Newbie Needing Guidance, Advise And/or Words Of Wisdom

Topic 1373 | Page 1

Page 1 of 1
Joe B.'s Comment
member avatar

I am new to the profession. and have found myself in a situation that I could use some guidance on. After being laid off from my previous profession as an engineer for a defense contractor, spending 2 years on unemployment. seeking a job and another year caring for an elderly grandparent to make it by I decided to try truck driving. I actually was steered to it by a family friend who drives because I was tired of a cubicle, love to see the country and at 33 have. perfect driving record. I went to CR England since they would sponsor training which I could not afford to pay for out of pocket. I started.school onn 3/4 and was on the road with a trainer 3/26. I completed the first phase of training 5/1 with about 21,000 iles and went back to Utah to do an upgrade (written and road tests) to phase 2 of the road training. At this point I waited about 2 weeks to be assigned a new trainer and when that didn't happen I was bused back to AZ to transfer my CDL because my UT one was going to expire. I got that done and on 5/25 I got on a truck and completed a run to So Cal for a guy who was out of hours and was told I would be assigned to a new trainer in Mira Loma. I arrived on Memorial day weekend so nothing was going to happen until the following Tuesday so I stayed with some family right down the road until then. Tuesday came and I contacted my training coordinator in UT who intructed me to contact the placement coordinator in Mira Loma, which I did. He then told me he would get a trainer arrainged and call me when that was done. For the first weeks I kept calling him daily for status, he then basically told me to stop bugging him and he would contact me when a trainer was available. I waited about another week with no word and calls going unanswered and was getting a bit nervous about what was going on not to mention broke. I spent a few more days trying to contact my coordinator back in UT who did not return calls or emails. Finally I went back in person to meet again with the guy in Mira Loma on 6/18 who then told me the guy in UT had been fired but on 6/13 had entered in the system that I had quit, so I no longer had a job and was on the hook for the school for about 2k because I had not fulfilled the commitment to the company. So I called HR and explained I had not quit, sent copies of correspondence with both of the guys to them showing this to which they replied I would have to submit a rehire request but would have to wait 60 days to do so because I had quit or was fired. Well I knew I didn't quit, they said I wasn't fired and unless I did the rehire request I would have to pay back the 2k. So I was pretty much stuck waiting 60 days because I did not want to have to pay that,, thank god I had family in Mira Loma area who needed work done so I had a place to stay and food to eat because I was told if I got a job, no matter what documentation I had, I would havw to pay them back. Okay 60 days was up 8/20 and They got the paperwork going, it had to go back thru the training departments to be signed off on so I could go back for a refresher and get back on the road. Well on 8/26 I was infomed the rehire request was denied due to the misunderstanding with the training coordinator and the info he had left behind in the system regardless of the info I had sent them. But good news since it all appeared to be a misunderstanding and not that I quit they changed it to where I was fired so I didn't have to pay them back (they said good news I know being fired doesn't look good for me but least I don't owe. So now Ineed to find a new job. Talking to a handfull of companies I am running into this problem: 1. I am not a recent grad because it has been more than 90 days. 2. I don't have "recent" driving experience because I have been off the truck longer than I was on. So I have a current and valid CDL and medical card, no points against my CSA record and minimal driving experience. I have an AZ CDL am currently in Riverside CA and looking to eventually be based out of Indianapolis IN (oh failed.to mention during all this I got divorced and now my ex has moved with my children to IN). I can afford living expenses until I get a paycheck but can't afford to pay a bunxh of money for some kind of training course if required. Can anyone point me in the direction of some companies I should be able to get on with given the circumstances? I am not saying none of this was my fault I know I could have handled some things differently and am not suggesting anyone not go to England as they are a good company, just it is challenging and I am learning that the hard way. I love this job and must say the month and a half I had onn the road was the best I have had in a long time. I think I fit this industry, just need some help getting going again. I appreciate any advise, guidance, wisdom or anything else anyone can offer. Thanks all! Joe B.

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.

