New Guy here - Hello all

Hello everyone

My wife (truckerzwifey) suggested I come to this forum and look and learn. Maybe a chance to vent a little also!

Where to begin?
Well, I'm not sure what exactly she has shared with the board so I'll start from the beggining in my own words.

I took out a personal loan and went to a local Community College (LCCC) who had a trucking school portion that was conducted by some instructors with Allstate Career.

First, I'd like to thank my instructors. I can only imagine (and shudder lol) at the thought of the task of teaching new students how to drive the big trucks and the amount of wear&tear that those poor trucks get!
They were IMO, excellent guys and I learned A LOT from them.

So I graduated LCCC on 24FEB2012. Off record I was told I was the best driver of the class.
The following day I returned where I was given the PA State Examiners CDL-A test. I passed.
I'm now waiting for my actual license to come in the mail.
At the moment I have Tanker, Dbl's/Trip's endorcements.
This Friday I will be completing the HAZMAT endorcement at DOT.

For some reason I thought I would be able to get my CDL-A and get to driving a truck right away.
It seems I was quite wrong...

I am facing several obstacles.
The 1st WAS my wife and I desiring for my doing LOCAL driving only so I could be home with her and the kids every day.
We have now understood the falacy of this line of thought and have bowed our heads and accepted that I will probably be gone at least a week at a time doing OTR in some form or fashion.

But then I'm encountering another obstacle;
I had a DUI (long BS story, ask if ya wanna hear it) 4yrs 2 months ago in some little hick town in KY where I was rail roaded.

So, I find companies that have a 3 yr policy. Too bad. They want anywhere from 1yr to 2yr experience. Trucking school don't count.
But, let us assume that they are willing to take me, I'm being told my 3rd obstacle is a major one;
I have been on unemployment for darn near 3 yrs. Minus about a 2 month period where I worked for this guy in the water/waste water testing field.
Well, he was docking me for lunches I never took, not paying me after picking up a truck at the office then driving an hour/hour & half before getting paid, each way, daily.
So I contacted Dept. of Labor&Industry and was told that he was in the wrong.
I then approached my boss and informed him that he was wrong in his actions. He told me to deal with it or quit. I didn't quit.
However, the next week, after being shorted on pay again (and this time, it was OT pay) I made an issue again and this time he told me to turn in my equipment. I was fired.
So, back on Unemployment again.
I cannot tell you the number of applications to various places that I have since put in trying to find ANY work.
So I went to trucking school.

Still with me?
Good
Remember that 3rd obstacle? This is it;
Unemployment. When I (honestly) tell potential employers about being on Unemployment Insurance (UEI) for almost 3 yrs... I wish I could see their faces. Though, I don't really need to. The tone of the voice changes. And next thing ya know, a dead line after a rude hang up.

I have had a clean MVR for the past 10 yrs barring the BS DUI charge. Doesn't seem to carry any weight.
When I get my packet from the School, it will show outstanding high remarks from every instructor I drove for. I hope THAT will carry some weight but at this point, I doubt it.

Moving on to the present, I have app's in for 2 local companies.

Company A's DUI policy is 5 yrs but I was told that they MAY be willing to negotiate since I'm close to the 5 yr mark. I truly don't understand this being I was under the impression that ultimately, the INSURANCE COMPANY determines who is hired/fired.

Company B's only asked me for 3 yrs regarding the DUI.
It's looking like I have a good chance but the guy is telling me 2 wks before he can get me into training. I'm expecting a call from him today.
Hard to have faith and wait around when your bills won't wait and every day that ticks by is a day longer I'm heading to the bottom of the list without even having the "Recent Trucking School Grad" badge.


I gotta tell ya..
The thing that is really chapping my butt is the 3 yr unemployment thing.
I just spent $5k to go to trucking school and graduated with high honors.
And the unemployment thing is an issue?????
There was a REASON I was unemployed - lol
And it's one that will probably not be fixed with the next "elections".

