Finished School, Stevens Transport Wouldn't Hire

I was accepted and attended Stevens Transport school for 5 weeks, because of overcrowding. I finished school, attended orientation and received my CDL last Thursday. The day they shuttled us to pick up our CDL at DPS, I got a text to come upstairs when I returned. I was told that they made a mistake and wouldn't be able to hire me.

When I filled out the application 7 weeks earlier, I self admitted to testing positive for THC three years ago at a intermediate living facility for the homeless. It wasn't for a job. I was told that somebody at Stevens made a mistake by not seeing it. She apologized and said.. "at least you have your CDL" and they would work out some arrangement for me to pay the $6k for school. I was supposed to leave the following day for my 240 hrs of OTR training. Now I have a license with no experience. I had no issues at all while attending their school and excelled at everything that I did.

I've sent 4 emails over the past week, including to the VP of the school, and they won't communicate with me. I just want to know how this happened and what affect it might have on my career, but they won't respond.

Can someone here please give me some advice on what to do now? Since I didn't have a CDL and wasn't applying for a job, can they report it on my DAC? They said I shouldn't have been admitted to their school so how can they report it on my DAC? I have a clean background except for driving while license was suspended 27 years ago. Obviously I'm devastated over this. I went back to my old job on Tuesday because I have to make money until I figure out what to do.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Personally, I would tell them to go scratch when it comes to their 6k. If you told them honestly before hand it's on them for not noticing.

As far as where to go, since you have your CDL apply at every company you can be honest about the drug test and see what happens.

Personally, I would tell them to go scratch when it comes to their 6k. If you told them honestly before hand it's on them for not noticing.

As far as where to go, since you have your CDL apply at every company you can be honest about the drug test and see what happens.

Exactly this ^^^^^ . They can pound SAND for their money, IMHO,too. They did you DANG dirty.

Start here: Apply For Truck Driving Jobs.

Best wishes;

~ Anne ~

Lol Bobcat and Annie beat me to the punch !! As soon as I read the "Why" I thought hell I'd tell em a lot worse than pound sand ! Was THEIR mistake, so duhhhh why should you pay for their screw up.....They should'a caught it sooner

Personally, I would tell them to go scratch when it comes to their 6k. If you told them honestly before hand it's on them for not noticing.

As far as where to go, since you have your CDL apply at every company you can be honest about the drug test and see what happens.

Thank you for the reply and advice. If I apply for a job, can they put on my DAC that they "refuse to hire" because of that failed drug test? In school they pounded into our head how important our DAC report is. That drug test would never show up on any record. I talked to the director of the program and they don't disclose info on anyone, especially drug tests or medical records.

I've always been very honest and with Stevens and this career path,it screwed me. Honestly, from the conversation I had with Stevens last week, I feel like they just want to sweep it under the rug. It's been 10 days and I feel like they may not even bill me for the school because they screwed up so bad. They did some really shady **** while I was there. On 3 tests they just gave us the answers and didn't even read the questions. They also marked on my folder that I did backing maneuvers for five hours on one Sunday when I wasn't even there. The instructors constantly told us not to worry when we asked questions. They said you'll learn it on the road. I never made it to "the road".

I just want to start my new career and be the best I can. I would really like to get the OTR experience with a good trainer.

Personally, I would tell them to go scratch when it comes to their 6k. If you told them honestly before hand it's on them for not noticing.

As far as where to go, since you have your CDL apply at every company you can be honest about the drug test and see what happens.

Thank you for the reply and advice. If I apply for a job, can they put on my DAC that they "refuse to hire" because of that failed drug test? In school they pounded into our head how important our DAC report is. That drug test would never show up on any record. I talked to the director of the program and they don't disclose info on anyone, especially drug tests or medical records.

I've always been very honest and with Stevens and this career path,it screwed me. Honestly, from the conversation I had with Stevens last week, I feel like they just want to sweep it under the rug. It's been 10 days and I feel like they may not even bill me for the school because they screwed up so bad. They did some really shady **** while I was there. On 3 tests they just gave us the answers and didn't even read the questions. They also marked on my folder that I did backing maneuvers for five hours on one Sunday when I wasn't even there. The instructors constantly told us not to worry when we asked questions. They said you'll learn it on the road. I never made it to "the road".

I just want to start my new career and be the best I can. I would really like to get the OTR experience with a good trainer.

Scott, as disclosed... I am NOT A driver, but launched one into the industry in 2003. This is some 'shady arske' shiz IMHO ... unheard of, to me. I do some 'work' in the industry myself, and.. this is just WHACK out of left field.

IMHO, I don't even THINK that is the reason they passed on you. I'd bet $100 on it. WHY? Come up empty there, as well. THEY erred somehow, and i don't think the THC disclosure that far back, is the reason.

To y'all vets, it's moments like this I wish Rick S. (Rickipedia) was still with us.

Anyhow . . . Stevens has been known to be shady. PJ (a mod and O/O on here) has a ladygal with him now, that started there. He can speak of that & on that, as he has time. I texted him; he's real busy pulling those tanks w/the Sweet Pete; but . . . I'm thinking he may be able to know someone you could talk to there, at least.

Why don't you just pull your OWN DAC ... ASAP? (One free a year, and we just do it .. because! LoL.) Here's the link: DAC.. via HireRight . . . 1x year FREE!

Best wishes, man.

~ Anne ~

Scott that is a mess. As said you did everything right, they messed up. The clearinghouse is the important area of concern and since that failed test was not job related shouldn’t be reported to them.

I went a round or two with them a couple years ago. You need to contact the folks that take care of the school and/or the safety director. You did get a cdl through them so paying something for that is probably going to happen, but you can probably get it reduced. Otherwise you can always have an attorney send them a letter.

