Prime Inc. rejected my application because I was fired from US Xpress in 2016

(Hopefully this is the right forum for this post)

Is this normal?

To give some perspective, while I was a company driver for US Xpress back in 2016, I was at fault in a rear-end accident. I received a moving violation for "Failure to Maintain Assured Clear Distance - Collision." The accident was minor:

- Neither vehicle was towed away.
- No one was transported to a hospital.
- The peace officer estimated the damage to be less than $1,000.

However, it was still a rear-end accident. US Xpress couldn't profitably keep me employed as a driver, so they fired me. This was the the only accident I've ever been involved in and the only moving violation I've ever been charged with.

Last week, I filled out an application for Prime Inc. in the hopes of returning to OTR driving. After calling the recruitment hotline, they explained that my application was rejected due to my termination from US Xpress back in 2016. This is in spite of the fact that I've been satisfactorily employed by NYSDOT for the past 3 years (as a plow driver).

Although it was kind of Prime to reject my application without putting me through 3 days of orientation first, I was a bit surprised by the certainty in which they denied me the chance of employment. Is their response normal for those fired for a rear-end collision over 3 years ago, or does Prime Inc. have a more selective hiring process than most? I'm concerned that other companies will respond similarly.

Thanks for any input!

 

It sounds like your friend got a raw deal. That sucks. In my case, their reason for rejecting my application is relevant (as US Xpress is a trucking company). There are a lot of irrelevant reasons why McDonald's might let someone go.

Also, I live in upstate New York. However, the accident happened in Austin, Texas on I-35 northbound (around Exit 228). I still have my CDL, as NYSDOT requires snow plow drivers to possess a Class A or Class B. In fact, I just got my TWIC card and tanker endorsement, as I thought it might make me seem more employable to Prime. Guess I was wrong lol.

 

By kiss of death, do you mean this is "game over" and I should find another career (even if my MVR and PSP no longer show the accident)?

I don't want to waste anyone's time if it's unlikely that I'll be able to return to trucking. However, it's a bit baffling that this could have more serious career consequences than driving a rig while drunk.

 

Thanks for the leads, Chinatown! I appreciate you (and everyone else) taking the time to reply.