Hiring Catch 22

I've been out of the truck for more than a year and a half after clipping a trailer and causing some slight scratch damage while attempting an alley dock (which I was untrained in since my home state doesn't require the alley dock to get a CDL) during training. Since then I've found that many companies, because of this incident, are unwilling to hire me for retraining without experience, but I haven't been able to get experience without a job. Is there anyone else out there who has experienced this conundrum and has any advice for me? Are there any companies anyone can recommend that would be willing to hire and retrain me so I can actually get experience?

Who were you driving for before? Some local mom and pop? Did you attend an accredited school prior to getting that CDL? Have you kept it and your medical card current?

It was with Schneider, I did go to an accredited CDL school, I still have the license and should be able to get a health card without much trouble

Yeah, you lost me.

We've had way too many Schneider drivers on here that learned the alley dock there in their schools, and with their trainers.

They fired a rookie after some light scratching on a trailer? Not buying it.

All you can do is fire off a lot of applications, and see what comes back as a "Yes".

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Yeah, it seemed a little excessive but that's what happened. I took some time to get things in order before the pandemic and now that I'm trying to get back into driving I'm really trying to look for companies that will both hire and train.

“ clipping a trailer and causing some slight scratch damage while attempting an alley dock”

REALLY?

They’ve REALLY gotten strict. Or...there’s more to the story. I’m not gonna say more than necessary. Suffice to say Schneider was WAAAY more lenient about six years ago. 🤔

It was with Schneider, I did go to an accredited CDL school, I still have the license and should be able to get a health card without much trouble

Be careful there. If your Health card lapses/expires, your driver license automatically downgrades to a "regular" driver license. Also, your state probably does not take kindly to a lapsed medical card. My state, Mississippi, says this:

Our records indicate that your Medical Certificate will be expiring in 30 days. To maintain your Compliance with Federal Code 49 CFR part 391, you must provide your Commercial Driver License Department with a valid Medical Certificate. Failure to comply will result in a downgrade to a Regular Driver License 30 days from the date of this letter. The medical certificate has to be taken to a Commercial Driver License (CDL) Station in Person, PLEASE DO NOT MAIL OR FAX. After the Downgrade, there will be a $100.00 fee to reinstate your Commercial Driver License. If you are downgraded for more that 18 months due to medical downgrade you will have to pay the full price for your Commercial Driver License to be reissued and a $100.00 reinstatement fee.

Don't be that guy.