Comments By Boomshaker E.

Awesome job. You got the right attitude.

Does anyone know anything about this dedicated account? I am asking for my cousin who is computer dumb. (seriously, not for me lol) He's been out there for more than 17 years driving, but with limited benefits. Looking for a good company with benefits. This is what he wanted to look into, so I said I would ask the good folks here if they knew anything about it.

Whats the region? And what are they hauling? Any info you have is welcomed. Thank you folks.

O.S. When I say "close to Pa state" I am referring to staying on the Eastern side. Somewhere near my state. All three of the companies I mentioned have dedicated runs that take me from Ohio, over to Pa and Jersey, and down to North Carolina. So that's great for me. I guess I am just making sure that what they promise I get. I guess it's just newbie jitters and I am over thinking things. LOL

J Johns and Old School again many thanks.

Old School, I have narrowed down my searches to these three I mentioned earlier. I know I will have to prove myself and can't be "to picky" when it comes to my first job. My main goal is to try and get hired by a company that will keep me as close to the Pa state as possible. (within reason) That would be my only reason after orientation for turning them down if they can't get me close to home. I have heard of recruiters promising you the stars and the moon and, later on the company says something completely different. (Does this make sense?)

Travis, I hear you man. All thru school my instructor kept asking "what are you doing"? And my answer was always the same. TRYING TO MAKE IT PERFECT. He told me to STOP OVER THINKING IT. Well low and behold when I did stop over thinking it I did much better during practice. Like you I tried to knock it out in one day also. And I almost did. Last thing to accomplish was my road test. I had the road test almost passed, until I over thought a particular traffic signal and came to a complete stop at a green light. Because, I thought it was going to change on me and I didn't want to fail. (OK, NO ONE LAUGH LOL) I thought I was doing the right thing. Turns out it wasn't. My road examiner asked me why did I stop? I told him I thought it was going to change and I didn't want to fail. Turns out I did because I stopped. Again, over thought it. Moral of the story is RELAX, use the force and let your natural instincts take over. I know you'll learn from your mistake and kill it on Wednesday.

6 string and Old School, thank you so much for your information. Greatly appreciated my friends. One last question if I may, if I attend an orientation (for any company) and later on they make you a job offer and you turn it down for what ever reason. Are you obligated to pay them something back for the time they spent on you for lodging, food, transportation or whatever else? Thank you

(top 3 choices in no order are US Express, Schneider, Roehl) They have dedicated runs close to my state.

Not sure how to phrase this but, has anyone gone to a few orientations before they found the right fit for them? Or do most folks get their answers by calling a recruiter? I have 3 companies I am interested in. I know the recruiter on the phone is one thing. But being at an orientation is a bigger picture of that company. Has anyone gone on more than one orientation before taking their first job? Thank you

Boomshaker, almost all the companies are doing both hair and U/A tests now days. And it won't be long until they are all doing hair tests. It is just a matter of time at this point. Another consideration in all this is to remember that random tests are part of this whole career. I have been random tested four times this past year - two urine tests, one swab of my mouth (alcohol test), and a hair follicle test.

I would never take a hair follicle test, for any company.

Be careful about your stance on this matter - you may also never have a trucking job!

You are 100% correct my friend. I have to remember that it's a new day for me. And I can't change what I know. But rather from now on go with the flow and the rules and regulations of the trucking world. Thank you for smacking me in a gentle way and making me realize this. This is why I tell all want to be trucking students to come to this board and their information first hand for themselves. Thanks Old School.

David, your friend's test is almost certainly going to be reported. Have him get a copy of his DAC report from HireRight to make sure you know what's on there but he's going to have a heck of a time finding an opportunity now. He'll have to scrape the bottom of the barrel hoping for an opportunity of some sort that will give him some experience and some distance from this at the same time.

And Boomshaker, I don't know what your 25 year medical background is (and there's no reason to tell me, really) but it didn't teach you the first thing about drug testing or how it works. To make matters worse, the DOT is in the process of getting approval for hair follicle testing as an acceptable type of test to replace urinalysis and before long it's going to go through. When it does almost everyone will be switching because it goes back a lot farther, it's harder to tamper with, and prices will drop as the method becomes more prevalent.

Brett, all I was stating and trying not to get deeper into it was. Hair tests have a number of variables to them. There are a few (OTC) medications that may sometimes lead to erroneous results. Which can result in a false positive. But this is getting way off topic. My reply to the original poster was (giving him the benefit of the doubt) that if they know they are clean, then go get a test done on your own to show that company. Or, the next potential company that the test was flawed. (that was my main point)

If hair gave so many false positive results, why is nearly every trucking company switching to hair?

The hair test looks at chemicals your body has metabolized, not raw smoke dust which is different. BTW, of you took a shower in the "few days" between the party and your test, no problem!

A company will certainly refuse an outside lab's results. My company refused my own DOT physical because the clinic (my own Dr actually) is not on their approved list. That will not result in "wrongful termination", whatever that means.

If his urine test came back clean, and hair test came back dirty. Then something is wrong somewhere. If he was terminated because of a "suspicion of drug usage" and he can prove he was clean at the time. Then I am sure that would be enough grounds for trying to get his job back or recovering lost wages due to "wrong termination". As for why are companies going with hair testing? I have no clue. (like i said the answer is more than complicated to answer)