They probably haven’t responded to you yet as noone probably has a clue how to handle this. I would be concerned with did they consider you an employee or just a student???

Personally, I would tell them to go scratch when it comes to their 6k. If you told them honestly before hand it's on them for not noticing.

As far as where to go, since you have your CDL apply at every company you can be honest about the drug test and see what happens.

Thank you for the reply and advice. If I apply for a job, can they put on my DAC that they "refuse to hire" because of that failed drug test? In school they pounded into our head how important our DAC report is. That drug test would never show up on any record. I talked to the director of the program and they don't disclose info on anyone, especially drug tests or medical records.

I've always been very honest and with Stevens and this career path,it screwed me. Honestly, from the conversation I had with Stevens last week, I feel like they just want to sweep it under the rug. It's been 10 days and I feel like they may not even bill me for the school because they screwed up so bad. They did some really shady **** while I was there. On 3 tests they just gave us the answers and didn't even read the questions. They also marked on my folder that I did backing maneuvers for five hours on one Sunday when I wasn't even there. The instructors constantly told us not to worry when we asked questions. They said you'll learn it on the road. I never made it to "the road".

I just want to start my new career and be the best I can. I would really like to get the OTR experience with a good trainer.

Scott, as disclosed... I am NOT A driver, but launched one into the industry in 2003. This is some 'shady arske' shiz IMHO ... unheard of, to me. I do some 'work' in the industry myself, and.. this is just WHACK out of left field.

IMHO, I don't even THINK that is the reason they passed on you. I'd bet $100 on it. WHY? Come up empty there, as well. THEY erred somehow, and i don't think the THC disclosure that far back, is the reason.

To y'all vets, it's moments like this I wish Rick S. (Rickipedia) was still with us.

Anyhow . . . Stevens has been known to be shady. PJ (a mod and O/O on here) has a ladygal with him now, that started there. He can speak of that & on that, as he has time. I texted him; he's real busy pulling those tanks w/the Sweet Pete; but . . . I'm thinking he may be able to know someone you could talk to there, at least.

Why don't you just pull your OWN DAC ... ASAP? (One free a year, and we just do it .. because! LoL.) Here's the link: DAC.. via HireRight . . . 1x year FREE!

Best wishes, man.

~ Anne ~

Thank you Anne. It was a very disappointing experience. I had 31 students in my class. Only 1 instructor. From day 1 the purpose of that school was to pass your test and get your CDL. We were told that every day. The school was way overcrowded. I stood out and was the best in my class, both with driving and textbook knowledge.

I got a 100 on all my tests for my CLP and never made a single mistake driving or on my backing maneuvers. The instructors said I was the best driver while I was there. To be fair, I learned to back horse trailers when I was 10 and by 13 I was towing our boat to the boat ramp by myself.

Stevens told me that last day that their policy is no positive drug test or refusal to take within 7 years. Swift trucking said their policy is 10 years. The test that I tested positive for THC on, would never show up on any background check. I spoke with the program director there and she said that they don't disclose that information, even if asked directly.

Do you know if Stevens would disclose that I admitted to testing positive 3 years ago to potential employers who were checking how I did in their school? I was told that they aren't allowed to disclose why they didn't hire me after school.

Thanks again for your time

They did some really shady **** while I was there. On 3 tests they just gave us the answers and didn't even read the questions. They also marked on my folder that I did backing maneuvers for five hours on one Sunday when I wasn't even there. The instructors constantly told us not to worry when we asked questions. They said you'll learn it on the road. I never made it to "the road".

That's too bad. I never considered going to Stevens, but I'm definitely not going to apply to them now for sure.

I was accepted and attended Stevens Transport school for 5 weeks, because of overcrowding. I finished school, attended orientation and received my CDL last Thursday. The day they shuttled us to pick up our CDL at DPS, I got a text to come upstairs when I returned. I was told that they made a mistake and wouldn't be able to hire me.

When I filled out the application 7 weeks earlier, I self admitted to testing positive for THC three years ago at a intermediate living facility for the homeless. It wasn't for a job. I was told that somebody at Stevens made a mistake by not seeing it. She apologized and said.. "at least you have your CDL" and they would work out some arrangement for me to pay the $6k for school. I was supposed to leave the following day for my 240 hrs of OTR training. Now I have a license with no experience. I had no issues at all while attending their school and excelled at everything that I did.

I've sent 4 emails over the past week, including to the VP of the school, and they won't communicate with me. I just want to know how this happened and what affect it might have on my career, but they won't respond.

Can someone here please give me some advice on what to do now? Since I didn't have a CDL and wasn't applying for a job, can they report it on my DAC? They said I shouldn't have been admitted to their school so how can they report it on my DAC? I have a clean background except for driving while license was suspended 27 years ago. Obviously I'm devastated over this. I went back to my old job on Tuesday because I have to make money until I figure out what to do.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Request a copy of your DAC from HireRight. Find out what it says. If it says nothing about releasing you for declaring a failed drug test on your application, then hush-hush it never happened. I am all about transparency and honesty, but there are some skeletons better left in the closet. As for the $6k, you owe them nothing. You did nothing to cause them to fire you and you did not refuse to adhere to the contractual obligation of 1 year of employment with Stevens Transport. The worst that they can do is send that $6k to a collection agency to try to get the money. Refuse to pay anything. Eventually they will give up trying.

Apply anywhere and everywhere. Plenty of companies will give you a shot. Just find out what Stevens Transport put on your DAC (you HAVE TO list Stevens Transport as an employer on your work history), and come up with a reason that you were let go. Personally, since you have your CDL, I would say that I just decided that I want to go work for another company after obtaining CDL. Your story has to be consistent with what Stevens Transport put on your DAC.