Help a trucker wannabe out!

Try Crete, they are a sister company of shaffer. Celadon is also a good company. Have you guys tried Central Ref. They are also the sister company of Swift but they are private and a little smaller. Definitely a much better outfit! I am not saying swift and schneider and werner are bad buy you are really rolling the dice. Like one of the previous posters said, if you get a bad dm that's you lively hood. Aftershock had some really good info for you guys. Please listen to these guys that have experience! I think you guys are going to really regret going with these mega-carriers (ie:SWift, werner, schneider etc...) I know they did a lot of brainwashing in school, I can read it in your posts. Put the 6 months to get your foot in the door out of your head! Find yourselves a company that you are wanting to stick with. PLease, please, please heed this advice if not from me than AFtershock or another experienced poster. You guys don't realize that these mega-carriers WILL screw you on your DAC. Your chances of not getting hired by another company after working for one of these mega-carriers is much greater than them accepting you because you have 6 months experience with Swift or one of the others. The both of you, Chralb and ORG, you guys sound like really good guys and have come a long way. We really are trying our best to steer you in the right direction. Try this, any company your school mentioned pretend now that they are all out of business and now you must find a good company on your own. I believe one of you had it right about just calling and making it more personal by talking to the recruiters before filling out the apps. You guys should have enough posts now too so pm me if you would like and I will gladly help you.

 

How would I be screwed on my Dac report by one of these companies? By leaving after working for them for only 6 months or so?

Honestly, if I get hired by Swift, and that's my *best* option I'll go with them. That's really all you can do, apply for all of the companies you want to go with, and some fallbacks, and then see what happens. In the end, it is what it is.

Also, if Swift turns out to be a company I'm pleased with, I'll be the first to say so on these boards, and I'll *stay* with them. I only plan to jump companies if I *need* to. Hopefully that makes sense.

In the mean time, the worst thing I could do is not get a job, no provide for my family, and then need to get training again because I was not employed for 3 months. There's a lot at stake here. I'm applying to all of the quality companies, believe me. It's not like I'm trying. I'm just telling you my situation and based on the advice many of you have given others on this board, I'm taking that advice.

Like I asked before. What happens if I apply to all of these great companies (many of whom I already have), and get turned down? The cool thing is the only company who's turned me down so far is Werner, and based on my brief conversation with them, it sounds like they turned me down because I checked the fact that my license was suspended at some point, and that was all of the criteria they needed to throw my application in the trash. Had I experience, they would have likely not done that, but as somebody coming out of school I have to work with my "driving record" as it is.

I just finished applying for some quality local companies today. I handed in five applications today. In other words, I'm really putting in some effort, and just getting warmed up. I'm going to do all of the neccessary footwork I can over the next couple of weeks, but in the end I'm really only going to have the option to pick what I feel is the best company, and move on with things. That sounds pretty darn reasonable if you ask me. Let's just hope my best option is a company like Shaffer, Crete, Schneider, *or* if it's a company like Swift, I get the better experience with that company.

Just to play devil's advocate here, I've read some good things about Swift as well. I'll freely admit not as many good things as what I'd consider the better companies, but they can't be *all* bad.

 

Chompi, PLEASE understand and BELIEVE me when I say we both appreciate and HEED the words of advice that you, Aftershock and the other experienced folks are giving us. We KNOW in our hearts and minds that "steering us right" is what you're all doing. I for one don't have the words to express the gratitude I feel for that.

OK, that's all I say for the "both" of us. Now it's just me and I know my buddy ORG won't mind this from here on out. SO, I'm going to lay out my particulate situation in the hopes that if it saves just ONE other out there, makes just ONE other realize just how important it is to KNOW what you have to know about your own life BEFORE attempting to become a driver, Protects just ONE soul from going through all the work, effort and money only to find in the end they don't stand a chance of success in this "NEW CSA world of trucking" then revealing my life's mistakes will all be worth it.

So newbies (and I'm referring to ALL who are NEW to this endeavor, not just the young as I'm 47 and a NEWBIE), Grab a cup of coffee, pull up a comfortable chair and relax. This AIN'T gonna be short!

Now I'm no rocket scientist but I'm a fairly sharp guy and I can both add 2 + 2 and read between the lines. As I've gone though the application process being denied time and time again and just scratching my head wondering why, it's starting to make sense. Chompi my friend, I don't have to worry about the likes of Werner, Swift or ANY of these mills "screwing up my DAC" as it appears (without ever knowing before all this what the heck a DAC was), through all my good intentions in life, I've already done that all by myself.

