Have a CDL, haven't used it in a year but want to again?

To all reading, just want to say howdy and thanks in advance for taking a look at my question...

Bout a year ago I decided to go to school through a major trucking company. It was a mill school, but in a little more than two weeks I was done and on my way to orientation. Anyway, I spend about two and a half months on the road "training", but much of that time was spent broken down so I only completed about 17 days of my 28 days required. That was in July of 2011. Because of the fact that I was running out of money and not learning much due to constant breakdown, I decided to quit and head back home. I spent the next few months back at home unemployed and working odd jobs. I debated going back a couple of times but never followed through, choosing instead to either be home with my kid while my wife worked or do temp work.

Currently, I work driving a 24 foot box truck... but I'm thinking about going back to otr trucking again. I want to know what I'll have to do if i decide to try again one year later, given that I haven't been in a big rig since last july, didn't finish my training, and that I have periods of unemployment. I was under contract and my former company still sends me text messages for rehire (guess that means I still eligible?), but I want to know realistically what to expect before I waste my time or a recruiters time by contacting them. My temp job ends next month (june 10th), so I would be returning then most likely. If anyone has any insight or experience with inactive CDLs I'd appreciate it greatly. And thanks for bearing with my terrible writing too ...

 

This is pretty much what I expected so no surprises there.

CRST was actually the company that hired me and sent me through school. I bailed on coming back a couple of times but as others have pointed out they want their cheap labor investment back so as long as my driving record stays clean I'm pretty sure the rehire department will hang on to my info.

I have a love hate relationship with OTR. On the one hand I love trucking and being at home with my family, so the local job I have right now would seem like the perfect fit. On the other, I get bored easily and miss the excitement of being in a new city and state every other day. I've been box trucking local hauls on and off for a couple of months now and building a name for myself with the company I contract through. I'm almost entirely sure they'll offer me a full time union position when my temp contract ends. But I don't want to sign on with them full time and feel like my life is missing something the way I do right now. A lot of the guys otr work their contracts to come back home and do the local stuff. I'm in the opposite boat, working local but wanting to be out there. Trucking is definately something that interests me. It has since I did my first ride along years ago. I'm only 25 but I know I want to stay in the industry. I just don't know where I should stay. Nor do I want to make the wrong decision and be unhappy.

On a side note, the mill I went to should offer free refreshers, yeah? And what exactly is a refresher anyway?? The school I went to was only 2 weeks long and I didn't even have a permit. Now I've got the actually CDL with an end. How much work would a "refresher" entail?

Im not too concerned with the amount of money ill be making (or lack there of) the first 6 months. I know that OTR will be a sacrafice financially if I do decide to go back. I just dont want it to cost me an arm and a leg either.