CSA:

Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA)

The CSA is a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) initiative to improve large truck and bus safety and ultimately reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities that are related to commercial motor vehicle

BMI:

Body mass index (BMI)

BMI is a formula that uses weight and height to estimate body fat. For most people, BMI provides a reasonable estimate of body fat. The BMI's biggest weakness is that it doesn't consider individual factors such as bone or muscle mass. BMI may:

  • Underestimate body fat for older adults or other people with low muscle mass
  • Overestimate body fat for people who are very muscular and physically fit

It's quite common, especially for men, to fall into the "overweight" category if you happen to be stronger than average. If you're pretty strong but in good shape then pay no attention.

OWI:

Operating While Intoxicated

Old School's Comment
member avatar

Wow Joe, what a bummer of an introduction into trucking!

I'll be honest, I'm not sure you gave us the whole story here, but I'm going to advise you based on what you gave us. I completely empathize with you in that I had a terrible time breaking into trucking myself.

You will definitely have to take a refresher course, and if money is tight then you are limited to Company-Sponsored Training . Follow that link and you will get to a list of companies that provide training with no upfront costs along with some good information on each of them.

Just so you know, it is out of the ordinary for you to have that kind of a wait for a trainer. I think one week at the outside would be typical for most companies. Your original post sounds like you handled it all with a great attitude, and we would certainly want you to know that attitude is most important in this business.

Poke around this site and you'll find some really great information on getting into truck driving. Check out the Trucker's Career Guide and do a little reading in How To Choose A Company.

You sound like a great candidate for a driving career, and I wish you the best. If you need any more help feel free to ask us anything you want. Best of luck to you!

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.

Company-sponsored Training:

A Company-Sponsored Training Program is a school that is owned and operated by a trucking company.

The schooling often requires little or no money up front. Instead of paying up-front tuition you will sign an agreement to work for the company for a specified amount of time after graduation, usually around a year, at a slightly lower rate of pay in order to pay for the training.

If you choose to quit working for the company before your year is up, they will normally require you to pay back a prorated amount of money for the schooling. The amount you pay back will be comparable to what you would have paid if you went to an independently owned school.

Company-sponsored training can be an excellent way to get your career underway if you can't afford the tuition up front for private schooling.

OOS:

When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.

Starcar's Comment
member avatar

In your present state, I would say that Central would be your best bet. They hire everyone from Going into school to veteran drivers, and anyone in between. Check with the, explain the deal, and see if they can do anything for you. At this time in your trucking career, getting based in IN may be hard. You will need to outlive the FIRED thing, AND now you nee refreshed, and a solid year of driving. So...with that in mind...don't limit yourself to companies that run out of IN..look at any that run THRU IN...and Good Luck !!

Page 1 of 1

New Reply:

New! Check out our help videos for a better understanding of our forum features

Bold
Italic
Underline
Quote
Photo
Link
Smiley
Links On TruckingTruth


example: TruckingTruth Homepage



example: https://www.truckingtruth.com
Submit
Cancel
Upload New Photo
Please enter a caption of one sentence or less:

Click on any of the buttons below to insert a link to that section of TruckingTruth:

Getting Started In Trucking High Road Training Program Company-Sponsored Training Programs Apply For Company-Sponsored Training Truck Driver's Career Guide Choosing A School Choosing A Company Truck Driving Schools Truck Driving Jobs Apply For Truck Driving Jobs DOT Physical Drug Testing Items To Pack Pre-Hire Letters CDL Practice Tests Trucking Company Reviews Brett's Book Leasing A Truck Pre-Trip Inspection Learn The Logbook Rules Sleep Apnea
Done
Done

0 characters so far - 5,500 maximum allowed.
Submit Preview

Preview:

Submit
Cancel

Why Join Trucking Truth?

We have an awesome set of tools that will help you understand the trucking industry and prepare for a great start to your trucking career. Not only that, but everything we offer here at TruckingTruth is 100% free - no strings attached! Sign up now and get instant access to our member's section:
High Road Training Program Logo
  • The High Road Training Program
  • The High Road Article Series
  • The Friendliest Trucker's Forum Ever!
  • Email Updates When New Articles Are Posted

Apply For Paid CDL Training Through TruckingTruth

Did you know you can fill out one quick form here on TruckingTruth and apply to several companies at once for paid CDL training? Seriously! The application only takes one minute. You will speak with recruiters today. There is no obligation whatsoever. Learn more and apply here:

Apply For Paid CDL Training