Let's go back in time a bit shall we? Now I'm sure many who read this will think I'm full of BS and this is all a bunch of crap. But the Lord knows it's true and that's good enough for me. Now I haven't even seen my "DAC" or what it may contain but again, adding up 2 + 2 and now forced to think back based on what's happening to me with the denials, I'm willing to bet that 98% of what I'm about to reveal is most likely on it.

From the start....When I had my permit in Jersey at age 16 I was SO freaking happy the day I went to get my REAL license. My buddy who had his a week before me went with me in my old 1965 F-85 Oldsmobile to the DMV. I passed with flying colors and BAM!! They stamped my permit and I had my license!! COOL!!! (Back then they stamped the permit which was good for 30 days and then mailed you your license). So away we go toward home.

Not 300 feet from the DMV (Rt. 206 in Newton NJ), I got pulled over by a state trooper because my old F-85 had a bad inspection sticker in the windshield. Hey, I was a kid who had an old car. When the officer asked me for my license I PROUDLY pulled it from wallet (ink from the stamp still wet) and handed it to him with a big old grin. When he ran it and came back he informed that I was getting a ticket for driving on the revoke list!! WHAT I SAID?? "I JUST got the darn thing not 3 minutes ago". My buddy confirmed my claim. His response? "I don't care. The system says you're on the revoke list and you can't drive"!! My buddy had to drive me home. I don't have words to describe the crushing feeling of that. So obviously, the DMV "computer" had a glitch! Ya Think!!??

Fast forward a bit here. For FOUR YEARS every time I was pulled over (always because of inspection...yep still poor) I got a ticket for driving on the revoke list!! Finally after FOUR years of fighting this I got it straightened out and promptly moved to PA where I got my PA license. Now I "thought" that once it was it all straightened out, all that revoke crap was no longer part of my record. Again, I've never seen this darn DAC thing but I'm now betting it's all on there.

So 27 years of driving in PA and I've never even pulled over at all. Not for anything. However in 2004 I was T-boned in an intersection and "I" get a ticket for failure to yield. Now I swear it wasn't my fault but even it was, that's not a bad driving history compared to a lot of folks out there.

But wait, it's gets better here. Now I've always been a pretty upstanding citizen. Not perfect Lord knows but not a "bad" dude by any means. At the age of 16 I already had a woman and her son to care for so I had to keep it straight and responsible right? You betcha!! And I did! That's why I became self employed as there wasn't much in the way of "jobs" available for a 16 year old to raise a family of 3 on. Fast forward agaiin....

My loving "other" had a sister who had a husband and they had 3 kids. This guy was a vet from Nam. Did 4 tours as snipper so trust me, he had my deepest respect for that. But the truth is, he was a waste, did drugs, was abusive and had a rap sheet as long as his arm. Not knowing one end of a hammer from the other, I put him to work on my crew at 10 bucks an hour cash so he could feed his kids. My loving "other's" sister's kids.

So one day roughly 22 years ago, he asks me to help him with a VFW reunion party as volunteer bartenders. It was my Honor to say yes and help out. (I support our troops with ALL my heart for what they've done, and DO for us!!).So, after the gig we leave. Now I'm beat so he's driving us home in my car and It's about 2am. He gets pulled over by a state trooper He's all nervous and shaking. I look at him and ask what's wrong. We didn't drink a drop all night so I can't figure out why he's freaking out. Well, he was shaking so bad he dropped all his paperwork and the cop says, "OK, out of the car". They search it and find a very small amount of cocaine under MY SEAT!! Needless to say I'm pretty ticked off at this point. We get arrested and hauled to jail.

Now here's where I REALLY screw up! Of course with his arm length record and mine being squeaky clean, he, my "other" and her sister are all begging me to take the rap to keep his sorry butt out of jail so he can keep working for me and feeding his kids. What the HECK was I supposed to do?? After all, I "thought" these folks were my family and loved me!! So YEP...I DID.

Oh sure, just a misdemenor...no big deal...and it never was UNTIL NOW.

So newbies, BE SURE what your past has BEFORE you even THINK about becoming a trucker these days. I'm really good person. I'm a REALLY good driver! I'm also totally TOAST and I have no way out now.

Apparently, this DAC has your whole life in it and whatever circumstances may have put stuff on it, it doesn't distinguish a good person from a bad one. So if you can, CHECK OUT YOUR OWN BACKGROUND before wasting your time as I have.

