TMC And Drug Testing

Let me start off by saying this may upset some of the drivers out there but I’m looking for a change in life. I’m in central Oklahoma and recently got my permit A. When considering a company to get my license with, I discovered TMC. I like their appeal because they don’t have team drive and their test is a urinalysis. I’ve been a 20 year consumer of cannabis products but I’m sick of this little detail holding me back so far in life. I threw out my bongs and pipes and whatnot and have only been sober for 3 days. I got a job local and told myself I would apply when I was clean. I would really like to get there sooner than later and have been considering faking my pre-employment urinalysis. The synthetics work and have gotten me most of my jobs in life but timing is important. From forum posts I’ve read so far, TMC test on your first day, disregarding travel day. If this is true and I have an hour of prep time, I can get through this drug test and further my career now instead of waiting another month. Please don’t think I’m trying to subvert testing and continue to smoke while I drive. I just don’t want to bus tables for a month while I wait to get clean. Any guidance or suggestion are welcome.

I’m sure TMC monitors this forum. So you are probably screwed even if that is not your real name. Bus tables.

I’m looking for a change in life.

but you're willing to try and cheat a drug test as you have in the past.

If you're serious about wanting to change then do it. Do not get into trucking until you know you're clean. You WILL be randomly tested with no notice once you're driving. If you're involved in any accident you will be drug tested. If there's significant injuries and/or death you're looking at prison time if drugs are detected. It's just not worth it. Just one failed or falsified drug/alcohol screen and your career is essentially over. There's a process to continue driving after, but nearly all large carriers won't be able to hire you.

If you're serious about wanting to make positive changes then let's start off on a positive note free of lies.

I’m sure TMC monitors this forum. So you are probably screwed even if that is not your real name. Bus tables.

I agree that they probably monitor this forum but consider their classes of 30 + individuals at a time and no other identifiers other than a fake name. Even my email is not noted. I don’t imagine TMC is going to throw their entire training procedures by the wayside because they read one post about an idiot plotting to subvert their process. There are so many more reasons why this is a bad idea, but I don’t think your point is one of them. Thanks for taking the time to reply anyway

You are correct in the fact your plan is a very bad idea for many reasons.

Many companies fit the description of what appeals to you with TMC, so what makes them stand out to you??

Your initial post is very telling of your character. Any company that would bring you in will be evaluating you under a microscope during training. It is like an extended job interview. If you don’t measure up, your sent home. Plain and simple.

Most companies are being extra picky these days for a few reasons, bad economy, slow freight, depressed rates, and cargo theft are some examples.

Point is companies are looking for who they perceive will be the best employee’s.

Many years ago Roehl transport sent a class of 4 home after they passed their CDL exams at the DMV. Why?? They violated a company policy by having a few beers to cellebrate getting their CDL. I don’t know if they ever got jobs, but that was an example of how serious companies are and the consequences that are attached to bad decisions in this industry.

Another fact is companies expect 25% that walk through the door won’t last long enough to graduate. Of those that do they figure another 25% won’t last 90 days, and by 180 days another 25% will be gone. That is why some companies have higher numbers from the start.

I highly recommend you do what you have to and spend some time evaluating your commitment to your proposed career change. During that period the THC will work its way out of your system and you will start off on the right foot.

Another side note: We don’t get upset with folks. We read and respond with our best advise. Pretty simple. It’s up to people how they use that advise. We all give freely of our time and advise because we want people to be successful. In the end it is your career at stake and not any of ours.

I've been randomly tested 3 times in a two week period. And was tested multiple times in the first 4 weeks of employment.

Besides that though. Congratulations on admitting it's a problem and making the decision to do something about it.

But, and it's a big but, you're dealing with addiction. This isn't just a habit. Most addicts can not cease using, be it cigarettes, pot, drugs, gambling or behavior, without support. It takes more than an iron will to stay quit. That being said give yourself a break and seek support for staying stopped.

