Protect your CDL

Yes Ted, anything we do, anything we drive its effect our CDL, if you have Hazmat it’s worse, it’s not 1 point any more, and it’s 1.5. One more thinks, if you go to DMV ask any information about your CDL or they call you to interview to question how it’s happened the accident or speeding ticket, don’t go alone take attorney with you or don’t try hard to explain them nicely, believe me they are not your friend even they nice and polite. I was nice and polite she ask me if she can record our conversation, that recording conversation cost me one year of my life, I said no problem, that was wring answer, I try to explain everything properly with no lie, now I’m in probation for 12 months, if I get one more ticket or accident, I get suspended for 6 month and in probation for 12 months. Take a lawyer with you if they call you for interview, its cost you $100, but maybe you get on probation maybe not, it’s my opinion. Good luck all of you, be safe and God bless

 

I don't mean to preach but I can not stress enough on how a clean record will pay off. If you find a company that pays real good then you can bet other drivers have found that company too. Word gets out and drivers will apply for the next opening. We had hiring procedures that were almost like getting a security clearnace for the service. Not only that the company even check the person's credit report, which I thought was wrong, but they didn't want driver that might be tempted to steal.

 

DACcidents...not good. Companies can offer any information they want with no guidelines, this is crazy. I was recently turned down for employment because of information on my DAC report. It's showing I have 2 accidents\incidents (as they put it) neither of which were DOT reportable. Both were parking lot incidents. One of which there wasn't even any damage. The DAC nightmare should be getting better since they are now being regulated by the FCRA (Fair credit report act) So if you are turned down employment because of your DAC report that employer is supposed to notify you and let you review you report. The company I was dealing with didn't want to give it to me, but she snuck it to me. But like I told her she has to. You also can file a rebuttal with USIS (DAC services) I called them regarding my situation. They would file a rebuttal, they stated that if there was no way that I was where said incidents had occured and if I could prove it. I could file a rebuttal. But if there was an incident but the informtionm supplied by my previous employer was incorrect that I would have to request that my previous employer make the change. If they don't it's at this point where we can have a statement added to our DAC. Thats what I'm going to do. However there is a "dispute resolution procedure" to follow. I was so confused, but many hours of research and reading and I do feel better about my situation. I could keep you posted if anyone wants me to.

 

Fife yeas a go I was terminated by trucking company, because a yard guard who was Owner of Security and guard company, report me as an unsafe driver, “this is hate termination”. Monday morning I want to see safety department, Mr. Gust didn’t try to listen what I have to say, he just ask me how that’s happened, 5 minutes letter he grab my arm and walk me to the exit. I wasn’t first driver to be terminated that way and with same condition, that person work in La Miranda, CA anyway, the trucking companies report me to DAC Services as a unsafe drive, he told DAC I use my truck as a weapon to hit the guard. The only mistake I did, I didn’t cal a cops and I didn’t report that guy to the police, second mistake I did, I listen to dispatch’s advices, who told me to get out from the yard be nice, bla,bla,bla, big mistake. The trucking company and DAC Services, both doesn’t have any official writhing report any proof, I ask my company send me the proof, never got it, I ask DAC to take off that report of from my file or send me the proof, they never did. Morality, we are not strong enough to defend our self’s, we can do nothing because we are not together we are not united. I also know we think about our family and our loans and mortgages, I think too, but imagine if we stop driving just one day, 24 hours, you think it makes the difference? Everyone take us hostage, we are victims, they send us home when they want, they report us as a bad driver, we are agreed or not, they do what they want, we have no life and the money we earn, they thing they giving us because they have too. My conclusion is, I love my job, what I do and what we do, we well be not likable, we don’t have one problem, we have our family, DAC, DOT, DMV, CHP, Consignee, Shipper, Scale, Pre pass, four wheelers and the trucking Company, I’m sure I forgot something. You think we do our best?
Be safe out there and God Bless

 

This should be tattoed on every bodys forehead and I wish I had knowledge of this info before i started.

 

Ok in reading this, and given the subject I feel that this is probably the perfect place for this one...although it is something very close to my heart and I dont really talk about it much to people...but I really need the help!!!!!!!!!!!! So here goes....

2005 I was involved in a serious accident while at the wheel of a 24' bobtail down on SB5 in San Diego. The accident resulted in a fatality and a whole lot of damage to me, my truck, and the mustang I collided with was nothing more than a smashed up chunk of twisted metal with four tires sticking out of it. Worst thing that has happened to me to date.

