How Screwed Am I?

Hello all, So my challenge is pretty simple, but perhaps insurmountable in the short term. I want to go OTR , take advantage of paid CDL training, spend a year at one company etc etc etc. BUT, I have spent the last 5 years as a stay at home dad to three kids, and if that isn't criminal enough, those five years were in Mexico, living a completely normal boring existence . My wife works remotely. Prior to that I worked for the same commercial bakery for 10 years. Also, while living in Mexico we still filed with the IRS and had an American address.

I'm 46 and have a perfectly clean criminal record and maybe one traffic ticket in the last 15 years. I am back in the states now and have an Oregon DL and CPL.

Swift pretty much told me to kick rocks, zero chance there, she said they may be ok with taking care of family as being part of work history, but the Mexico thing means I would fail any safety related background check. I suppose I could start fibbing, I have been getting mail at my sister's place in OR all this time, but I doubt that would fly. So I have two questions. 1. Should I bother applying to every reputable company I see here on TruckerTruth? I really don't care where I am based out of for the first year. 2. In the short term I am not pressed when it comes to money (long term is another story, ha), so I could self-pay for 160 driving academy which is right down the street from me, get my CDL, and look anywhere for any type of work, I could even go balls to the wall and get my own equipment if needed, but even then would all this time in Mexico screw me as a future O/O?

Thank you for taking the time to read this, any advice no matter how harsh is welcome. My dream job is to eventually be an OTR O/O driving a flatbed out west.

the Mexico thing means I would fail any safety related background check.

Cardplayer, that simply isn't true. You need to keep trying at this. Your biggest problem right now is that hiring for this industry is slow right now. It is going to take some work to get you in, and most recruiters would much rather pick the low hanging fruit. If they have got plenty of people who are easily processed and brought into orientation, they aren't going to be willing to jump through the hoops required to get you in. That is what you are up against.

I say all that because we have had plenty of members here who spent years in foreign countries before returning for a trucking job. One of them is Pete B. He spent years as a driver, and has now retired and gone back to his home and wife in South America. I am hoping he will see this and jump in here with some advice. I think his internet is sporadic where he is, but I know I have heard from him a few times. I will see if I can get him a message concerning your situation.

What you need is an experienced recruiter who knows the ropes and understands what is needed to get you through the onboarding process. You do have some challenges, but it is certainly doable. It will help if you also know the process. I am hoping Pete can help us with this one.

Also, don't try to go O/O right now. Not only is it a terrible economic time for that, but with no experience, you will not be able to find any brokers, trucking companies, or insurance providers willing to work with you.

Thanks, Old School, that's what I was hoping to hear. I'll put more effort into getting more recruiters on the phone. The person I talked to at Swift made me worried about my future in trucking, and that got me looking for some actual truckers to talk to.

Thanks, Old School, that's what I was hoping to hear. I'll put more effort into getting more recruiters on the phone. The person I talked to at Swift made me worried about my future in trucking, and that got me looking for some actual truckers to talk to.

Cardplayer, Swift should be worried about their future in TRUCKING !

Cardplayer, Swift should be worried about their future in TRUCKING !

Why do you say that? I really don't think Swift has anything to worry about.

Laura

Just an update, I self funded my CDL school through 160 Trucking Academy in Oregon, which was... interesting, some truly great instructors, but a really unimpressive experience overall. But, it got me my unrestricted Class A, and I was able to get my Tanker, Doubles/Triples, and HazMat endorsements all within two days of passing my road test, so I am good to go there. My hazmat background check took two hours, that's gotta be a record. Applied to a pile of companies and talked to a bunch of recruiters and my 5 years of being a stay-at-home parent was definitely a problem for some companies that I really wanted to start with, like Melton for example. But a few recruiters liked me and I start orientation and training on Monday with Schneider to do OTR flatbed. I also have two other offers from megas that I would be happy to take if they were the only option. Feels great! Can't wait to pull a trailer longer than the pups they had at school. I already miss driving the 13 speed manuals and it will probably be a long time until I get to try my hand at floating gears , but that time will come.

Congratulations!

That's really great news!

Make that first job work. You'll give your career a big boost by sticking with Schneider for a full year. It's not the end of the world if you don't manage that, but it will move your future applications up to the top of any recruiter's pile of candidates they want to bring on board.

Congratulations and good luck!