CDL Training, Denied Because Of Employment History
Topic 24472 | Page 1
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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.
As long as you can prove you were working, even under the table, I don't see a major problem. Get notarized letters from the people you were working for, have them include dates and type of work. Some Companies are stricter than others when it comes to work history. Also, uninstall that CDL app. The BEST study guide is right here on this site. The High Road Training module is second to none. 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.
The reason companies have to be strict about your employment history is actually due to National Security concerns. Basically, they need to know what you were doing for the last 3 years if no CDL , 10 years if you already have a CDL. Notarized letters from people you work for, and from people who will vouch for you and explain what you were doing during any periods of unemployment, can go a long way. Just remember, these letters cannot be from family, generally speaking. When you say you've moved around to a lot of different jobs, what exactly do you mean? Another good question to ask, because of a similar thread not too long ago, have you ever failed a drug test? That last thing is probably the number one reason people are rejected.
I would suggest you not fall into the Trap of "I'm just a number" and read this article: Why I'm More Than Just A Number At My Mega-Carrier
Prime and Wil-Trans (and Jim Palmer) are a lot more choosy with their drivers then many other companies. As far as anyone taking pity or empathizing with your unique situation, they receive hundreds of applications every day... they're going to want to see a steady employment history before they spend a lot of time and money on your training to make sure you're just not going to bail.
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.
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.
Wil-Trans:
Darrel Wilson bought his first tractor in 1980 at age 20, but, being too young to meet OTR age requirements, he leased the truck out and hired a driver.
Through growth and acquisition, Wil-Trans now employs over 200 drivers, and has a long-standing partnership with Prime, Inc. to haul their refrigerated freight. The family of businesses also includes Jim Palmer Trucking and O & S Trucking.
Welcome to the forum Steven!
Keep applying. In fact, we have a handy tool here that'll save you those hours by allowing you to Apply For Paid CDL Training at several companies at once.
As noted, some companies are pickier than others when it comes to employment history. Rest assured however that someone will definitely hire you on. You'll just have to be diligent in getting your name out there. So apply to them all and see who comes back with invitations. Then you can fine tune your options from there.
And yeah you can get rid of that CDL prep app, and start studying the High Road CDL Training Program instead. You'll find its everything you need in an easy to understand/hard to fail format.
Good luck, let us know how it's going.
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.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
Steven, I ran into this problem just this week with Prime. My application was rejected because of a lapse in my work history. I offered an explanation but because they have so many applicants the recruiter wasn't interested. I also applied with CRST and so far the recruiter sounds positive. Good luck to you. Don't get discouraged and just keep trying.
Some companies are much more picky than others. FMCSA does require at least a 3 year history on anyone getting their first CDL but some companies still pull a 10 year history, even for prospective new driversvand not just those who we held a CDL already.
Another reason companies are so picky about the work history, is, as a driver, we work A LOT of hours and they typically find those without a solid work history, tend to "wash out" so to speak, in trucking. Not to fear though.. some companies aren't that picky. What I found out since being at my company over 3 years now, (we don't have a school) is they're not picky at all in that respect and will literally give almost anyone a chance, if they think they're really serious about being a driver and don't have recent felonies. I've had trainees who have no experience and haven't been in a truck in a year, which virtually no company would take, due to a "stale" training certificate. Sometimes it really backfires, but it's not my decision so I don't worry about it. My company also considers local driving experience, where again, most companies won't count it.
Just apply everywhere using the "one and done" application here on TT where it sends your info everywhere and see what offers you get, and choose one.
Someone will give you a chance, but as you've found out, your first choices don't always choose you. I got lucky as I only applied to two companies and got solid offers from both when I started my driving career.
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
FMCSA:
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
The FMCSA was established within the Department of Transportation on January 1, 2000. Their primary mission is to prevent commercial motor vehicle-related fatalities and injuries.
What Does The FMCSA Do?
- Commercial Drivers' Licenses
- Data and Analysis
- Regulatory Compliance and Enforcement
- Research and Technology
- Safety Assistance
- Support and Information Sharing
Fm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.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.
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Hey brothers and sisters!
I have done some reading on this forum of folks in similar situations before creating this topic; any input you have will be appreciated!
I have zero criminal history I have a great driving record However, I have moved around and switched jobs "a lot" in the past few years
Wil-Trans , Prime, and CRST have each denied my application because of my employment history, so, I am feeling a little discouraged at this moment.
There are maybe 10-15 companies that offer CDL training, so will I get the same denial and reason with ALL of them? I am asking y'all for advice, before I spend the next few hours submitting 5 more applications.
My questions to you are, shall I just keep applying to more companies, will I eventually be accepted? Or, should I just give up altogether because of my employment gaps? I have downloaded a CDL permit training app on my phone, (the highest rated one) and feel confident that I am already ready for my permit. This is what I want, this is what I need...why won't these companies understand/empathize? I get it, we're just a number to them, and a liability... So...how's a guy to go about a fresh start in a new career, without his past holding him back? I have kids now, and local hourly jobs just won't cut it anymore...I need a CAREER! Thank you in advance for taking the time out of your day to help.
- Steven
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
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:
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.
Wil-Trans:
Darrel Wilson bought his first tractor in 1980 at age 20, but, being too young to meet OTR age requirements, he leased the truck out and hired a driver.
Through growth and acquisition, Wil-Trans now employs over 200 drivers, and has a long-standing partnership with Prime, Inc. to haul their refrigerated freight. The family of businesses also includes Jim Palmer Trucking and O & S Trucking.