FNG In MD Looking For Driving Info

I wanted to go to your company but the recruiter told me I need 2-3 years of verifiable work experience and my time disabled disqualifies me. He said if I stayed with my current Employer for 6 months I could contact him again and "maybe" they would make an exception. You guys were one of the companies at the top of my list and the first company I spoke with via telephone.

The other company that made me an offer to go to school said this was Nuys with the demand for drivers and me not having any issues with background or DL. I don't know enough to say anything either way just looking to put my life back together and have a rewarding and stable career again.

😁

Congrats.... Keep in mind that is not a job offer. It is an invitation to orientation and the entire training process including once you started your salary employment is an interview. Keep a good attitude and understand you are on equal footing with others until you prove yourself as a star. It is a competition of sorts.

With that said..i started at a company expecting to stay a year and got home. I have been here ever since....5.5 years later.

Good luck

Well minor update.

I went to take my written exam. As someone posted previously in this thread, in MD you cannot take the hazmat portion of the test until after you have a permit. The same goes for the Doubles/Triples.

I took the General Knowledge, Combination, and Aor brakes section and only missed two questions total so was happy about that. At the suggestion of the test administrator I attempted the Tanker endorsement which I have not studied for at all and I literally missed by one question. The lady told me to wait to get the learners permit until after I pass the tanker portion so I don't have to pay twice and pay more money.

I am scheduled to go back for the Tanker section on the morning of March 31st. Will be focusing my study time to that now. This is not a requirement for CRST but I rather do it now and get it over with. I am also hoping Wilson will make an exception on my lack of work history due to disability and offer me a position. I much rather go work for them.

I will update the thread as there is reason to. It was unfortunate Prime would not take me die to the lack of work history but hey everything happens for a reason right. Worst case scenario I will be heading for school for crst in a couple of months.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. I will await Monday to be a year older and begin my studies for the tanker portion of the test.

Gabe, If MD uses computer testing (I think all states do by now), do this:

If you can skip a question, and you are not pretty sure of the answer, skip it! You will continue to get more questions. The goal is to get 15 correct answers (out of 20). So, if you can answer 15 correctly and skip the iffy ones, you pass! The test will stop once you get that 15 - no need to answer more than the minimum!

Yes I was on a computer. Thanks for explaining I didn't know that's how the skip worked. I figured it would just circle back at the end.

Like I said full disclosure I haven't studied one minute for the tanker portion yet just gave it a shot the lady said what's the worst that happens you come back and do it which you're gonna do anyways after you study. On the last of the 20 questions I got it wrong and failed if I had gotten it right I would have passed lol. So close. The kicker is the questions I got wrong I changed to tje wrong answer second guessing myself. If I had left my first choice alone they all would have been right. Should have left them be lol. No biggie though I'll just go back on the 31st and get it done and leave with the learners permit.

But thanks for clarifying about the skips I didn't realize thats how it worked. Wish I had known that this morning lol.

Gabe, If MD uses computer testing (I think all states do by now), do this:

If you can skip a question, and you are not pretty sure of the answer, skip it! You will continue to get more questions. The goal is to get 15 correct answers (out of 20). So, if you can answer 15 correctly and skip the iffy ones, you pass! The test will stop once you get that 15 - no need to answer more than the minimum!

Gabriel moans:

The kicker is the questions I got wrong I changed to the wrong answer second guessing myself. If I had left my first choice alone they all would have been right.

This is a fact: your first answer looks shaky and you want to change it, your first try is often the correct one. Obviously if you realize you misunderstood the question or found a mistake in you're own calculating, change the answer. But if you're simply just kind of shaky on "which one is it", don't make the change.

I taught middle school for 12 years (with all those multiple choice state achievement tests) and taught a CDL permit class for a bit at Swift. It is possible to pass some multiple choice tests without even knowing the topic, which you almost proved!

