I Need Some Advice.
Topic 21993 | Page 1
Welcome to the forum Mike. We're here to help... Deep Breath...
Many companies have a 2 DUI lifetime max., no exceptions, off the table. When adding in an assault charge, although 7 years old, might prove difficult, but not impossible to find an employer willing to hire you.
Take a good look at this list:
This list will reveal the information you need to focus and narrow your search, as follows:
- Max of 2 DUIs, 10 yrs old.
- Will they hire someone with a 7 year old assault charge
- Do they offer training
Spend some time with that...
I also feel strongly that you should also narrow your search to companies offering Paid CDL Training Programs
Reason? They will have a vested interest in your success and provide an integrated schooling/road training path. Combine the list offering company Sponsored Training and The Review and you should arrive at a viable although short list.
Use this to apply:
Finally...please review and study our starter kit:
- Truck Driver's Career Guide
- Brett's Book: The Raw Truth About Trucking (free online version)
- High Road CDL Training Program
- CDL Practice Tests
These links prepare you for the permit test and what to "truthfully" expect as an entry level truck driver.
Good luck!
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.
DUI:
Driving Under the Influence
I just wanted to add that I do have funding already through career link.
Okay...
So then disregard Company Sponsored Training and only target companies willing to hire and road train entry level drivers.
You can then use these links for pre-hires:
- Article: Understanding Pre-Hire Letters: The What, Why, And How Of This Important Step
- Trucker's Wiki: "Pre-Hire Letters"
- Forum Topics Tagged "CDL Pre-Hire Letters"
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.
Pre-hire:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
Pre-hires:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
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.
CFI may hire you and they could train you for free. Here is a link to their hiring requirements. I am very happy with them and highly recommend them to anyone.
Scott is spot on with his statement as far as CFI being a good company. It is up to them if they hire you or not but with any company being upfront with the issues is better than hiding it. I would recommend that you contact some companies that offer what you are looking for in a company and fill out their applications so that you can at least start the process and then the recruiter can tell you whether the company will work with you or not. If you prove that you have all these mistakes behind you and they are no longer a concern then you may have a shot. Good luck in your quest.
Scott is spot on with his statement as far as CFI being a good company. It is up to them if they hire you or not but with any company being upfront with the issues is better than hiding it. I would recommend that you contact some companies that offer what you are looking for in a company and fill out their applications so that you can at least start the process and then the recruiter can tell you whether the company will work with you or not. If you prove that you have all these mistakes behind you and they are no longer a concern then you may have a shot. Good luck in your quest.
Not trying to rain on anyone's parade here; but again the OP will only qualify with companies that accept 2 DUIs. Many will only accept one...some accept 2. In his favor is elapsed time with any company that accepts 2. Its all here: Trucking Company Reviews
Please do not suggest he contact ANY company...and potentially waste time.
DUI:
Driving Under the Influence
I just wanted to add that I do have funding already through career link.
honestly, i would still try the company sponsored ones. what if you get funding, go through a school and then spend months trying to get hired. your training certificate could "expire" in a way and that money wasted. then you would need to start all over again.
If you go through training with a company, you know up front that they will accept you. unforntuately, going to an orientation is a gamble. it is an invitation to interview, not a job guarantee. so be sure to do your research. many companies will not accept even one DUI , so shop around and good luck
DUI:
Driving Under the Influence
We have a couple of lists regarding company policies that will help. I'm not sure if aggravated assault is a felony or not, but our list of companies that hire drivers with felonies will help you discover companies with more lenient hiring policies:
- Trucking Companies That Will Hire People With Felonies
- Trucking Companies That Hire Drivers With DUI
I would apply like mad everywhere you can. I also agree that going the private school route is ok, especially if someone else is paying the bill, but there are no guarantees of employment afterward. Unfortunately I'm not sure if any Paid CDL Training Programs would hire you or not but it's certainly worth applying anyhow.
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.
DUI:
Driving Under the Influence
DWI:
Driving While Intoxicated
Thanks for all the help you guys. I been non stop reading over everything as for some reason I want to be a trucker more than anything else I've ever decided to do. I even had a dream about it last night. Yes the assault was a felony. It was bad. However, I am no longer that same young man. I hate weed, drugs and I can't stand to be drunk. I been out of work due to an injury and that's how I got my eye on trucking. -Before I start applying for both company sponsored and regular Pre-Hires , I have a question.
Should I apply only for the trucking companies within my area? Or is it normal to apply for companies that are many states away? I thought applying for trucking companies was like most jobs and you try to get one close to where you live. Am I wrong about this? Thanks again.
Pre-hire:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
Pre-hires:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
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So, I am almost 30 and I want to change my path and become a truck driver. I have 2 DUI's 10 years ago. I also have an aggravated assault almost 7 years ago. Will these barriers prevent me from ever getting a career as a trucker?
Sometimes we make the wrong choices to get to the right place. I don't use drugs or drink and I am very serious about this career change. I just don't want to go through the motions only to never be able to find work. Honestly, if I could have some advice on how to get some pre-hire letters or anything else that pertains to starting this career, any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.
Pre-hire:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
DUI:
Driving Under the Influence