Is there any use for me to continue with trucking?

Dave, I could easily jump on either side of the alcohol or the how many chances argument. But my gut tells me you're done with this stupidity and are sincere. I think that is worth mentioning because if I believe this, you can surely convince others face to face that you are reformed.

I'm not sure on the law. I thought it said "commercial vehicle" for the two lifetime DUI/DWI's. But what Krooser said makes me wonder, because the purpose of the regulations in the 90's were to stop drivers from having driving convictions that they managed to keep off their CDL through varies creative practices. Then there is the fact that you weren't a commercial driver when these offenses happened. Since this matter would most likely confuse an attorney, advice from truck drivers is probably not going to help much.

You've already made a personal investment so don't give up. I'm willing to bet that if you can get that CDL in your hand, you can find a job. It won't be easy and you will have to want it more, try harder and work harder. You will probably have to sell yourself in a face to face interview to be given a chance or find a company that most of us wouldn't even consider working for.

Once you get that start, you can work to expunge your record when you have the funds to do so. If that is your plan, it might be better to not check you driving record through the sources that trucking companies use. It might be better to look for work with small or local companies that would not use DAC or other conventional reports. I fear once this is on that record it may never go away, even if it were expunged.

Life's a constant battle to get to where you want to be. A few of us consistently make good choices and have easier paths. Most of us make a mix of good and bad decisions and work a little harder. Some of us make bad choices and work our butts off. The great thing about our great country is you can do almost anything you set your mind to with a little luck, some planning and a lot of hard work. If there is one thing I have learned in my life, complete with a few bone-headed decisions, it is that very few things are written in stone.

 

maybe this would be a good time to get Dieselbear in the conversation. I do not know how to invite someone over to a specific thread. He is the only LEO that I know of, there may be others but I do not know who they are?

 

Send him a pm with a link to the thread and say "hey, would you come over to this thread and comment?"

 

That's an excellent idea. I'll try to contact him.

 

I sent Dieselbear a PM requesting his assessment of the situation with regard to the regulations. Great idea.

 

I don't have anything to do with the issuance of CDL's or determining who gets what. But looking at 383.51's interpretations I found this:

Question 4: Is a driver disqualified under §383.51 if convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol while operating a personal vehicle?

Guidance: The convictions triggering mandatory disqualification under §383.51 all pertain to offenses that occur while the person is driving a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV). However, a driver could be disqualified under §383.51(b)(2)(i) if the State has stricter standards which apply to offenses committed in a personal vehicle. (The same principle applies to all other disqualifying offenses listed in §383.51.)

Hope this helps.

 

i`pretty sure there isn`t one.. as for 2 dui`s in a lifetime (another poster) that is a company pollicy, i have 3, 87, 94 and 98 + a pos of weed charge ( i raised alot of hell when i was young and dumb!) the guy i work for has 3, i know a few more with more than 2. there is life after a dui. i think if there was a reg for it, i wouldn`t have a cdl. i might have been a menace before 98, a big menace i might add but things can change, been on the straight and narrow since 98. some people actually respect the fact a guy can change his evil ways. i might not ever work for a big co. but i don`t want to either!

 

hmmm. dieselbear posted while i was and now i`m confused! i got one in 87, pre cdl days. the one in 94 i had a cdl and was my personal veh, the one in 98 i didn`t have a cdl either. the state of maine gave me my cdl back this year with no issues at all. i don`t get it. the guy i work for has 3 and i know more, so whats with that?

 

Anything that happened prior to receiving your CDL is more of a state issue. It becomes more of a federal issue once you receive your CDL and if the offense occurred in a commercial vehicle. If you are caught driving a commercial vehicle while under the influence, you can pretty much kiss your driving career goodbye. Whether someone can work in this industry has more to do with company policy and their insurance company. Some carriers will not hire anyone who has ever had a DUI. Others may require a clean record for 5, 7 or 10 years. Some will accept one DUI only, others may accept more than one if enough time has elapsed without incident. I would not automatically disqualify an applicant because of a DUI unless it was in a commercial vehicle. I won't hire anyone who has been convicted of driving a commercial vehicle while under the influence.