New CDL Holder, Trouble Job Hunting?

Hey guys my name is Daniel! I went to a CDL school back in October and I just want to say that I am very proud for passing all three of my tests on the first try! Now I picked up my CDL license a week or two ago, I was off job hunting. I wanted to go to Schneider, seems like a perfect opportunity for new drivers with no experience. But here's the catch! I was involved in a car accident on the freeway with a truck driver, both of us are fine with no injuries. This happened back in November. It was preventable, my insurance told me its my first accident so they are giving me accident forgiveness. Having this accident on my driving record has given me nothing but problems. So Schneider told me to reapply after a year of good driving, and I'm looking for something thats regional or local.Would any of the truckers out there know of companies who hire you with no experience AND a tarnished driving record? I'm just scared that I'll start to forget my training from school the longer I'm jobless hunting down companies. Any information will be appreciated, thanks. :)

Daniel, you've only told us about one company that has denied you. How may places have you applied to? I had a stellar driving record when I first got into trucking and I could fill a page with the trucking companies that rejected me. You need to start applying everywhere. I am sure someone will give you a shot. You can Apply For Truck Driving Jobs at that link and your single application will go to all the companies you choose from the list. You should start hearing back from some of those companies in a matter of a few days.

Once you have established that no one will have you then you can panic. We will have some more suggestions for you at that time. It should be obvious that you aren't going to be picky and choosy at this point. If somebody gives you a shot, take it. The accident is going to be a hindrance, but I don't think it will keep you out completely. It is so current is the big problem. They want to see an established record of you taking care of your business and protecting that license.

Don't drive yourself nuts thinking you are going to have to settle for getting on with some company that treats their drivers like slaves. All that nonsense is internet fodder for the fools that like to believe that kind of drama. Trucking companies love their drivers, and the drivers who prove themselves worthy are treated like kings. Get out there and prove your worth to the first outfit that gives you a chance. You will be glad you did.

Thank you so much for the info! And I apologize for the lack of companies I should of posted. Its no crazy high number, but so far I've been rejected by three companies. To be honest I was hoping to find a company near me in my state. But like you said, I cant be picky given the situation I'm in. I think my next move will be applying to Covenant or Swift, even if they are a few hours drive from me- I don't have a whole lot of options. I also want to apply to a company called Maverick, they are an hours drive in my state- and they specialize in flatbed trailers! Wish me luck, and if they don't want to hire me then I'm back to the drawing board. :)

Don't limit yourself to companies that are nearby. I've never worked for anyone near my home. I live in Texas. My first driving job had their terminal in Nashville, TN. When I went to work for Knight Transportation they hooked me up with a terminal in Gulfport MS. Terminal locations are really unimportant to an over the road driver. I seldom ever spent any time at my home terminal. They could service my truck at any terminal I happened to be near, and I am just the type that never enjoyed the whole terminal experience. That is usually where all the complainers hung out. I was always too busy to sit around moaning and groaning about how bad my job was. If that is the purpose of terminals I would just as soon find a better place to park!

I had signed up for a dedicated account out of that Gulfport, MS terminal, but seldom ever even had time to spend at that terminal. The company we were pulling loads for was in Delhi, LA. We would go pick up loads there in Louisiana and then deliver them all over the country. Once delivered they would find us a return load to get us back near Louisiana so we could rinse and repeat. Everything is electronic now days. I had no reason to be at the terminal. Gulfport was the terminal we were dispatched from, but my dispatcher worked from his home in Northwestern Arkansas. The location of your terminal is just not important for an over the road driver.

Daniel. I wouldn’t worry too much about if the terminal is close to you. Depending on what type of trucking you do , you will rarely see it unless you are there for service. They will dispatch your loads and you will generally operate independently going from one load to the next and then on to your hometime. I am dedicated and go to the same distribution center every day to drop off and pick up a new trailer. It’s 3.5 hours away from home. But on my last load I just finish up and drive the truck home from there. It may be hard in your situation to initially get someone to give you a chance so apply everywhere. You can then chose from the ones who give you a chance. Once you get your time at that place accident free it will make other companies be more accepting if you are still wanting to move on

This is all really great information! I always knew the trucker community was full of nice people! I didn't know terminals were not all that important. I always thought that a company terminal is where you would go to pick up the company tractor they assign you, and send you on your route for the day. Then when it comes to home time you bring the tractor back to the terminal, and you would head home in your car (thats if you are a company driver.) Because I'm sure a lot of drivers are owner operators who can park their tractor in a safe place or even on their own property.

Daniel, as an OTR (over the road) driver you are initially assigned a tractor - it is yours. You live in that thing. When you go home you are usually allowed to take it home. I have room to park a tractor trailer at my house, but if I didn't I would merely park it at a nearby truck stop and have my wife come pick me up. Some folks who don't have a family just live in their truck and take home time wherever they want. Some guys will spend a weekend in Vegas and lose all the money they earned the last month. Others may prefer a beach down in Florida. Home time doesn't necessarily have to be at your home domicile. Some truckers are homeless by choice. They just decide, "What is the use of me paying a thousand bucks a month for a place I only visit every once in a while? I can live like a rolling stone and just see all the great parts of this country that I want."

Terminals are more strategically located for local drivers working jobs out of that area. The OTR guys live in their trucks and really have very little reason to be at a terminal unless they are called in for a drug test, or perhaps need to get their truck serviced. Like I said, I've never lived anywhere near my home terminal. It is just is not something important to the lifestyle of an OTR driver.

With that being said there are some companies like averitt and ltl companies that do prefer you to park your truck at the terminal on your off time. But those are few and far between.

With that being said there are some companies like averitt and ltl companies that do prefer you to park your truck at the terminal on your off time. But those are few and far between.

And usually are not training companies. They usually want experienced drivers.