Okay here is the scoop:
A little over 3 years ago (December 2004) I was in the Military in California. I got a speeding ticket. I deployed to Iraq in January 2005 and totally forgot about the ticket because I had 30 days of leave back home and forgot about it. Well when I returned from Iraq I got out of the military and came home to Kentucky. Well to make a long story short I I found out my license had been suspended and I cleared it all up and just now got my drivers license back this month. I do not have a CDL yet and really want to get training and get hired with a company. Will any company hire me? I have no other tickets, no DUI's, no Felonies, and no Drugs. PLEASE HELP!!!
Please Help!!!
Discussion in 'Motor Carrier Questions - The Inside Scoop' started by Wannabeatrucker, Mar 21, 2008.
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I was in a very similar situation as you before I started my career. I too had my license suspended because of an unpaid speeding ticket. You shouldn't have a problem getting a job, but you will most likely have to wait until you have had your license back for one full year. That's what I had to do, otherwise I would have started my career in 2002 instead of 2003.
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If I were you, I'd call companies you're interested in and pose your situation to them. I WOULDN'T proceed until pre-hired though. You'd likely be wasting your time and money.
Keep in mind, that the current economic slow-down might affect their hiring of new drivers at this time. Many companies seem to be cutting back their fleets.
Have you considered staying in the military? I think you'd be better off making the military a career for the next 18 years or so, and retire with a pension. Heaven only knows where the Big truck truckin' industry is headed now-a-daze.
After putting in 20 years in the military, you could still pursue a Big truck truck driving job if you're still interested. And, you'd have that pension check coming in to make things easier.
Good luck.
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I would also talk to some companies and explain the situation. There may be some forgiveness there due to your deployment. Whatever you do, be upfront with anybody you try to hire on with. Upfront honesty is best and most companies will respect that. They may not be able to work around certain constraints but better to find that out beforehand. And thanks for your service.
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Thank you aftershock, but I've been out of the military now for almost a year. There is a local company that does OTR that has signs up around my town named Mr. P Express that I'm interested in. They offer training and I've talked to a few of their newbie drivers and they have nothing but nice things to say about the company. They only have less than 100 drivers. I'm just really burned out in the type of work that I do now. And I've wanted to be a trucker since I was 5. I'm 31 now.
I talked to a Schneider recruiter and he said i'd have to wait 6 months.
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Wannabe,
My son is facing the same problem. His suspension occured late 2005 in California and he moved shortly after to Washington state and then to Ohio in late 2007. He found out about it when he tried to get his Ohio drivers license in Jan of this year. He got that taken care of and told his CDL school recruiter about it and asked if that would be an issue and the recruiter said, "No problem" (of course all recruiters LIE!). Then when he filled out placement papers at the school, the placement person said "No problem, we'll find someone to take you on" (right). He disclosed it on his applications and got 2 pre-hires and both company recruiters said "We understand, shouldn't be a problem". He went through orientation with one of them, waited for 2 days for a trainer then yesterday was disqualified due to the suspension. They said to wait 1 year. He called the other company he got a pre-hire from and talked to a DIFFERENT recruiter and they said to wait 6 months and re-apply. The school he graduated from 1 week ago is still researching opportunities and he is too. He may have to drive local or do something else for at least 6 months and then take a 1 week refresher course. He is really discouraged but is doing what he has to do to take care of his past messes.
I wish you both good luck. At least you are not in a position of having gone to school (financed), gotten a CDL, then not be able to drive to pay back the loan. Better to take care of things BEFORE you go to school.
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Thanks for the info Mountain Mama and jerryl I appreciate it a lot. Moutain Mama which were the companies that your son applied to?
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Also could you keep me posted as to which company your son gets with? Maybe we can help one another out in our search for a driving opportunity.
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The companies he got pre-hires from (and then disqualified) were Werner and US Express. He had been turned down by 4 other companies he had applied with but those were due to an unverifiable year of self-employment, which should not be an issue in your case. He disclosed all of this on his applications and was told by school recruiter that they should not pose major problems with some companies but, in fact, they did.
I will let you know if/when he gets hired on by anybody. He is scraping the bottom of the barrel now but if he can just get out with a trainer and be out for 3-6 months, he can always move on to something better.
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Well Mountain Mama I know that there is a local OTR company here in Charlestown, IN right across the Ohio River from Louisville that is called Mr. P Express. They are a small company but they pay for training and everything. I am currently looking at them. Your son may try there as well. I can give you the contact info if you want. I am also have another option. The community college in Elizabethtown, KY has a truck driving school that is $3500. I can go there and then get my CDL and then drive with my Uncle as a team for a few months because he is an O/O. But I kinda wanted to do it on my own though. But if I must I will most definitely do it.
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