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So I just finished trucking school and got my CDL A license few weeks ago. Now I'm finding out that I can't get hired on with so many companies because of my past record. Three red lights on my record. What can I do?

Welcome!!

You must have went through private school and paid for it yourself or a work program. That was the first issue for you.

Private schools do not care if someone is actually employable, they just want to collect their fees for getting you a CDL.

All you can do is apply everywhere and see if someone is willing to give you a shot. You can do it from here. Be prepared for alot of no’s, but it only takes one yes to get rolling.

The industry has been in a huge slump for the last 2 years. Between low rates, over capacity of trucks, some large trucking companies going out of business and freight being less many companies have either not been hiring or being very picky about things. Companies are terminating drivers for things they didn’t in the past.

It is a hard time for new drivers coming into the industry.

You didn’t give any details on the tickets as to how old they are, but they will be an obstacle for you between 3-5 years and possibly longer with some companies. Each company establishes their own policy in this area.

Unfortunately, you found us after going through a school instead of before, where we would have suggested other means of training. As PJ said the economy has tanked and not only have large companies closed, but according to a report I just read, more than 1000+ smaller companies (less than 250 trucks) have shut their doors. I can attest to that as my company of 80 trucks has cut back to a handful of trucks and it looks like they will be shutting the doors in June. I am on unemployment because I had a couple things I had planned for over Memorial weekend but the applications I have sent out have not even been acknowledged.

All you can do, is use our link that sends out to many companies. If you don't hear from them, do it again around 30 days, because they don't keep applications longer than that.

Apply For Truck Driving Jobs

Yvette, in the meantime…….. you might want to consider putting that CDL to work in whatever way you can. Maybe a Class “B” type company like sanitation, construction, recycling companies, etc. That’s better than waiting around and letting your CDL become stale. Think “intrastate” driving until you can get an “interstate” driving job. Any experience is better than none. Oh, and quit running red lights.

I meant Yves, not Yvette

Damn auto correct.

Pepsi n Coke have class A drivers. Taking empty bottle/cans to the bottling plants,transporting filled product to distribution warehouses....etc etc. Delivering to places like Cost-Co, Wal-Mart etc. Local, and home daily