Hitting the road again... and lessons learned.

I drove for a big reefer company from early 2008 to the end of 2009. I loved my job. I hated my company.

It all started out great, completed an entire short lease (takeover). No incidents. Even graduated with honors and awards from their CDL class. Then I leased a custom ordered truck, one of the many perks the company offers. I loved my truck! It was MY truck. I had built it the way I wanted it. Life was grand.

One week after taking receipt of my new truck and signing a new lease, ALL contracts were amended with the ONLY other option offered being to leave the company. The minimum mileage pay (sliding scale) was decreased by $.09. Plates, permits, and tolls were no longer covered by company. And my miles dropped from avg 2500/week to a final running avg of 1500/week (averages reported on my final settlement).

I requested to be routed home. Secured my truck in the company's secure lot when I got there. And let my dispatcher know I wanted to leave the company. They wanted me to stay on long enough to be routed back to the west coast (their HQ). I WOULD have except they offered no assistance getting back to my east coast home, and I was already $7,000 in debt on my lease (only 4 months after resigning). I knew I would be stranded there unable to return home.

So there were no heated arguments, no unpleasantries, all in agreement that I would pay for a company driver to fly out, drive the truck back, cover the cost of fuel. Of course, I received an "unauthorized location" on my DAC.

Additionally just weeks prior, I had snagged a loose low-hanging power cable (my fault). There was less than $100 damage noted on citation, no damage to truck, trailer or any person. And the officer admitted it was silly to have to give me a ticket, but had to in order to report the power outage, etc.

Because of the "new" CDL rules as of 2005, I received a Careless Driving ticket, 4 points in FL, no option to attend school or reduce points. Those points will fall off in 9/2012.

Since then, I've moved to another state than my current CDL and will be transferring within the next two weeks. My new state, GA is not a member of the driver information compact and does not share or transfer DUI info/points on licenses. I don't have a DUI nor will I ever, but I'm wondering if the same applies to CDL points. In other words, when I transfer my license to GA, will those points I got from FL disappear?

Because now that I want to get back out on the road (now 2 years later), I'm having a tough time finding a company. Nobody seems to care about the "unauthorized location" (abandonment) when I explain the background and show copies of my settlements, lease paperwork, and the effective date of the amendment. But I've applied to 4-5 regional carriers, all of which have said to reapply once the points fall of next year.

My goal is to find a company, local or regional, that will take me on so that I can stay current and fresh with my driving skills. Maybe stay on for a full career, or work in an interim until my points fall off and I become more marketable. Just having a tough time getting past the careless driving.

I'm actually a great driver (minus power cable incident). My dispatcher and I got along great even when I didn't like the load I was under. I was loaned out to Walmart for 2 weeks. After the first 2 weeks, Walmart requested to keep me on for an additional 3 months. I loved! driving their loads. I also have broker/dispatcher and executive management history on my resume as well as a long history of promotions, achievements and awards.

I know that I'd be a great asset to the right company that offers a fair second chance, or later next year when I once again have a clean record. Question is, can you recommend companies local to Atlanta or regional to the Southeast that will take on a driver with my story?

 

that screen name has to go lol lol

 

lol it was the first thing that popped in my mind... don't be a hater

 

you do know what it means and if you dont you may wanna change it its not a flatering name in the trucking industry it may have been when Smokey and the Bandit came out but not now, GOODBUDDY HHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

 

AND THINK HE CALLED YOU A HATER. I WOULD RATHER BE A HATER THAN A GOODBUDDY

 

Ugh just googled it... well my CB spends most of its time in the off position unless I'm at a dock... guess I never ran into that one before... now to figure out how to change it... thanks for the head up... was kidding about the hater part (thus the smiley)

 

Ok once you return with out the goodbuddy tag we'll answer some questions................LOL I would say if your changing states and cdl state too reapply after you get the new number but be warned they will ask if you held another cdl and what state so once you tell them they will see the accident anyway.

 

somebody call a ambulance im dying laughing

 

lol, hey everything you know now was learned at some point... isn't there a goodbuddy candy bar too?? lol

ANYWHO... i did talk to a company today that actually has no problem with my ticket or the unauthorized location on my DAC... their only concern was that I drove for 21 months and have been out of my truck for 24... so they said if I'm willing to wait until after Jan 1, they'll likely be able to fit me in as a second seat for a few weeks before giving me my own truck. I'd actually be fine with that for the short term and feel it's fair considering they don't operate a school or "refresher". The recruiter was pretty straight forward, etc. Didn't make any promises and didn't tell me anything that differs from their website or driver reviews.

So they're one to consider for sure!

As for the license, I did check into that further, and you do have to report your license number history, so that will follow me. Good news as long as I get far enough in the conversation to explain how small the accident was, I'm finding some of the companies really don't mind too much.

I'll be happy to disclose who turned me down and who hires me once that's done, but obviously don't want to jeopardize anything while I'm still in the process.