It's my fault for not listening to what we were always told on the Fire Dept. Never change your answer unless you're 100% sure your initial choice is incorrect. Like you said if we misread the question etc. A lot of our training in the academy was tips on test taking because you have to get through so much stuff in the books besides all the physical work that needs to be done and comprehended. Just been like 8 years since I have taken any kind of test or studied for anything lol. 🙃

Gabriel moans:

The kicker is the questions I got wrong I changed to the wrong answer second guessing myself. If I had left my first choice alone they all would have been right.

This is a fact: your first answer looks shaky and you want to change it, your first try is often the correct one. Obviously if you realize you misunderstood the question or found a mistake in you're own calculating, change the answer. But if you're simply just kind of shaky on "which one is it", don't make the change.

I taught middle school for 12 years (with all those multiple choice state achievement tests) and taught a CDL permit class for a bit at Swift. It is possible to pass some multiple choice tests without even knowing the topic, which you almost proved!

Ok so here goes. I've been back and forth with myself all weekend about this.

I have done research on here and I understand the advice that is given. I want to get that out of the way as then you guys will see I'm not some kid saying hey tell me what to do. And im not asking anyone to tell me what to do just looking 5o clear up some advice before I make a decision thay is not smiled upon here for new drivers.

So company paid training over private school, no dollar general BS , and no team driving , am I missing something?

I passed the General Knowledge, Combination, and Air Brakes section with no issue. I missed the tanker section by one question and will be going back on the 31st for a retest as that was the soonest available appointment. And im gonna have to take some time off from work to go do it but I am going to do it.

I have had (2) companies decline me because of my lack of work history from being disabled. One of the recruiters told me after 6 months at my current employer to reach back out and he will see what he can do but he needs at least that. The other recruiter flat out told me we require three years and I've never seen the company forgive more than 1 year of the three for any reason.

Still waiting on one of the companies but ever since speaking to the recruiter about this I have heard nothing from her. But I already emailed her yesterday when I got home from the DMV after taking my exams. Hoping that passing will show I want this and I'm willing to work for it and that with clean history and DL that might give me a shot.

The only company so far to offer to bring me to their training facility for company paid training does team driving. So there in lies my conundrum. Do I take that opportunity despite team driving not being recommended and suck it up for the term of the contract until I can go somewhere else? Do I consider maybe now putting myself through school? Just stay at my current job until I've been there longer and try again?

I have always been fascinated by big trucks since I was a kid. I was a fireman for many years and anytime I got to drive drive the shift I was all smiles ear to ear. Even on the rescue trucks we had which we internationals I drove every chance I could because I just loved it and there was plenty of chance because most of the guys didn't want the responsibility that came with driving around in such a big city.

Getting back to work now I started working at a local garage as a lube tech using the knowledge I have growing up working on cars to earn me a check. I love where I work the environment my co workers my bosses the owner etc. But when the owner took me on it was very clear for both of us he was helping me get back on my feet and that I would look for something else. They will have me as long as I stay and I have gotten two raises in the last three months but this is a 3 bay garage and the two other mechanics have been working there since they were kids. One is the bosses son in law. I won't be moving up there is no where to go.

I have been on the waiting list for diesel tech programs since the end of last year but covid has everything continually getting pushed back around here.

I have been back and forth with the idea of driving again just on a bigger scale for a while. This website has been a tremendous resource. I read Brett's Book yesterday start to finish in a few hours. I used the study guides on here to help me pass my exams. And I applied to the paid company programs through the link on here. Have the driver pulse app downloaded to keep track of things and auto fill applications when necessary etc.

I'm no crazier about being stuck in a confined space with another human I barely know for work than you guys are about rookies taking on team driving but right now as far as company paid training it's looking like the only show in town for me unfortunately.

Sorry for the long post just clearing my head and making sure I am sharing what I have done thus far to put myself in the best position possible to pursue this career.

Thanks

Another no today due to lack of work history from being sick 😒

Have you tried CFI. If you can prove your unemployment and employment history and they take you, we have no team driving in training.

If you have any other questions, let me know. Have to roll.

No I have not tried CFI, I will look into them today as I can in between work orders. Thanks for the heads up.

Have you tried CFI. If you can prove your unemployment and employment history and they take you, we have no team driving in training.

If you have any other questions, let me know. Have to roll.