Profile For Patrico

To just say NO to a new driver because of a test gone wrong and stop a possible career is stupid.

Mike, we leave our swords at the door in here, we are not gonna condemn you, in fact we just want to help anyone that wants to make a start at this have the insight and understanding of what it takes to succeed when trying to get a trucking career started. If I understood your post correctly, you are doing everything you can to make sure you test clean. Just a word to the wise, and this is not only for you, but also for others who may stumble across this later on: Don't count on getting a second chance on that drug test. If you test positive, it will show up in the database that truck driving companies use for a long time. It will be very tough to get past it. You might think it is stupid, and you are entitled to that opinion, but it doesn't change a thing as far as the way they look at it. Make sure you are clean before you take that test! I've seen it first hand too many times, and it's very frustrating when we try and help people understand just how this stuff works and they are convinced they can beat the system.

It sounds as though you are planning on giving up smoking weed, but if you think that you might want to start back after clearing this first hurdle it's a bad plan as far as keeping your new career going. When you agree to be a commercial driver you are also agreeing to being willing to be tested at random. And in this industry if you refuse a random test, they mark it down as a failed drug test and you are history at that point. That's the cold hard facts. I just want you to know the facts so that you can know how to conduct yourself.

Good luck man! I hope you have many enjoyable journeys across our nations highways and byways!

Thanks Old School. I have left that life behind. I will gladly submit any test needed for the health & and safety of others during my trucking career. I just wanted others to know that we can and do change. Before I decided on a career change I have been working for myself for a very long time. I have learned many many things about folks and dealing with the public. In a way I believe I will do well, but we never know till we get our feet wet. I figure if it were easy everyone would be doing it, and not everyone is pulling freight so it must not be easy. I'm ready for the challenge! See you on the road.. . .

Good Luck, Mike! If you're willing to give it up for a career in trucking, you should be allowed every chance possible to succeed. No one judges anyone here.

-mountain girl

Thanks Mountain Girl! I am serious and will give it my all. See you on the road.. . .

I smoked weed for 35 years and stopped. I have done no other illegal substances. I know this will be hard for many of you to believe, but it is true. I have no reason to lie. In the event this leaks out I will notify my attorney and proceed to file a lawsuit against 'you' the tattle tale or whoever. Winning a law suit does not matter; you will be drained of money defending yourself in the process. So please read with compassion not aggression. I am sharing my exsperiance so others can see that we really can change and want to do what is right. I do not want to put my employer or anyone around me at risk so I quit the weed so I can pull freight.

I stopped smoking and a week later I notified the Truck Driving School that I want to become a truck driver and pull freight all over America. I told a official from that school that I was a weed smoker but have stopped and will remain clean till I retire in around fifteen years. They calculated the timeline of when my body should be clear and the time I am required to provide a sample of urine. I have tested myself in the process and my first test can up +. That was expected. The school wants my money and will hold off getting me tested as long as they can. I asked them to hold off for two weeks into my training and things should be clear. I am going to test myself a week into the training and convey that info to the school to show where I stand. I am positive (I have taken a million URs' in my day) that my second home test will be clean. As for my hair! Once I am clean in the urine, I will then let my hair grow out. I have shaved all "All" of my hair off my body. This will insure that my new growth has a better chance of being clean of the weed. There is no law saying you can't shave the hair off of your body. I know plenty of folks who do it, and not for reasons that I am. We are in the older ages anyway; which for many of us we don't have a lot.

The folks at my school are awesome and trust us folks that want to do what is right. We should not be ousted of the industry for trying to make good. I believe that we should be given a chance! If we break that chance then give us the noose. I have read all of the comments and and see things from both sides. I am just an American trying to get through this maze of hell created by our insurance companies who don't care about the individual. Where one fails, one hundred will pass. So they don't care. It's numbers for them. I could go all day with this but will stop here. I am going to post here in 30 days to let you all know about my journey. After school I think I am going to haul Xmas trees for a bit before I go for the big leagues. I like what Schnider has to offer, but many others are doing right by their drivers. I have time to decide.

All men and women should have a chance to prove themselves in the trucking industry. Even in the Military they give you a chance to prove yourself. To just say NO to a new driver because of a test gone wrong and stop a possible career is stupid. You don't have to have drugs in your system to get into an accident. Accidents aren't biased. Too many variables are involved.

Wish me luck!