Now, am I going to give up?? NO WAY!! I'm no quitter! I'll put apps in with every pond scum company out there in hopes to get a shot.

End of story!

 

UPDATE!!!!

I just got an email from Schneider stating they have been trying to get in touch with me. They left me with their hours of operation (I'll need to call them on Monday) with a number and extension.

SCHNEIDER WANTS TO TALK TO ME, SPECULATE!!!!!

 

So I just remembered, I can go to the Schneider website and look up the status of my application. My application is currently under review, and here is the note under it:

"Your application has been received and is being reviewed by a Schneider National recruiter you will be contacted there is a match between your qualifications and the requirements of the position you applied for."

Do you think they have reviewed my driving record already? If they *did* that would pretty much mean I'd have the job. What do you think?

 

Chris,

I was checking Covenant's website and they expressly state what types of backgrounds they will *not* take. They won't take felonies or certain misdemors like theft, forgery, etc. They didn't mention possession charges.

 

Like we discussed on the phone last night, I'll try anyone at this point as I really have no choice. I have looked at them and MANY others as well to see if I even have a shot.

But also as I said, I think I'm gonna have to find a way to have that "well intentioned", HUGE mistake removed from my record if possible. Otherwise, I'll have little to no chance of ever being able to advance from the ranks of low rate companies assuming they even hire me to begin with.

It's pretty amazing that one can lead a hard working, bust your arse life doing nothing but good for folks and be in this position. I mean gosh! Even if I DID do drugs (which I didn't), and it WAS my fault, isn't there even a little forgiveness for a second chance to prove one's self??

 

Sorry buddy....nothing relevant here....It's just to get my 50th post so I can PM...LOL

 

can't believe that is the reason !!!!!

 

You guys are good guys! I am merely trying to steer you away from these companies that pay your school to send you there. If you are serious about trucking I am just trying to warn you to stay away from these companies! You will rarely here me post negative or bash any company but I believe in you two guys and would like you to have a successful future. Companies like Swift and such make more money off the students and newbies than they do hauling freight. I know it is hard for you to understand right now and by no means am I calling you guys stupid you are just new to the industry. What these companies don't make in training they make up for by just constantly hiring new drivers, paying them nothing because they don't know any better and then canning them. They will almost always back charge you for some unknown damage to the truck and then black ball you on your DAC. There are over 450,000 trucking companies in this country. I strongly urge you to stay away from the top 5. Don't you think to yourself why they hire anybody and everybody! You are just a number there and when they have the slightest problem with you they will move on to the next number. It is very, very important to have a good relationship with your driver manager/dispatcher and you will not have this opportunity at these companies. I understand both of your situations (yourself and ORG) and I know you guys are, well I wouldn't say desperate but are really hustling. One of you mentioned Crete/Schaffer that is a good company. They are smaller and more family oriented. They just recently started hiring students. My uncle worked for them and did very well. My uncle also worked for swift. He was sued by swift for $3500.00. After hiring a lawyer he only had to pay $2200.00 of it. Swift claimed there were damages done to the truck while he was assigned to it. Not much he could do about it. They also put truck abandonment on his DAC. The truck was in the volvo shop across the street waiting on parts to be shipped when he had resigned. It cost him another $1200.00 to pursue that charge on his DAC, because swift knows that truck abandonment means you will not get hired on by another carrier. These are things you need to be prepared for if you are going to be dealing with these companies. My uncle is an experienced driver now and also trys to help other people from making these mistakes. Is there a chance that this won't happen to you? Sure, but why take the gamble. There are to many reputable companies out there that will be interested in you guys. Have you guys looked into Celadon? Fed-ex, Marten, Panther, CAlex, Clark, JPS, Keen, Atchley, PDQ, New Penn motor express, PGT, Sunflower, Waddell trucking, XTL, Transcontinental Refrigerated Serv. Pennsylvania Truck lines, Taylor, Three Rivers ,a duie pyle, falcon, fanelli Bros Giles, hess, Pjax, napa, hr ewell, Milton, Sentry, Sindall, Walt HIllman, Us bulk, velvet, Venezia transport, reinsfelder, Wells Bros.
These are all smaller companies and they are all out of PA. Some may have higher criteria than others and some of them pay high too!
Like I said I would really like to see you guys succeed. Once you do you can help some of the other newbies on here and steer them in the right direction. Let all the temporary drivers have the jobs at the mega-carriers. Also don't be afraid to pm me if you need help.