Seeking Newbie Driver Accident Advice?
Topic 29461 | Page 1
How much damage was done to the truck or trailer? That should not prevent you from getting another job. Your best bet is to do a year of OTR. This would increase your chances of getting a local job.
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
What I am asking is, can I still be a local CDL-A driver with this accident or will I never be hired as a driver again? I am willing to start at the bottom again, with new training...very humble and teachable personality, and i would really like to be a driver in some capacity...preferrably Houston local. Is there any recourse for me?
Roger, welcome to our forum!
I am sorry about your situation. Dropping a trailer is an unusual thing to have happen, but it is illustrative of a new driver who isn't taking the necessary steps needed when coupling to a trailer. I'm not going to go through the steps with you. I can tell you are already beating yourself up over this problem.
You have got yourself into a dilemma. It is one which we have covered frequently in our discussions. We teach people to get their experience established by doing one full year of safe over the road driving. You started out well, but you got the cart before the horse when you jumped ship to a local job. Now you are finding why we stress getting that year of OTR experience. When you apply for local jobs now you are going to be considered as having no experience and an accident on your record. That is a huge obstacle to overcome. Had you stuck with your former OTR job for a year you would be in a much better position. I'm only saying all this so that others who read of your problem here can learn from your mistake. I honestly would go looking for an OTR job if I were in your position. I think that is going to be the only way you can get back into a trucking job.
Is there any possibility your former employer would re-hire you? That might be the easiest path. There again though, you may have burned a bridge by leaving so early like you did. We really have to determine what we want out of our trucking careers and strategically work a plan to get there. I know you thought you found a bird's nest on the ground when you found a local flat bed job. But you weren't prepared for that job yet. You were still green. I wish I had better news for you - honest I do. I don't think you are going to have any luck finding a decent local job after getting canned for an accident with no experience.
Hit the re-set button and do OTR for a full year. You said this about yourself...
I am willing to start at the bottom again, with new training...very humble and teachable personality, and i would really like to be a driver in some capacity
If that is true, then go back to OTR and get something established. It's the best way to go about this. I am guessing you are probably young and with a family. If that is true, I understand you wanting to be a local driver. You can do it, but you are just going to have to do it properly. Talk with your wife and make sure you both understand the process of becoming a local driver. Take the proper steps and make sure it works this next time. Get that full year of experience established. Learn to be extra cautious about double checking everything when coupling and uncoupling trailers. Truckers have to be professionals. The devil is in the details. You missed a little detail and it proved to be an important one.
I wish you the best, and I really thank you for coming to us for some advice. I hope you can get behind the wheel again. Please, keep us posted on your progress. It will help us to know if we are giving out helpful and honest advice.
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.
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
Over The Road:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
How much damage was done to the truck or trailer? That should not prevent you from getting another job. Your best bet is to do a year of OTR. This would increase your chances of getting a local job.
...a little damage to landing gear supports and the brake fittings were pulled off. also brake/gladhand fittings were damaged on the tractor. well that was my question; do you think i will be banned from driving until my record clears? or forever? or maybe i can get a CDL class B job for now?
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.
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
If people can come back from rolling a truck you should be able to. Apply to every company and be ready to explain what you did wrong and how you learned from it to prevent it from happening again. Offer to go through training again.
Be ready to hear a lot of no but it only takes 1 yes.
I wish you the best, and I really thank you for coming to us for some advice. I hope you can get behind the wheel again. Please, keep us posted on your progress. It will help us to know if we are giving out helpful and honest advice.
oof...Thank you so much for the hard truth...very much appreciated!!
You'll definitely be able to get another job. Most likely it won't be the job You want though. Its difficult finding the perfect fit job in the trucking industry but it most definitely can be done. Not sure what City You live in but some Cities definitely have more jobs then others. Ive never had an accident in 6 Years driving but im a little surprised they would fire You instead of writing You up. It must be a very small company You worked for.
How much damage was done to the truck or trailer? That should not prevent you from getting another job. Your best bet is to do a year of OTR. This would increase your chances of getting a local job.
...a little damage to landing gear supports and the brake fittings were pulled off. also brake/gladhand fittings were damaged on the tractor. well that was my question; do you think i will be banned from driving until my record clears? or forever? or maybe i can get a CDL class B job for now?
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.
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
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Greetings Trucker Pros... I am a 4-5 month CDL-A bulk tanker driver (OTR) and I had just transferred to a local flatbed position in the last week. On my second day out, during the flatbed training/orientation process I dropped a trailer and because of it I was fired (very short version).
What I am asking is, can I still be a local CDL-A driver with this accident or will I never be hired as a driver again? I am willing to start at the bottom again, with new training...very humble and teachable personality, and i would really like to be a driver in some capacity...preferrably Houston local. Is there any recourse for me?
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.