Wow!! So Many Companies Offering Positions

It's really overwhelming trying to decide who to drive for. 😫😫 I drove for CFI and they were an awesome company but can only drive an automatic truck now in my current situation and also need 100% no touch freight

Thats one of the best perks I love about this industry. Once you're a proven driver with experience you can work anywhere.

I can't tell you how great it feels to know that if I were to quit my job in the next hour I would already have another employer begging me to come work for them in that same hour.

That is an awesome feeling. I love it.

CFI is switching to automatics and I thought they were no touch freight. Good luck. It seems more and more companies are switching to automatics.

Oh wow!! Might just have to give CFI a call and check that out

Oh wow!! Might just have to give CFI a call and check that out

if you do let us know, I cant drive manual. And I was thinking about CFI aswell.

Oh wow!! Might just have to give CFI a call and check that out

if you do let us know, I cant drive manual. And I was thinking about CFI aswell.

I drove for CFI a few years and they were a great company. I hope the still are. At that time in my opinion there weren't any better.

Thats one of the best perks I love about this industry. Once you're a proven driver with experience you can work anywhere.

I can't tell you how great it feels to know that if I were to quit my job in the next hour I would already have another employer begging me to come work for them in that same hour.

Yeah, that's what I thought too. Every single time I've sent an application I've gotten a call within the hour asking if I'd like to start orientation the following Monday. But now I just recently quit my first company after 16 months and decided to take a few weeks off before I get back on the road. I'm talking to one of the megas and they're giving me grief because I was unemployed from May-December of 2014 as well as the last four weeks. I know they have to cover their bases for brand new drivers, but I assumed that once I actually signed on with my first company and got some clean, incident-free experience under my belt I wouldn't have to deal with this nonsense anymore. Kind of frustrating that my work history from three years ago before I ever even decided to get behind the wheel is impacting my hireability now. My extended unemployment back then is part of what made me decide to switch paths and get into this line of work in the first place!

Yeah, that's what I thought too. Every single time I've sent an application I've gotten a call within the hour asking if I'd like to start orientation the following Monday. But now I just recently quit my first company after 16 months and decided to take a few weeks off before I get back on the road. I'm talking to one of the megas and they're giving me grief because I was unemployed from May-December of 2014 as well as the last four weeks. I know they have to cover their bases for brand new drivers, but I assumed that once I actually signed on with my first company and got some clean, incident-free experience under my belt I wouldn't have to deal with this nonsense anymore. Kind of frustrating that my work history from three years ago before I ever even decided to get behind the wheel is impacting my hireability now. My extended unemployment back then is part of what made me decide to switch paths and get into this line of work in the first place!

Seppo,

Until you get past the required 10 years of background history this will continue to come up. As I understand it, this is a federal requirement, not something you have a choice in. So just have all your documentation ready whenever you go to fill out an application and you should be just fine. I know it's frustrating, but in the overall scheme of things, just a little blip on the radar of life.

Ernie

I assumed that once I actually signed on with my first company and got some clean, incident-free experience under my belt I wouldn't have to deal with this nonsense anymore

Interestingly enough, it's this attitude that concerns companies in the first place. The idea that "I've put in my time, now I get preferential treatment."

I've mentioned in the past that trucking companies don't pay a whole lot more to experienced drivers because it simply isn't worth it most of the time. Someone with a few months experience and a good head on their shoulders can do a fantastic job of moving freight safely and efficiently, and they're making less money at the same time, and they're demanding less of the company at the same time.

You have to look at it from the company's perspective. Every day in this industry is a battle to stay alive and keep moving forward as a company. The profit margins are super tight and there's utter chaos on a daily basis when you consider all of the accidents, illnesses, weather delays, traffic delays, breakdowns, and everything else that happens. And the larger the company, the more chaos.

So they need drivers that are going to perform consistently at the highest level. And quite honestly a lot of people get this idea in their head that once they've paid their dues they should just be accepted without question.

In a performance-based industry like trucking they approach drivers more like a professional sports team approaches their athletes. They're looking for people who perform at the highest level right now. It doesn't matter if you're a rookie or a 20 year veteran. How are you going to perform the next time you step up to the plate? Because that's all that matters. Nothing you've done in the past is going to help anyone pay their bills in the future.

One of our core teachings is that staying with a company for a long time and performing at a high level consistently will earn you all of the great perks that any driver would want; better home time, better equipment, more miles, better quality runs, and some special favors thrown in along the way.

And as part of that teaching we always tell people that when you quit one company and go to a new company you're starting over again at the bottom as far as reputation and perks are concerned. Your starting salary will be a little higher, but that's it. Everyone is considered "unproven, but with potential" when they first start with a new company, even if they've been driving 20 years. Until you've proven yourself to a new company they aren't going to give you the benefit of the doubt.

So basically when you quit the company you were working for you forfeited almost everything you've earned, including your great reputation and all the special perks that proven, experienced drivers get when they've been at a company for a while. They'll let you start at a little bit higher salary because of your experience, but otherwise you're starting over at the bottom again.