Stale CDL... Myth, truth, somewhere in between?

I work for a family owned company that runs about 500 trucks, and was hired right after I got my CDL-A.

 

Got my CDL in December 1995. Simply because I wanted to learn how to drive a truck. I had no intention of actually looking for a truck driving job.

Drove local Class B from 1996-2000. An internal position within a non trucking company I already worked for. No application, no interview, no driving test or whatever.

Got back into trucking April 2016 having lived and worked overseas for 13 years prior. I had a few offers from OTR companies all of whom stated I would need to go through their refresher program or go out for weeks with a trainer. I chose the trainer option as the company had a great reputation and I would be earning while training.

I only applied to large well known trucking companies as that's who I wanted to work for. No clue if a small operation would have considered me as I had no interest in working for one.

 

A recent CDL school graduate is no different then someone like myself in regard to recent experience. I lost my CDL for health reasons several years ago. No simple one size fits all answers here. Some carriers are going to want you to take a refresher and some might not. Your not damaged goods, you just lack recent experience. This thread is really about nothing.

 

I was in a class b propane bobtail for 5 years just had to do a road test for Schneider. But most companies require recent within 2 years

 

5 years ago when everyone was still running manuals it was a bigger deal. Guys would be so 'rusty' they would struggle to pass the check ride.

The other question is "what were you doing? If the answer is sitting around it's a laziness red flag

 

He ain't hijacking your post man. That was actually good info. Insurance, not the company will dictate how a driver gets hired in any scenario. For example, some companies will overlook the fact that you haven't used your CDL. You could have your license for a year or 2 before getting your first gig, and they still will hire you, but they will send you out with a trainer for a month. I've seen instances where a driver had his license for years, but minimal experience. They either sent that driver with a trainer for a couple of weeks, or even had him do a refresher course. With the company I work for, there was a guy in orientation wirh me who was out of a truck for 4 years. To be fair, he had a lot of prior experience. They didn't make him take a refresher or anything. He passed the road test and he's still with us to this day. Point being, each situation is different and it's purely insurance based. I actually can understand a company's concern over a "stale CDL." Driving a semi is a lot of safer if that driver stays in rhythm and has recent experience, at least in my view.

 

Don't you just love it when someone asks for advice then gets all annoyed when they don't get the advice they want?

 

In this case the advice was correct, but not necessarily complete. In the OTR world, insurance rules. That does not mean that other trucking industry segments (agriculture, manufacturers or distributors with owned delivery vehicles, local P&D work, construction, etc) have the same insurance restrictions that OTR has. Because they don't. The OP could easily start back into the industry though a non-OTR position with different insurance requirements. Many of us got into driving through this route, including me. My training program consisted of "here's the keys, get that truck loaded and take it to the plant". Probably won't pay as well right now, but the option is there.

 

I drove class A (cdl) for 8 years when I was in my twenties then I was lucky and got a job with a local utility.
18 years of utility work we went on strike and within 4 days I was hired by YRC as a road driver
Spent a week in the yard hooking and un hooking sets and backing into doors then a few days driving with one of their senior drivers so they could see I knew what I was doing and out on my own I went
Only stayed for a cple weeks until the strike ended but just shows if you apply yourself driving jobs are good and available

Just finished my 31’st year with Verizon and am looking at going back on the road for a few years too young yet to sit around