Why Would Knight Transportation Reject Someone?
Topic 3919 | Page 1
So here is my story... After months of researching I finally decided on Knight transportation as the company I wanted to go with. After reviewing their website, I found out I would need my permit so a few weeks ago I got my DOT physical and passed the written tests to earn my CDL permit. So last week, applied with Knight and shortly after my recruiter called me to explain everything to me and to get more info. A few days later she was done with my background check and said everything came out fine so we proceeded. Next I had to fill out tons of pre hire forms and once I finished that I had to go get a company physical and drug test so yesterday I drove to the Gulfport, MS terminal and passed the company physical/fitness test and drug/alcohol test. Everything was looking great and my recruiter said she was just waiting to see when my start date would be for training, however, for some unknown reason she emailed me today and said that she had passed my application and information to safety and safety had decide
d to pass on me. She said they did not disclose to her the reason so that is all the info she had and that I could try and reapply with them in 6 months. My question is this, if I have passed every test they have thrown at me and had no issues with my background, why would they just pass on me?
I feel your pain bro. Not exactly sure why they would pass on you. Ive been hitting a roadblock as well and I feel your pain 100 percent. I have noticed that some of these companys are passing on people for more qualified drivers because there are getting sooo many applications. I did the same thing as you, got my physical and permit and all my records and job history, and central refridge told me the same thing. Keep on Keeping on and im sure you will find a great company. In my situation I am going to be doing local trucking for awhile to gain some experience and let my expungement of my record clear. I look forward to following your progress and good luck
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.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Pre Hire:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
Usually - if they say that "safety had decided to pass on me" - it has something to do with your "insurability".
Moving violations that may have gotten "OK'd" by recruiting, may have been more closely scrutinized by safety (and you hadn't mentioned your driving record in your post).
Keep in mind, despite the demand for drivers, there are 1,000's of applicants out there.
The fact that your recruiter told your to "try back in 6 months" might be indicative of something that will "fall off" your record in the window of time they are looking at, 6 months from now.
Or, she may have just been shining you on.
Keep applying, keep looking…
Rick
And this is why we advise you to always apply at ALL the companies you can !!! One company may be full....so they don't want you. but another company needs to fill those cdl school chairs.....one company may not like your driving record...but its no problem with another one....one company may have a recruiter that just doesn't like the sound of your voice...but another company recruiter may actually like doing their job. Theres hundreds of variables...so APPLY AT ALL YOU CAN.....then you start weeding out the not so greats....
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.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
This is only speculation but I've worked for Knight and the only thing I can think of that would disqualify you if you have had an accident or serious traffic ticket. They don't mess around when it comes to their CSA.
CSA:
Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA)
The CSA is a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) initiative to improve large truck and bus safety and ultimately reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities that are related to commercial motor vehicle
Thanks for all of the replies everyone. I think you're right that there are a lot of applicants and they are more or less having to pick and choose who to accept. Also I think part of this problem was when applying to get a CDL with knight is that you are dealing with two companies, Knight Transportation and their sister company Squire Transportation which is the company that handles the training part. From my research about this, it appears Knight wanted me but it was Squire that rejected me. Oh well it was just strange to me that I haven't had any tickets or accidents but was declined. Not giving up though! Going to start applying at other companies soon.
So now I have a new question! Who in everyone's opinion is the best company to go with that offers company sponsored CDL training? I have been through the Company-Sponsored Training page on this site and used it to research them but not sure about some of them. I would prefer dry van for various reasons which is making companies like Pam Transport, USA truck and Swift look appealing but since Pam and USA don't have their own truck schools and use driver solutions, it makes me weary. Swift seems like a great company with tons of options but have a lot of upfront money needed for their schooling which isn't a deal breaker but the less needed the better. There is one company though that I cannot find anyone who knows anything about but seems like a company with a great training program and good equipment. That is KLLM. They are the closest to where I live but they are a reefer company so that has its own concerns for me as a new driver for reasons like having to worry with fueling the trailer or "jumping" the trailer off if it is not running or even worse having the trouble of dealing with if it breaks down. I mean I'm not exactly brand new to the trucking industry (my dad has been a driver for 20 years and my father-in-law is an O/O making a killing hauling regional flatbed) but I haven't had any experience being around reefers. Again thank you all for the great advice so far and I look forward to hearing what else everyone has to say!
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.
Regional:
Regional Route
Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.
Dry Van:
A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.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.
Reefer:
A refrigerated trailer.
OOS:
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.
Thanks for all of the replies everyone. I think you're right that there are a lot of applicants and they are more or less having to pick and choose who to accept. Also I think part of this problem was when applying to get a CDL with knight is that you are dealing with two companies, Knight Transportation and their sister company Squire Transportation which is the company that handles the training part. From my research about this, it appears Knight wanted me but it was Squire that rejected me. Oh well it was just strange to me that I haven't had any tickets or accidents but was declined. Not giving up though! Going to start applying at other companies soon.