Just like anything in life, start with a solid foundation. Get the pot addiction, detox and inevitable cravings behind you first. Then come at a new career with a bulletproof mindset and way of life. Most people who try this way of life fail. The odds are staggeringly stacked against you making it a year, let alone of you're not coming into it well prepared.

In the meantime, soak up all the information you can here. Do this thing the smart way, the right way.

Really, it's no skin off our nose if you don't follow tried and true ways into this career. The thing that ticks us off is putting a driver on the road that is a danger to us, and every other person on the road

You have been given honest answers about the realistic challenges even getting into this industry. Trying to get around drug testing is a sure way to kill your career even before you get behind the wheel.

Do it the right way, or don't do it at all.

I threw out my bongs and pipes and whatnot and have only been sober for 3 days./blockquote>

Hardly enough time, and 1 month "bussing tables" won't be either. It'll take at LEAST 6-12 months to get the THC fully out....Of course, depends on your metabolism, but, it's NOT worth taking the risk of any test, and ultimate failure.....

Surely you gotta have some other skills than cleaning tables (without knowing your age) Good luck in your quest to stay clean, and getting into trucking.

Any guidance or suggestion are welcome.

My guidance is the same as the others. Just wait a month or two until you know you can pass a urinalysis the right way and then get started. It’s not a long time and it’s a much safer way to enter the industry.

Please read this next part if you care about your own well being:

Truck driving itself is actually pretty easy and simple. Almost anyone can drive the truck down the road and keep it between the lines and follow road signs with very little training. Where trucking becomes more serious and difficult is making smart decisions. You’ll be faced with tons of small decisions and some larger ones on a daily basis that will test your resolve, discipline, and character. There are at least hundreds of regulations we are required to follow and the penalties for non-compliance range anywhere from a slap on the wrist to prison time (as previously mentioned by BK). You also have to consider the liability of driving a very large and heavy vehicle on public roadways around untrained and unprofessional civilian drivers who’s main concern is to get to their destination asap with little thought for safety. My point here is there is a very significant amount of responsibility and liability involved in driving a big rig and it’s not to be underestimated. Tack on the fact that the general populace hates trucks and dislikes truck drivers and you have a system where the odds are stacked against you if you ever find yourself in trouble.

The reason I’m saying all this is to hopefully shed some light on how risky it is to drive a truck even when following all the regulations and rules. Adding the additional risk of faking a drug test is extremely unwise and could land you in an ungodly amount of trouble if something were to not go according to plan. I’m not going to pretend that we all follow every rule and reg all the time but if you don’t want to land yourself in a heap of trouble you’ve got to exercise good discretion. Faking your first drug test in a new industry when you will already have the least amount of skill and the most amount of risk you’ll ever have in your career is absolutely not exercising good discretion. For your own sake I strongly advise against it. Sure, it could work out just fine but the risk vs reward just isn’t there. There’s very little you have to lose by just waiting a month or two.

Obviously this advice is very “take it or leave it” in nature. You’re going to do what you’re going to do. I just hope for your own sake you’ll listen to our advice. This isn’t the first decision you’ll have to make if you choose this career and it’s best to start off on the right foot. It only takes one wrong decision for things to go terribly wrong.

I’ll end this with the question I ask myself on a daily basis whenever I’m making a decision about how to run my logs, secure my load, pass that next truck, etc.

“If I were to be involved in a fatal accident regardless of fault, would this decision land me in prison?”

I like driving trucks but it’s not worth prison time. Just food for thought

One additional thought here: I think it’s worth noting that there’s a high likelihood you won’t get away with faking a preemployment drug test in this industry. Trucking companies are painfully aware of their liability if a new hire successfully fakes a drug test and then proceeds to kill an innocent family on the road. They are very very good at catching fakes and they will make it next to impossible for you to find another job if they do catch you. Again, the risk vs reward just isn’t there