Please Help!!! Sort Of A New Student...
Topic 12389 | Page 1
A i t/werner is a usual test 30 to 45 days clean and you will pass
Legal state or not, a CDL is a federal license and bound by federal DOT rules. Companies doing hair strand tests usually do it in accordance to their own or insurance guidelines. If you can't get on with that particular company, keep searching because I have no doubt that you'll find a company that fits your requirements and that you'll have no problem signing on with.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
What Robert B said is true. A Schneider recruiter told my class he can't hire us if we have a medical marijuana card due to federal law. Medical marijuana is state law. Perhaps you could drive a truck in your state, like a cement truck. But don't quote me. Maybe you could call up one of the cement or construction companies and ask.
I am going to get my cdl. I am clean. I never had a medical card for it and i know its a state law and not a federal one. I know the difference. I cant get a cdl job local without a year otr experience. I dont see anything wrong with someone wanting to do better by their family. I was just looking for a little insight.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
I am going to get my cdl. I am clean. I never had a medical card for it and i know its a state law and not a federal one. I know the difference. I cant get a cdl job local without a year otr experience. I dont see anything wrong with someone wanting to do better by their family. I was just looking for a little insight.
Depending on where you live, there may be a lot of local jobs available to a new driver. Schneider potentially has good local or regional routes, as well as other "big" companies. Old Dominion, YRC, R&L, are LTL/Linehaul, but also will hire new drivers. Like 6 string said in another thread, Location will often trump experience, because the companies NEED drivers. OTR is not closed off to you, by any means either.
As long as you are clean, you should be fine. On the applications, just be honest, but do not volunteer any information, if they don't ask for it. You are confident that you will drop clean, so it should not be an issue. You will go for a DOT physical before or during training, which includes the drug test. So you will be able to use that as proof to any potential company you want to work for.
You have options, just figure out what you want, and go for it.
Stay safe
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Regional:
Regional Route
Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.
LTL:
Less Than Truckload
Refers to carriers that make a lot of smaller pickups and deliveries for multiple customers as opposed to hauling one big load of freight for one customer. This type of hauling is normally done by companies with terminals scattered throughout the country where freight is sorted before being moved on to its destination.
LTL carriers include:
- FedEx Freight
- Con-way
- YRC Freight
- UPS
- Old Dominion
- Estes
- Yellow-Roadway
- ABF Freight
- R+L Carrier
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Linehaul:
Linehaul drivers will normally run loads from terminal to terminal for LTL (Less than Truckload) companies.
LTL (Less Than Truckload) carriers will have Linehaul drivers and P&D drivers. The P&D drivers will deliver loads locally from the terminal and pick up loads returning them to the terminal. Linehaul drivers will then run truckloads from terminal to terminal.
Sandra, no one here is going to judge you. Click on this link to find the TT information you need. UA vs. Hair Follice, By Company
As far as your medical history is concerned, unless it's a DOT medical issue like diabetes or high blood pressure, you needn't disclose up front. If you know you can pass a UA or a hair follicle test without a problem, then no worries.
Also, no one should pull a background check without your written consent as that would be illegal, according to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, so hopefully that's not an issue either.
Keep us posted on your progress.
Good Luck.
-mountain girl
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Whooooaaaaaa yeah..... it wasn't meant to be any sort of accusation at all. My point was that companies test based on their own policies or policies put forth by their insurance. A lot will only do the whiz quiz but because the cost of hair testing has come down, many more are switching to it. As far as I know, there aren't many that go beyond 6 months, it gets pricey to go back farther than that. There's an extensive list on here regarding who does what as far as testing but as you know, that list is ever changing so your best bet is to call in advance and ask, they will tell you.
Whooooaaaaaa yeah..... it wasn't meant to be any sort of accusation at all.
-Robert B
Sorry, Robert. I didn't mean it to sound like that was directed at you in any way. Sandra's first sentence in her original question read,
First of all, please, don't judge me
-Sandra
I was merely responding directly to her first post.
-mountain girl
Whooooaaaaaa yeah..... it wasn't meant to be any sort of accusation at all.
-Robert B
Sorry, Robert. I didn't mean it to sound like that was directed at you in any way. Sandra's first sentence in her original question read,
First of all, please, don't judge me
-Sandra
I was merely responding directly to her first post.
-mountain girl
Nooooo, not a problem. I was thinking Sandra thought I was being a jerk. Hell, back in my younger days I probably smoked half of Jamaica lol. That was almost 20 years ago though.
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Ok. First of all, please, don't judge me. I am wanting to start a career as a driver. I have a family and I think this is the only way I can support them. I have considered this type of work for a really long time. I have a VERY clean driving record and a clean background. I don't have anything on either. My problem is that about a year ago I talked to a doctor and started smoking pot for various health reasons. I do live in a legal marijuana state. I have quit and my health issues are better under control. I do not have any problems at all taking a urine test even if they want to watch. But one company said that they went back a year. That is all I have been smoking. I don't believe this is fair. I am not an addict, I did this for medical reasons and don't do it anymore. Can someone please help me? I don't know if they all do hair tests, but this is my last chance at a good life for my family. And I really want this job.