Comments By Mike H

Why do you feel your company is "not so good"? What problems are you encountering with them?

3 months isn't very long. You're still a rookie. You still haven't proven yourself. It sounds like you've gotten off to a great start in showing this company that you can be safe and productive, but you're still very much a newbie. They're still learning what you're made of. I would venture to say that whoever told you doors would start opening and people would forget your past at 3 months didn't know what he or she was talking about. Generally, a rookie should stay at his or her first company for at least a year before expecting more from the company or leaving to look for work elsewhere.

If you have a checkered past, you should probably just be grateful that you have a driving job at all. While everyone else out there has told you no, the company you're with right now said yes and gave you a chance. Don't be angry with them because they haven't measured up to your expectations. If it weren't for them, you'd likely be unemployed right now. No company ever starts a rookie off with all the best loads and the most miles. The "good stuff" goes to the more experienced, proven drivers. You need to give your company more time and keep doing the best you can to prove to them that you're reliable and safe, and I bet as time goes on you'll start to see things slowly but surely improving. Expecting so much right out of the gate is only going to lead you to disappointment though.

Also, I feel I should comment that companies don't hire unsafe drivers. The examples you've mentioned in your post are simply examples of young drivers making rookie mistakes. I'm sure it's annoying to more experienced drivers, but it happens. That doesn't make them unsafe drivers, though. As a trainer, you should know that.

Ok let me start by saying this. Companies do hire unsafe and unprofessional drivers as long as there background comes up clean. Weather they keep them around long after they find out how unsafe and unprofessional they are is a different story. Next you may be right they all could be rookie drivers making these unprofessional decisions but then that means 1 of 2 things either there trainer didn't train them properly or they just don't care. I'm not going to get into why I don't like my current company but I will say it has nothing to do with the loads or miles I average 6k miles per week that is far from the issue. And regardless of what you say 3 months @6k miles per week is more then enough time to know how to safely drive and do it in a professional way.

Don't get me wrong I love driving and also love doing otr. But I am working with a not so good company because I have issues on my background. I have been safe and productive for over 3 months now. Also just got made a trainer. My problem is I am really trying to get a different job and I was told when I started school that between 3 months to 1 year things start to open up and people forget about your past. Well things are not opening up just yet and I am starting to get really frustrated because I see these companies that are telling me no hire these drivers that have no clue as to what they are doing. They park in the fuel isle for hours while the shower, or shop, or whatever. Can't back to save their lives, don't have a clue what a turn signal is and if they weren't in trucks that were governed would probably drive 85 mph is a 65. Now before those of you start replying about if I wasn't an ex criminal I would be fine and I should have thought about that before I did what I did in the past let me say this. Yes I messed up in the past but I am a safe driver and it really makes me upset that a company will take an unsafe driver over a person with a bad past and an excellent driving record. These company's aren't even saying well get a full year or over a year its just plain no not until its been 10 years since your conviction. Really doesn't make sense to me.

Most companies require at least 15 minutes at the front of the drive shift and a simple flag for post trip. Mostly its company policy because drivers are the first line of defense when it comes to making sure the trucks are in shape to be driven safely. The more checks they get drivers to do the more likely they will catch something before it goes wrong.

Besides after driving 10 to 11 hours you or your co driver is tired and do you really want to depend on their tired eyes catching something that would might be better seen with fresh eyes? When I ran teams with my brother we did our Post trip and pre trips together at the front and end of each shift that way not only did we follow company policy but also if one were to miss something then the other person might catch it before it becomes a problem.

Yeah my company doesn't have a policy on this. I just want to make sure it's not illegal to not have a logged post trip. Only policy company has is a VCR when we return to the yard.

While team driving is a logged post trip required for the driver going from driving to off duty? It kind of doesn't make sense since the driver coming on duty will be doing a pre trip. I'm running e-logs if that makes any difference.

Get use to the waiting. You will be doing it the rest of your driving career. Its either waiting in traffic...to get unloaded/loaded.....in line for fuel.....for a shower...to go home....

There is tons of waiting to do. Now if we could just come up with a way to haul "waiting" we could all get rich since there is so much "waiting around". Lol

I staring to see the waiting never goes away for I got to Yuma and one of my pickups won't be ready until tomorrow. Then I have to high tail it to Norfolk by Sunday.

Started on Friday first trip from Lumber Bridge Nc to San Diego Ca. Went well. Got to Cali and had to sit for 2 days waiting on a load back east. Finally got one couple hours ago. Two pick ups in Cali followed by 5 in Yuma Az then off to Norlfolk Va. I love the driving aspect just hate the waiting.