Given all the above info....I will also add this:
By far & away....of those who survive their first year of trucking (which is easily the toughest part)....& beyond.....the mo$t $ucce$$ful driver$...are without que$tion.....hu$band/wife team$.
One couple...who live in my own hometown...started out with the above-mentioned Covenant....as their first CDL employer.
There -- they got the needed seat-time/experience....& then moved on to another carrier: Skelton Truck Lines, hauling mainly pharmaceuticals:
Skelton Truck Lines | Skelton Truck Lines
Pharmaceuticals offer a much more professional working environment than hauling food ever could -- & it's (also) pretty much recession-proof.
-- L
Married couple wanting to team, we have tons of questions
Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by OkieDokie405, Jan 3, 2025.
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Numb, austinmike and Sons Hero Thank this.
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I got back mine and my wifes driving records this evening, can you all read over this and tell us how these records might affect our ability to get hired:
My report said I have zero offenses for the last three years. 3 years is all it goes back too in Oklahoma. I know that around 4 years ago i was sitting in a traffic jam on the interstate and was rear ended by someone. No cops were called but I called my insurance and reported it, the lady who rear ended me did not call her insurance and I checked back with my insurance later on and was told she never filed a claim so nothing needs done. A year or two before that (so about 5-6 years ago) i got a speeding ticket for 65 in a 55. I paid it the next week no contest. prior to that the I got a speeding ticket 23 years ago for 65 in a 55 on the interstate, paid it no contest. Prior to that 32 years ago i rear ended someone and was at fault and cited for following to close.
My wife's report said she was cited for "failing to obey a traffic control device" on 11/2023. her report ends there at 3 years too. She can recall prior to that three years she had one at fault accident 17 years ago, she rear ended someone and at the time didn't have insurance so we had to pay out of pocket for all repairs on the person we hit and our vehicle (we paid the roughly 28k we owed for it all).
Will Mega carriers hire us with those records?austinmike Thanks this. -
Most insurance carriers only look back 3 years. a rare few look back 5 and I've had one that looked back ten years.
My Insurance broker used to pull all my MVR's for insurance renewal purposes and would give me copies for use in our annual review.
My copies had his pen marks striking anything over 3 years from his review with various insurance companies.
We were in New Jersey where they do not erase anything from the abstract so you only get a 'clean' page until you fill the first one in their ancient data system so there was almost always something old that did not matter.austinmike and OkieDokie405 Thank this. -
If only 3 years is how far the majority of carriers go back then that leaves just the one from nov/2023 on my wife "failing to obey a traffic control device" as an obstacle for us getting hired right? Are we over before we even begin or can we still get hired?
With my son he had 3 tickets on him. his first was "following to close" involving an at fault accident and then "speeding 10 over" and then the same "failing to obey a traffic control device" on his record well before he got his cdl, and he got tons of interviews but every time when they come to his driving record it was sorry we cant hire you until those fall off after three years and sure enough the day after they fell off his state record he got hired.
My wife's is just the one ticket, not the three, like our son had so our hopes is that because we are a team and mine is clear and she has just the one we would still be able to get hired at places like Prime, Schneider, Werner? Those aren't the only companies we are interested in only the big names we know about for teams.austinmike Thanks this. -
Usually companies ask new drivers, new cdl school grads. about tickets within the last 3 yrs. or 5 yrs.
Don't list anything older than that. They'll find out anyway, but all they want from you is what they ask for on the applications; 3 yrs. or 5 years.
By listing a bunch of stuff that isn't asked for could be taken as "you don't pay attention to details."austinmike, tscottme and OkieDokie405 Thank this. -
Next question:
We currently live in Oklahoma. Our current drivers licenses are for Oklahoma but they are not CDL's. Our goal is to live in the truck as much as possible, there is nothing to come home too for us and this house we live in is a rental and we intend to not sign a new lease. We don't have family here in Oklahoma who we feel the need to visit more than maybe once a year. About the only thing we will need to return to Oklahoma for is my every 3 month diabetes dr appointment and im not opposed to changing Doctors to another state.
How does that work for a hiring company, should we look only at companies hiring in Oklahoma (since technically we are from here but wont be maintaining a residence here) or can we look at companies hiring anywhere at all? -
Why not change your residence to TX or another of the no income tax states?
Few companies will only hire from OK and not every other nearby state as well. Once you get in one of the corners of the country is usually when you might find some companies not hiring you.OkieDokie405 Thanks this. -
How will you get your mail?
tscottme and OkieDokie405 Thank this. -
Best of Luck !OkieDokie405 Thanks this.
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