I was 19 at the time. It is a long story but to summarize the situation as best as I can:
-The officer who wrote up the police report "recommends that driver of V1 be charged with vehicular manslaughter due to.... driving to unsafe for road conditions"
-I was not issued a citation or ticket or anything at the scene or anytime thereafter
-The DA never served me papers, never decided to throw a criminal case at me and press any charges, nothing ever really happened besides the deposition for the civil suite which was settled by the company a week before the trial
-My H6 shows this accident on my record and Ive heard it can stay on the record for up to 55 YEARS WTFFF?????? really???
-I believe this is the main reason why I have not been able to secure a decent job with ANY good or even halfway good company in years
-Since driving for my first outfit ive done autozone P&D but thats only because someone in safey must have overlooked my file and its only temp here and there
-In addition to this there is two speeding violations on my record in a CMV (one no points -reduced to coasting, the other 1.5 points)
-One more points violation on my record (1.5) for and equipment violation in NM bringing the grand point total up to 3
-A point and a half will fall off sometime late this year and the last 1.5 will drop around this time next year if they do in fact stay on my record for 3 years

Im worried that this may haunt me for the rest of my life, but trucking is what I have made up my mind to do, (never worked so #### hard, and never never loved so much work as I to driving) and I will chase my dream of owner op and a fleet of trucks someday, so if anybody has anything discouraging to say to me, or not the brightest of news, I will take your input with an open ears as I would be foolish to simply discard what anyone here thats been on the road a while has to say to me, but to be honest I have made up my mind and this is what I am gonna do so its just a waste of time to tell me I cant do it...cause I will try and give it 150% of what I got. And if that turns out not be be good enough then I guess Ill have to muster another few percents because this is what I am doing.

It has been a super huge discouragement to me though for the past 6 years and I cant help but feel that Im pissing away valuable OTR drive time I could be having and experience I need to prepare me for me for whatever it is that may lie ahead.

I know more than ever and learned the hard way about road safety, I never took it for granted before and that wasnt the cause of the accident. I was a good driver, and I am a good driver, safety conscious, courteous, slow and deliberate, like an artform. Hell I even flash my lights all the time and thank with the 4 ways everytime lol. My only hope seems to be at this point is to wait until points drop off and try for more driving jobs while I save money, or worse, wait 4 years to seriously drive again until it hits the 10 year mark because either way 55 years on the H6 or not as I understand it the company can only legally look back on your driving record for 3 years, and they require you to bring your own H6 in to get a deeper look at your history. I think this might be my only light of hope that maybe after its over 10 years old they cant see it anymore?????????????

What do you guys think? I know Im in a bad spot...a really bad one. I know I should probably consider a new career, (even my lawyer told me that), I know the odds are stacked against me and whatever I choose do to is going to be tougher than I had to be.

I got a million questions about this but Ill leave sum it up like this....What can I do to best improve my chances of finding any decent ok work (im not picky at this point but i dont wanna get treated like garbage and yes no swift hell no!...sorry swifties, no offense) for one and what else can i do to help myself....move forward from here on out (i protect my MVR with my life now) and what is the weather looking like for me ahead? I know its not sunny and bright with rainbows and butterflies but what can I expect in the future and for how long? Can I fix this? Can I make it go away? Seal the records? Erase my identity what do I need to do???

If anybody could shed some light on this then I would owe you more than you could imagine and be forever thankful!!!!!!!!!!!! I appreciate any help.

Be safe out there guys, dirty side down.

 

With all due respect, with ten paragraphs to do so, nowhere did you take responsibility for an accident that killed someone. I would not hire you unless you take responsibility, show remorse and discuss what you learned from it.

Time is your only friend on this and it will never erase a fatality. We live in a world where there is no personal responsibility and liabilities abound. Everyone is looking to sue someone so what do you think the companies see when they look at your MVR?

IMHO, you should take any job you can get with the worst company out there and be grateful they gave you a chance. You say this is very important to you and that you give 150%. Then you say you won't take a job from an undesirable company. You can't have it both ways.

No good company is going to hire you now or later, until you prove yourself. An undesirable company is most likely the only one that will give you a chance to prove yourself.

So from my point of view your choices are quite simple. You take any job you can to start over, wait and see if that fixes it or find another profession. The real question is how bad do you want this.

 

There are only 2 things you can personally effect/control in this trucking life....

Your CDL/driving record; which is what you trade on wherever you go and whatever you do. You will never get that "Dream Job" without a clean one. If you screw that up it's YOUR fault, not dispatcher, DOT, LEO or anyone else.

The second? If you gotta ask you ain't old enuff to be told.