So now I have a new question! Who in everyone's opinion is the best company to go with that offers company sponsored CDL training? I have been through the Company-Sponsored Training page on this site and used it to research them but not sure about some of them. I would prefer dry van for various reasons which is making companies like Pam Transport, USA truck and Swift look appealing but since Pam and USA don't have their own truck schools and use driver solutions, it makes me weary. Swift seems like a great company with tons of options but have a lot of upfront money needed for their schooling which isn't a deal breaker but the less needed the better. There is one company though that I cannot find anyone who knows anything about but seems like a company with a great training program and good equipment. That is KLLM. They are the closest to where I live but they are a reefer company so that has its own concerns for me as a new driver for reasons like having to worry with fueling the trailer or "jumping" the trailer off if it is not running or even worse having the trouble of dealing with if it breaks down. I mean I'm not exactly brand new to the trucking industry (my dad has been a driver for 20 years and my father-in-law is an O/O making a killing hauling regional flatbed) but I haven't had any experience being around reefers. Again thank you all for the great advice so far and I look forward to hearing what else everyone has to say!
You could do what I did which is go to CR England and get your CDL and then jump ship to Knight right away and train with them. Knight has a good mentor program which you pretty much learn how to really drive. They don't train as a team so that means your getting real training unlike England where they have Rookies training Rookies. Its like the Blind leading the Blind and I know Knight has a school repayment program if you are a recent graduate. I know there are other options out there but I know this worked well for me. I went from CDL with England to Training with Knight and getting 6 Months OTR Experience and then to Marten for 1 years of Total Experience to Lessors Inc. and I'm still with them and no plans on leaving any time soon. If your serious about gaining experience and earning money you'll find yourself jumping companies a bit for a few years. I started trucking back in 2011 and I enjoy what I do everyday.
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.
Regional:
Regional Route
Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
Dry Van:
A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.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.
Reefer:
A refrigerated trailer.
OOS:
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.
And this is why we advise you to always apply at ALL the companies you can !!! One company may be full....so they don't want you. but another company needs to fill those cdl school chairs.....one company may not like your driving record...but its no problem with another one....one company may have a recruiter that just doesn't like the sound of your voice...but another company recruiter may actually like doing their job. Theres hundreds of variables...so APPLY AT ALL YOU CAN.....then you start weeding out the not so greats....
Hi, this is what I found on my records, while preparing to send out applications
01-28-12 - Improper display/fictitious plates 06-30-11 - Unsafe operation of a motor vehicle
How will this affect my applications and is there anything I can do to have them expunged? Your opinions/advise always appreciated.
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.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
And this is why we advise you to always apply at ALL the companies you can !!! One company may be full....so they don't want you. but another company needs to fill those cdl school chairs.....one company may not like your driving record...but its no problem with another one....one company may have a recruiter that just doesn't like the sound of your voice...but another company recruiter may actually like doing their job. Theres hundreds of variables...so APPLY AT ALL YOU CAN.....then you start weeding out the not so greats....
Hi, this is what I found on my records, while preparing to send out applications
01-28-12 - Improper display/fictitious plates 06-30-11 - Unsafe operation of a motor vehicle
How will this affect my applications and is there anything I can do to have them expunged? Your opinions/advise always appreciated.
Also says 'In good standing' as current status. Do the above make any difference if I am in good standing?
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.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
And this is why we advise you to always apply at ALL the companies you can !!! One company may be full....so they don't want you. but another company needs to fill those cdl school chairs.....one company may not like your driving record...but its no problem with another one....one company may have a recruiter that just doesn't like the sound of your voice...but another company recruiter may actually like doing their job. Theres hundreds of variables...so APPLY AT ALL YOU CAN.....then you start weeding out the not so greats....
Hi, this is what I found on my records, while preparing to send out applications
01-28-12 - Improper display/fictitious plates 06-30-11 - Unsafe operation of a motor vehicle
How will this affect my applications and is there anything I can do to have them expunged? Your opinions/advise always appreciated.
Also says 'In good standing' as current status. Do the above make any difference if I am in good standing?
I dont think your record is all that bad and the violations happened 2 years ago, I'm not a recruiter but I don't think it would be to difficult to land a spot in a CDL School.
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.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.New Reply:
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So here is my story... After months of researching I finally decided on Knight transportation as the company I wanted to go with. After reviewing their website, I found out I would need my permit so a few weeks ago I got my DOT physical and passed the written tests to earn my CDL permit. So last week, applied with Knight and shortly after my recruiter called me to explain everything to me and to get more info. A few days later she was done with my background check and said everything came out fine so we proceeded. Next I had to fill out tons of pre hire forms and once I finished that I had to go get a company physical and drug test so yesterday I drove to the Gulfport, MS terminal and passed the company physical/fitness test and drug/alcohol test. Everything was looking great and my recruiter said she was just waiting to see when my start date would be for training, however, for some unknown reason she emailed me today and said that she had passed my application and information to safety and safety had decided to pass on me. She said they did not disclose to her the reason so that is all the info she had and that I could try and reapply with them in 6 months. My question is this, if I have passed every test they have thrown at me and had no issues with my background, why would they just pass on me?
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Pre Hire:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.