Please Help This Veteran

I have a little over 3 yrs otr recent experience and live in Westmoreland, TN--hr north of Nashville on 31. I drove for Schnieder a yr year and three months and got a distracted driving ticket Sep 2020. Cop saw me in Indiana looking at phone at red-light and only gave me $150 distracted driving ticket. State of TN for what ever reason wrote it up as Texting while driving, so Schnieder let me go. Went to Firstfleet for a year and 11 months, delivering to Kroger stores across America. I got a ticket because my trailer tire nicked a fire hydrant, no real damage, trying to avoid telephone pole. I also got five minor preventable accidents as some of the Kroger stores were built in 80s when delivery trucks and trailers were alot smaller. So two tickets and five preventables, although I as I explain on my applications that i argue that two weren't accidents. Now nobody will hire me, not even the mom and pop companies. The mega companies take one look and turn me down. The mom and pop companies want to hire me but when they turn in my paperwork, their insurance rejects me. Local driving turns me down. Someone told me to try May trucking, but same thing. Another told me to try Western Express, but in talking to former drivers-they make you pay the gas when you have to drive dead head. Someone else told me to try foreign owned, so who are some? I am a veteran, 1993 to 1999 Army. Thank you for any help.

Cop saw me in Indiana looking at phone at red-light and only gave me $150 distracted driving ticket.

You should know better, but your best bet is to plead not guilty to any tickets you get and hope it goes your way in court.

I got a ticket because my trailer tire nicked a fire hydrant, no real damage, trying to avoid telephone pole.

Same thing as above. What was the exact charge for this?

I also got five minor preventable accidents as some of the Kroger stores were built in 80s when delivery trucks and trailers were alot smaller.

But trucks manage to get in and out unscathed daily. This is just being reckless and not paying attention to your surroundings. Did you ever GOAL?

although I as I explain on my applications that i argue that two weren't accidents.

Doesn't sound like you're accepting responsibility for what you did. It sounds like excuses. There's no such thing as a minor accident. It's also hard to give you the benefit of doubt based on your record.

Local driving turns me down.

That's not something you should be looking into. That requires a lot more attention than you're currently paying. A lot of old buildings and tight turns.

Another told me to try Western Express, but in talking to former drivers-they make you pay the gas when you have to drive dead head.

I've never heard that about Western Express and we've had a lot of drivers here that have worked for them. Apply and talk to them. Stop listening to people that just like to bash companies for no reason. If I'm being honest, I wouldn't be surprised if they also said no.

Someone else told me to try foreign owned, so who are some?

Doesn't matter who owns it, the insurance companies are still based in the US and the results will likely be the same.

The fact of the matter is freight levels are low and they're likely to continue to decrease. Because of this, it's a companies market. They can be more selective. When there's an overflow of freight and they're trying to keep up with it, it's a drivers market and they're willing to overlook more and roll the dice.

Wow, that is alot on your record in a short amount of time. I’m a small guy and I know for a fact with that record my insurance company would not let me hire you.

Dutch Maid, is another second chance type company you might try, but honestly your career is probably done for.

Keep applying and see if someone might give you another shot.

Another told me to try Western Express, but in talking to former drivers-they make you pay the gas when you have to drive dead head.

That gave me a chuckle.

I started my career at Western Express. I had a great experience. I also heard a lot of nonsensical comments like that from drivers. I've never seen a company with so many haters. I found all of the B.S. to be baseless. They give people a shot who really need it. You definitely fit that category. They will expect you to get your act together and be productive and safe.

Apply with them and see what they say.

I ran deadhead miles plenty of times. I never paid for any fuel. I also never put any gas in my truck. If I had, I probably deserved to have to pay for it.

Another told me to try Western Express, but in talking to former drivers-they make you pay the gas when you have to drive dead head

That's absolutely not true. The only way they would make you pay for fuel is if you drove somewhere they did not permit you to drive. For instance, if you go way out of route to visit a friend on a trip, or you decide to go home for a brief visit without permission because you are only 200 miles away.

Those things will get you in trouble, but no company will make an employee pay for fuel otherwise.

Try CR England, Carolina Cargo, Western Express, CRST. Apply like crazy everywhere and take an opportunity when you get it.

Someone else told me to try foreign owned, so who are some?

That sounds sketchy, and I've never heard of that as an option. I do not know of any foreign-owned companies.

Also, do not consider leasing or buying a truck to remedy this situation. That will not lead to anything good.

Just keep applying everywhere you can. That's all you can really do.

What have you learned from all your Accidents? I get it, none of us are perfect and things can happen when we let our guard down. However most people accept responsibility. With your record you NEED to accept responsibility for your mistakes/carelessness to even have a shot.

Just an FYI Carolina Cargo is no longer a 2nd chance company. This is right from their website for driver requirements

High School Education or Equivalent At Least 23 Years of Age Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) “A” – No Beginner Permits Please Clear and Current (Within 30 Days) Motor Vehicle Registration (MVR) History – No DUIs and No More Than 5 Minor Violations Within the Past 5 Years No More than 1 Chargeable Accident in the Past 5 Years (Including Violations Received in Personal Vehicle) Available and Physically Fit for Long Haul Forced Dispatch (Long Form DOT Physical Within Past 6 Months) Pass Drug Screening No Major Violations in the Past 5 Years Apply Now! <- Click to apply online.

Just an FYI Carolina Cargo is no longer a 2nd chance company. This is right from their website for driver requirements

Oh that's right! I forgot they changed that a while back. My bad. Thanks for the heads up!

Just an FYI Carolina Cargo is no longer a 2nd chance company. This is right from their website for driver requirements

Oh that's right! I forgot they changed that a while back. My bad. Thanks for the heads up!

The foreign owned are often Armenian or Russians who put you on 1099 as a "company driver" so they can take the deduction while you foot the bills. Often they don't add you to the insurance, so hit something and you are in a heckuva lotta trouble. Then the company blames the driver as a 1099 independent contractor claiming to authorities it was the driver's responsibility to get insurance.

Scam scam scam.

Being "a veteran" won't help you with all of those citations and preventable accidents on your record, so why even bring it up?

I was going to eventually say that myself. Playing the veterans card will help you get a discount on something. Maybe even cause an officer to give you a break on a speeding ticket. But it’s not going to negate all those accidents. It comes down to insurance.

We appreciate your service, and so do trucking companies. We help everybody here the best we can veteran or not. Just keep applying that’s about all you can do.

Being "a veteran" won't help you with all of those citations and preventable accidents on your record, so why even bring it up?