Can I Get Insured With A Minor Suspension?

Topic 32877 | Page 1

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Moe G.'s Comment
member avatar

After a year of saving up some money I’m about to pull the trigger on getting my class 1 license but I have some questions someone here can maybe help me with.

Just for some background, I live in Alberta, Canada and over here we have a graduated license program in which you cannot have any alcohol in your system. 2 years ago, I got pulled over and blew .02. I had my license suspended for 30 days and my vehicle impounded. Although it is NOT considered a DUI or a criminal offense it still shows up on my abstract and raised my personal insurance rate.

A friend at work told me it would be nearly impossible to get insured with a company with this sort of infraction unless it was 5-10 years ago. I’ve tried reaching out to some company’s and lawyers but have gotten no real answers. The driving schools are more than willing to take my money but getting hired is a completely different story.

What do you guys think?

Is it possible to get hired or insured with a company with this 30 day roadside suspension 2+ years ago?

Should I even bother investing the time and money to get my class 1 if it’s next to impossible to get insured/hired?

Any input or speculation is helpful. Thanks!!

DUI:

Driving Under the Influence

PackRat's Comment
member avatar

First, we always recommend company sponsored training for obtaining your CDL. I would think this is possible north of the border as it is in the US. Having this on your record is going to be a major hurdle for you as it makes it tough for insurance carriers and it shows poor judgement.

Any company that will hire you should perform a thorough background check, but make sure this event is on any application. If they are still willing to hire you, problem solved.

CDL:

Commercial Driver's License (CDL)

A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:

  • Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
  • Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.

Company Sponsored Training:

A Company-Sponsored Training Program is a school that is owned and operated by a trucking company.

The schooling often requires little or no money up front. Instead of paying up-front tuition you will sign an agreement to work for the company for a specified amount of time after graduation, usually around a year, at a slightly lower rate of pay in order to pay for the training.

If you choose to quit working for the company before your year is up, they will normally require you to pay back a prorated amount of money for the schooling. The amount you pay back will be comparable to what you would have paid if you went to an independently owned school.

Company-sponsored training can be an excellent way to get your career underway if you can't afford the tuition up front for private schooling.

Pacific Pearl's Comment
member avatar

Generally, I would agree with PackRat if you were south of the border. As a Canadian I must disagree - things are different in Canada. I have family in Lethbridge.

Company sponsored training was never as popular in Canada as it is in the US - partially because there are so many government programs that will pay for a class 1 license, partially because of the higher risk. Every day in winter is like ice road trucking. I-80 through Wyoming is NOTHING compared to the Yukon in winter. Canadian companies generally asked for several years of employment in exchange for class 1 training, not 1 year like in the US. A decade ago there were a handful of Canadian companies that offered paid training (ERB Group, Kriska and Trican). A few years ago Canada tightened the requirements to get a Class 1 license so it takes longer and costs more. Many companies dropped training because of this. I think Trican is the only one that still does it.

How do you know if a company will hire you? Ask them. Go to ca.indeed.com and type in, "Class 1" and, "Edmonton, AB". Call up a few companies looking for new, inexperienced drivers. Tell them you saw the ad and had some questions. Ask about your situation and see what they say. If it's only a minor thing and companies are willing to work with you then proceed and pay for it the Canadian way.

Dm:

Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager

The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.

Company Sponsored Training:

A Company-Sponsored Training Program is a school that is owned and operated by a trucking company.

The schooling often requires little or no money up front. Instead of paying up-front tuition you will sign an agreement to work for the company for a specified amount of time after graduation, usually around a year, at a slightly lower rate of pay in order to pay for the training.

If you choose to quit working for the company before your year is up, they will normally require you to pay back a prorated amount of money for the schooling. The amount you pay back will be comparable to what you would have paid if you went to an independently owned school.

Company-sponsored training can be an excellent way to get your career underway if you can't afford the tuition up front for private schooling.

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