I need to take care of my family. Then, this company doesn't want to pay me for my last two weeks of work. I'm still looking for a job. Covid-19 made me close down the family business but I was still working as a painter, and that's also causing a gap in the trucking industry. Who am I able to report this company to? If someone knows, please let me know. I don't like to talk bad about any cultures but there's some things that shouldn't be allowed.

 

FCMSA requires verification of all employment for 3 years PLUS driving employment, if applicable, back another 7 years.
The initial 3 years must explain any gaps. More experienced guys [over 3 years driving experience] don't need to list non-driving emploment for the 7 additional years. Any company, expecially if they have a need to convince their insurance company they ARE intrested in safety, may require you to fill all gaps. They can do that.

 

Are you looking for a truck job or just looking for somewhere to report the company that didn't pay you correctly.

 

Even though I said it poorly I am going to stand by my comment. If people go research all my comments you will see I have been pretty straightforward about these gaps. YES, you must account for your time in the preceding 3 years and up to 7 additional years CDL time.

The reason I said the words the FMCSA doesn't care about gaps was more to how some people interpret part 391 to mean a person MUST be employed, they do not! What I should have said was the FMCSA doesn't care what you were doing during these gaps, just make sure you can account for your time.

There are carriers that still to this day won't hire people that can't show a full employment history because of how forceful the FMCSA is about part 391. It's a dang shame this is happening.

 

Maybe they should take that 3 month period as a sign that they need to treat thier drivers better. I have found that drivers will stay for years if they get treated fair and paid fair! Change how they treat thier drivers and they won’t be having to worry about them leaving within 3 months.