Is My Class A Still Any Use?

I plan on keeping it for now atleast until I need another physical but was wondering if it could be any use outside of trucking. I'm too young for most non mega carrier OTR type of companies to insure me so things like dump trucks, box trucks, cement mixers ( don't think hauling cement would be my gig anyway) are kinda off the table but it would be nice to still be able to put put CDL to use somehow since I'm still I'm debt for it

Is My Class A Still Any Use?

We don't know the answer to that question. You've never really explained why you left Swift. We heard how well you were doing there. Then shortly after that we heard it didn't work out. That means that probably only you know whether your CDL is still any use. If you got fired it may not be of use to you. If you quit it may not be of any use to you. Either way you will have some explaining to do. Whether your license will help you or not will be determined by the people who you explain your dilemma to. They will have to decide if you are worth taking a chance on or not. So far you haven't really built a very solid resume.

Is My Class A Still Any Use?

We don't know the answer to that question. You've never really explained why you left Swift. We heard how well you were doing there. Then shortly after that we heard it didn't work out. That means that probably only you know whether your CDL is still any use. If you got fired it may not be of use to you. If you quit it may not be of any use to you. Either way you will have some explaining to do. Whether your license will help you or not will be determined by the people who you explain your dilemma to. They will have to decide if you are worth taking a chance on or not. So far you haven't really built a very solid resume.

I plan on keeping it for now atleast until I need another physical but was wondering if it could be any use outside of trucking. I'm too young for most non mega carrier OTR type of companies to insure me so things like dump trucks, box trucks, cement mixers ( don't think hauling cement would be my gig anyway) are kinda off the table but it would be nice to still be able to put put CDL to use somehow since I'm still I'm debt for it

Again, kiddo . . . a diesel mechanic WITH a CDLA is worth WAY MORE than one without.

Have you ever considered a hostler / yard dog job?!?!? I mean, you DO finally have backing skills down. That pays well, also.

Look up some of Scottie D six seven videos on Y/T if you get a minute!

~ Anne ~

Honestly Zach what exactly is it you want from this forum? You pretty much asked this same question 2 in a half months ago. You ask a question, you get advice, you than proceed to ignore it and than start another pity party post.

Zach, do you want to drive? If you still want OTR , give another company a shot. If not, stop being so negative. Seems to me you need more training. If you still want to give OTR a try, either talk with Swift and see if they would take you back if you agree to more training. You could also try other companies. If you're not sure, keep your class A. When it's time for another physical get it. You worked hard for it. Best of luck.

If you want to drive a truck to make a living, just keep applying everywhere for both class A & B jobs. I know a lot of the LTL companies also run box trucks, I see them all the time. You may have to do dock work in between runs but once your in and prove yourself you’ll start making your way back to driving a rig.

I know Pitt-Ohio and R &L carriers have apprenticeship programs. Starts as dock work/non CDL runs, then Dock/CDL B, eventually very little or no Dock/CDL A runs. You might be able to start in phase 2, class B since you are already commercially licensed.

Could also look into your State, city, county or Township jobs driving trash or dump trucks

Just a few ideas for ya!! Good luck

If you still want to give OTR a try, either talk with Swift and see if they would take you back if you agree to more training.

That conversation isn't going to go well. Swift makes it very clear that U-turns will get you automatically dismissed. They also explain clearly that your Smart-Drive will pick it up and automatically send video of it to safety. Zach wasn't released due to any training deficiencies. It was for a blatant disregard of their well documented rules. Zach acknowledges that he did something he shouldn't have. He knows he broke a rule that will get you dismissed. That's a cognizant choice to disregard a rule. That's not something they feel can be corrected with more training.

I have watched my own Safety Director agonize over this. He has had to let otherwise excellent drivers go because of their disregard for that one rule. He has begged the corporate safety people to cut them some slack here, but they have held firm. At Knight they call this one of their "team" rules. That means you do as the team does. That team does not allow U-turns.

In the event that a driver absolutely needs to do a U-turn, there is a procedure they must follow which includes contact with your DM and documentation of permission for making the turn. As long as that procedure is followed correctly the turn doesn't count against you. Zach said...

I ended up panicking

We all know you have to keep a level head out here. Zach was tired. He felt sick. He was perhaps pushing himself a little too hard. These are all things that make us rookies do some dumb stuff. He knows he made a mistake. Unfortunately it is not a mistake that they will reconsider. Take heed all you new guys and gals. This job is stressful at the beginning. Do not let it get in your head and take control of your good sense. You have to make solid decisions out here. Sometimes we make those decisions on the fly. They have to be made with caution. Professionals don't panic. Choices have consequences.

This situation could have been remedied by a simple phone call to his dispatcher. It was not. I feel for Zach - I am not trying to disparage him. I am trying to make a point here for those of you who are new at this, and are perhaps surprised that he got fired for avoiding hitting a low bridge by making a U-turn. He made a big "No No" according to his company's safety policy. They had a remedy for it, but he didn't follow their protocol. Out here we have got to do things the proper way, especially when it concerns safety protocols. Once again let's examine what Zach tells us about this incident...

I got lost like a complete idiot. Was really tired, had a horrible migrane and just wanted to get to the shipper and be done with the day, ended up taking the wrong exit and found myself staring at a 11-6 bridge. I ended up panicking and since I was on a 4 lane road I made turned around and I guess U turns automatically set off the smart drive so it recorded it and sent a video to safety.. Yea I know it was stupid and I deserved a termination and then some for it, I was very lucky I didn't hit anything.

We teach people all the time about how troubles will build on you. Once you get yourself rattled you keep on making more bad choices. Sometimes it is best to just stop, take a breath, and re-group. Sometimes we have to stop the build up of more bad choices as they begin to add on to each other. Our house of cards will soon fall if we don't stop the way it is being built. This was the culmination of several bad choices piled up on top of one another. It was a result of panic instead of executing a level headed plan. Poor Zach told us he just "wanted to get to the shipper and be done with the day." That's the kind of stress that pushes us into making mistakes. We learn this stuff as we progress in our careers. It was just some silly rookie stuff that shouldn't have influenced him so much. We all understand the stress and the anxiety, but we have to govern those things and make sure we are conducting ourselves as professionals.

We all wish Zach well. He tried this out and he came up short. He isn't the first, nor will he be the last. Those of you who are new to this should pay attention to the details of his journey. It is illustrative and worth paying attention to. There is a certain level of responsibility and maturity that is required for this job. Zach told us before that he had never had a job where he had to make his own decisions. He always had someone telling him what to do and how to do it. Out here we carry our own water. We make our own decisions. It is a very special job that requires very special people.

Most Class B jobs will certainly be available. I'm not sure why you'd think it's off the table. Transit jobs are out there most definitely would be open for you as well as many Class B local jobs or with a sanitation or towing company. Your license is still a ticket to many opportunities. Just keep it clean. 👍

Most Class B jobs will certainly be available. I'm not sure why you'd think it's off the table. Transit jobs are out there most definitely would be open for you as well as many Class B local jobs or with a sanitation or towing company. Your license is still a ticket to many opportunities. Just keep it clean. 👍

Ya know WHAT ?!? ^^^^^ BEST advice, right there. Towing companies. Sure slipped MY mind. DANG they are always looking. My dude did a few 'favor' runs for Terry's here in Ohio, back in the day. The PAY is great, the WORK is FOR a 20 something year old!!!

Great idea, imho!

~ Anne ~