Fired During Training

Hello, I was recently hired after getting my class A CDL from a private school. I was let go after 1 week and a day of training. The company felt I was a liability and decided to let me go. I was having trouble with learning how to perform a 45 degree dock bump and almost got into an accident today with a disabled vehicle on a narrow bridge. Luckily, I stopped and did not hit it. I am so disappointed in myself. The trainer said I don’t listen and cannot straight back. I can straight back but hitting a dock is still new to me. Is there any hope? Did my trucking career just end before it even began? What do I tell future employers? I feel so defeated. I have very little experience and I have already been fired.

Private schooling, so guessing you took your 1st gig with a smaller company.....The real expert advisors on here will more than likely need MORE details on things to give sage advice and tips to help you.

Unfortunately, we tend to see/get a lot of new member, who found T.T., AFTER they got fired or whatever. This is the BEST site out there for help starting out in the industry.

Heck I was on here maybe 5 years before I finally took the plunge and changed careers, sucking up all the info I could.

I'm sorry to hear of your circumstances. My advice off the top of my head would be to apply everywhere you can at companies that offer training. Be prepared that some may want you to start from the ground up. It doesn't sound like you actually hit anything, so if you have no accidents or incidents, you may be able to find something.

It's a tough market out there for even experienced pros with clean records.

Paid CDL Training ProgramsApply For Truck Driving Jobs

A lot of company sponsored training companies will probably give you a shot. Even though you have your cdl and whatever happened with the last place. They'll put you through their training program have you sign a year or so contract to drive for them. Might be a little lower pay than with experience but apply to 40-50 companies with online applications. Search for companies that do company sponsored training programs. It'll be alright, you didn't do anything that bad, that's what the learning process us all about. They should expect you do make a few mistakes, you're new. Sounds like they did you a favor...sounds like they suck.

Hello, I was recently hired after getting my class A CDL from a private school. I was let go after 1 week and a day of training. The company felt I was a liability and decided to let me go. I was having trouble with learning how to perform a 45 degree dock bump and almost got into an accident today with a disabled vehicle on a narrow bridge. Luckily, I stopped and did not hit it. I am so disappointed in myself. The trainer said I don’t listen and cannot straight back. I can straight back but hitting a dock is still new to me. Is there any hope? Did my trucking career just end before it even began? What do I tell future employers? I feel so defeated. I have very little experience and I have already been fired.

I did learn a bit while I was there. I have been blessed with a new opportunity with Hogan Transports Inc. I have been filling out all the paperwork and should attend orientation soon. Some companies rejected my application due to what happened and categorized it as a safety violation, even though it is not recorded as such on my record. I am happy Hogan is giving me a chance. I need to start making money to support my kids. Thank you everyone for your encouraging words.

Search for companies that do company sponsored training programs. It'll be alright, you didn't do anything that bad, that's what the learning process us all about. They should expect you do make a few mistakes, you're new. Sounds like they did you a favor...sounds like they suck.

As was stated above, they may be a small company. Small companies HAVE to keep their incidents down or they cannot afford their insurance. Did they do him a favor by letting him go? Maybe, so he can try to get on with a training company. Do they suck? Absolutely not. It's not their fault that he went the route that we advise against.....private school that only gets your CDL and no job and then take the first one that comes along. He should be fine with Hogan.

You? You have a lot to learn out here and realizing that most companies have standards for hiring and keeping a person is one of them.

So, here's a quick update: I'm still waiting for Hogan's reply. They say my application is in review, and a decision should be made by the end of the week. Western Express had me on their waitlist. After I told them about what happened at my previous company, they told me they would require me to sign a one-year contract because of my safety violation. I still don’t understand how I have a safety violation when my record shows zero safety violations, but it is what it is. I keep reading on Reddit that Western Express is not a good company to work for, but I always take what I read there with a grain of salt. I’ve been applying everywhere and have been rejected by a few companies who categorize my termination as a safety violation. I fear getting into something that will hurt me, my family, and my financial situation. I’ve been praying hard for another company to come and give me a chance. So far, the companies I’ve talked with have pushed me to do teams, get rid of my dog, or do teams with my dog. How do you do teams with a dog in a truck? I don’t know how that’s possible. Some companies won’t let me take my dog until six months or a year have passed. Or, my dog is too heavy. Boarding my dog for that long is expensive.

Dude, you say you have family, so leave the dog at home with them....You can't be too choosey in your situation right now. Companies can be and are choosey during this uncertain time. You gotta take what ever gives you a shot to drive. 1 year contract ain't really that bad, as the time will fly by pretty fast. Yes team driving can be daunting to some, I wasn't wanting to do team driving in the beginning, but that's what I had to do to start. And it wasn't too bad, the biggest pain was finding someone you get along with.

Took me til my 4th co driver, to get a guy that could drive, and do the miles we were given, 6-7000 a month. And we were on the same page, and got along great my 2nd year at the first company. Many drivers there also had dogs in the trucks, me, I'd rather not have a pet also sharing the space, and all the comes with caring for it on the road....

Just like Forrest Gump, "Life's like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gunna get" lol

Dude, you say you have family, so leave the dog at home with them....You can't be too choosey in your situation right now. Companies can be and are choosey during this uncertain time. You gotta take what ever gives you a shot to drive. 1 year contract ain't really that bad, as the time will fly by pretty fast. Yes team driving can be daunting to some, I wasn't wanting to do team driving in the beginning, but that's what I had to do to start. And it wasn't too bad, the biggest pain was finding someone you get along with.

Took me til my 4th co driver, to get a guy that could drive, and do the miles we were given, 6-7000 a month. And we were on the same page, and got along great my 2nd year at the first company. Many drivers there also had dogs in the trucks, me, I'd rather not have a pet also sharing the space, and all the comes with caring for it on the road....

Just like Forrest Gump, "Life's like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gunna get" lol

I am divorced and I have no one to watch the dog. I cannot give up the dog. I love him too much to give him up. He is all I have left really. The thing with team driving that scares me is the fact the truck is always moving. There is no stopping and getting out of the truck. I am not sure if I am ready for that.

The truck don't really roll 24/7, there's plenty of stopping, either for fueling, eating, showering etc. Then there will be some "down time" either waiting for a load to be assigned, or getting loaded with 1 , or unloaded. Theoretically, they truck rolls all the time, but not in reality.