Been Out Of Trucking For Two Years
Topic 27594 | Page 1
The problem I have now is that being out of work for the past 2 years I try to give Swift another chance
Jordan, let's talk straight.
You blamed the school for not teaching you...
I did not learn from backing from the school because the school had a trick black dot on the trailer to help with offsetting and parallel parking.
Yet somehow you passed and got your CDL.
You blamed your employer...
When I was with Swift had a bad experience with an owner-operator trainer that just use me for a paycheck. I just left Swift after that because of the experience I had with them.
You haven't even worked for two years during a time when just about anybody breathing can get a job. Now you don't understand why the trucking industry isn't interested in hiring you.
Jordan, everybody seems to think that a high demand for truck drivers means they will hire everybody that applies. That's simply not true. Trucking is difficult. You already encountered some of those difficulties, and they proved to be insurmountable to you. What do you think makes you look attractive as a new driver to a trucking company?
Here's the deal. You aren't giving anybody "another chance," as you put it. Anyone who hires you is "giving you another chance." That puts you in an extremely high risk category. if you really want this you need to resolve to set your face like steel and make it happen. That means taking what you can get. It means realizing the difficulties and committing to being the best possible rookie driver your employer has ever seen.
So far you haven't demonstrated that kind of work ethic. It may not be in you - only you know if it is. You can't demonstrate it on an application. Unfortunately, your record speaks for you at this point.
Here's what you have to do. Apply everywhere. Get onboard with anyone willing to take a chance on you, and surprise them by...
1) Being Safe
2) Being Productive
3) Being Efficient
4) Being Respectful
5) Being Trustworthy
To do that you've got to be motivated, you've got to have some inspiration, you've got to be a totally different person than you've been the last two years. Can you do it? Does a career cruising the country in a big old American Big Rig appeal to you? If it does, only you can make it happen. Forget about what ever preconceived notions and ideas you have and create a change in yourself. That's where you start.
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.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Thank you old school for the reply. I am thankful for the trucking school because I did got my cdl but it took me 3 tries to get it others students also. I do understand that I should just go to any company that will take me the only reason why I made this post is because everyone says to me don’t go to CR England or CRST.
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.
Old School is correct, you have to own up to your short comings. Now with the owner/op.you could gone to your DM or FM and to be reassigned a new trainer. Anyway, CRSTif I remember what was a thread a while back that they only do team driving. Not sure about C.R. England. There is also Western Express, and so.many more. But you will need a refresher course. I drove 1998 til 2010. Got into a motorcycle accident, came back last year with the help of some great people on TT. I had to go get a refresher course. It all depends upon you and how much you want it. If you want it, grab the bull by horns and go get it.
Raptor
Dm:
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.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.New Reply:
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So I just started trucking two years ago, unfortunately, I did not learn from backing from the school because the school had a trick black dot on the trailer to help with offsetting and parallel parking. When I was with Swift had a bad experience with an owner-operator trainer that just use me for a paycheck. I just left Swift after that because of the experience I had with them. After that, I had gastric bypass surgery so I can take the sleep apnea off my medical card. The problem I have now is that being out of work for the past 2 years I try to give Swift another chance but the work history gap was a no go for them. I probably would need to get a refresher course for my backing skills and not sure what company that would take me beside C.R. England and CRST.
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.
Sleep Apnea:
A physical disorder in which you have pauses in your breathing, or take shallow breaths, during sleep. These pauses can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. Normal breathing will usually resume, sometimes with a loud choking sound or snort.
In obstructive sleep apnea, your airways become blocked or collapse during sleep, causing the pauses and shallow breathing.
It is a chronic condition that will require ongoing management. It affects about 18 million people in the U.S.