*sigh*


Anyways...
I'm glad to be here. I hope to learn a lot and God willing, this forum will help me square myself away and be an awesome driver for a good company so I can take care of my family and enjoy doing something that I have wanted to do for some time.

God Bless

 

Yeah, but look at it from their point of view. You sat on your butt for three years and lived off the rest of us. Hardly a ringing endorsement that you'll be a hard worker or are much of a go-getter.

Take the first thing you can, get the experience and lose that tag.

Oh, and I didn't really mean that as harsh as it probably sounds, btw, I know things are tough out there. Welcome to the forum.

 

Yeah, that DID sound pretty harsh.

The way I see it is it's rather foolish to point a finger at the little man drawing chump change per week when our "Elected Representatives" have managed to fudge away (through theft/deciept) trillions.

Yeah, that little dig about sitting on my butt living off the rest of you gets under my skin. But getting into a weak political debate right off the bat is not what I'm here for.

So thanx for the welcome.

 

MadMax

I would like to help you if I can sent you private message earlier but you didn't reply so I'm just letting you know I'm here to help if I can.

 

MadMax welcome to the best trucking website there is

It is going to be hard to overcome your hardest hurdle that DUI, try
searching for DUI here on the fourm for responses from past post's.
and contact a DUI Lawyer, it is rare but possible to have it Expunged or even reduced depending on the reason for your DUI.

I am not a Lawyer or spokeperson for Law Firm

 

Which is why I edited it. ;^)

Hey, I ain't here myself because my other careers are going swimmingly, I'm in the same boat as you. Just have been fortunate enough to string together a bunch of part-time jobs to see me through. Got two now, which I'm quitting next week to go trucking. Hell, even considered adding a third at one point, then decided screw this, I'm going to go back to school and getting one full time job. Working only 70 hrs a week is going to be like a vacation after the last couple of months, let me tell you.

So don't let what I said irk you. I was just pointing out how prospective employers see a lengthy unemployment situation, since you brought it up and said it bothered you.

 

I'd be surprised if you find a local gig, with the lack of experience, DUI, etc. It's possible, but not probable. Have you checked with all the usual suspects, like Swift, Schneider, Werner, etc? They are probably your best chance at employment.

Good luck, whatever happens!

 

I have recieved your PM's.

Been a bit busy today with phone calls and such and I have not had time to reply to yet. PM inbound.

thanx

 

I got a call from "Company B" that I mentioned earlier.
Too early to say for SURE but it seems like I may be getting on there.
Local runs.

I also got a call from a fella and I explained to him "my story" and he was rather sympathetic and told me I still had a good chance. Although, it may be OTR and TEAM. Maybe out for 2 wks at a time and home 3 days.

At this point, realizing the baggage that I come with, I'm willing to do anything legal to prove my worth and work my way up.

Schneider: 5 yr DUI policy. Flat out rejected me. lol
Werner: My 2nd pick (After TMC) out of school - 5 yr DUI policy.
Swift: Haven't checked yet.

However, I also got a call from a US Express recruiter.
They told me the DUI was good if after 3 yrs.
Buuuut, always a darn but, I have to present proof of my story with my previous employer (the story about illegally docking my pay, as told above) which won't be a problem being Dept. of Labor&Industry sided with me and several others who he illegally docked the pay of.
But then, something rather... interesting happened.
The recruiter asked me if I had ever been convicted of a misdemenor.
I said yes, the DUI and when I was 19 (now, 34) I was convicted of writing a couple of bad checks.
Now, would you believe, keeping my nose clean all these years, and in the broader scope of things, writing a "bad check" isn't all THAT bad. Not excusing what I did.
So, the recruiter says I have to explain what happened, how sorry I am, and how it hasn't ( and won't ) happen again.

Ya know..
Having to go through these kinda hoops somewhat makes me wish I WOULD have went the Law Enforcement route
Almost.

 

Life is all about jumping through hoops.

Keep at it, you're getting there!