Profile For Ryan B.

Like Turtle said, you are required to list everything you take (and been diagnosed with I believe) on the DOT med card form. Others please correct me if I'm wrong but lying or withholding info on that could make it invalid making your Class A invalid. Get in an accident, the lawyers are gonna dig everything up and it's not a pretty picture. If you go into this, go into it honestly.

It can technically be a chargeable federal crime, namely falsifying a federal document because that form we fill out is a US federal document. We sign it, and upon signing it, we are affirming that all the information is correct. The document itself states that knowingly withholding information or providing false information on the document is subject to potential criminal penalty. Doesn't mean that this instance being discussed would lead to a criminal charge, but it could.

Didn't we have a conversation a few weeks ago about this? The Hazmat isnt going to matter if you cannot get hired.

Most likely you will NOT find a company to hire you until 10 years AFTER the end of your parole. You asked TSA... did you ask any actual companies about your situation? You could go through all of this deliberation and CDL school only to be nom hireable.

Research companies to get hired. Do so immediately

That's not true. Not saying that it's easy, but not every company requires 10 years post supervision. I got off parole in March 2020. I was hired by a company just over a year later.

Yeah, the newer trucks are awesome. I have an older one though.

However, the numbers of our particular trucks aren't really the point. I am wondering if a vehicle can legally tow a trailer that is rated higher than the towing capacity of said vehicle so long as the actual weight of the cargo and trailer together don't exceed the towing capacity of the vehicle as stated by the manufacturer. Let's assume for the time being that the trailer's GVWR is under 10,000 lbs so that we aren't falling under commercial driving regs.

You said this isn't CDL territory, so there may not be an applicable law here. If you are talking about hot shot loads with a pick up truck, then you are in CMV territory, even if no CDL is required. Be under the manufacturer's specs in every aspect of the numbers.

Let me put it like this:

A combination vehicle has a GVWR of 80k lbs. Trailer axles and tractor drive axles have a legal limit of 34k lbs. It's possible to be under 80k lbs, yet overweight on either one of these with no room to move the tandems. Doesn't matter that the overall gross is legal. All the weights have to be legal.

Now for your situation:

Don't think that you are good just because you are within the limit on the gross weight. There are mechanical reasons why the various weight limits exist. Don't exceed any weight limit. With smaller trucks, it can pose significant problems for things like your transmission and your suspension. Those trailer axles on smaller trailers are not capable of remaining mechanically sound when the manufacturer weight rating is exceeded.

I am about to enter a school for my CDL A, however I am nervous to continue and pay for the schooling due to the fact that I have a drug possession felons as of June 2022. I'm pretty sure it's possible to still get work. Is there anyone who can confirm this please. Thanks so much. -J

It's going to be next to impossible to find a company worth working for that is willing to hire someone with felony drug possession that's 2 years old. Keep in mind, employers consider the conviction date — not the offense date — when determining whether or not a charge is disqualifying. If your offense date was June 2022, then your conviction date is probably much more recent, making the idea of getting your CDL right now a waste of time and money.

You need some years beyond the conviction date, as in a minimum of 5 years. Even with 5 years, you are going to struggle to find an employer willing to hire you for a commercial driving job.

Why is this the case? There was a point in time when truck drivers didn't have much in the way of regulation. Even when the legal requirement for log books was created, it was easy to run a fake log book to present to authorities. In order to stay awake when running with little or no sleep, some drivers relied on drugs like methamphetamines. There was a problem with drugs and the trucking industry.

A current problem in the trucking industry is the trafficking of drugs with commercial vehicles.

These are the reasons why the industry is not going to put someone with a recent history of possessing drugs into a CMV. To the trucking industry, you are viewed as one giant liability, and since you have no experience, you are that huge liability without being any sort of asset.

You need to be pretty sure that no trucking company in their right mind is going to touch you with such a recent drug offense.

Do warehouse work, construction work, anything adjacent to transportation so that in 5-10 years you have a solid understanding of the customers the trucking industry services. Then you will be in a position to look at a career transition.

So im going to cdl school and i start the 4th of next month i have a job lined up and everything i stopped smoking weed 3 months ago just to get my cdl i know for a fact i can Pass a urine test but idk if they will do a hair follicle and its making me nerves i got my email stating what all i have to do and pay for and it says (pay doctor) dot phyical, and dot urine test says nothing about a hair follicle other then on there website is says hair follicle test (if Necessary) do yall think im good to go ahead and go to school or are they going to hair follicle test me im so confused on this i dont wanna get up there and get hit with a hair follicle test and fail and mess up everything im trying to do i quit smoking just to get into this Industry

No, you are not good. Cancel your start of training date and wait at least 6 more months, to be safe. A year since last usage would be even better.

You will likely fail the hair follicle test. It won't go into the clearinghouse, but it will show up on your work history that you were dismissed from training before it started. Trucking companies are not dumb. They know that this would most likely be due a failed drug test. You would be killing your career before it starts.

Here is what you need to strongly consider doing:

Take a year to be sure that you truly are ready to live without drugs. Don't take the decision lightly. This is a career decision in an industry that can be fatally dangerous. Don't treat it like making a decision to start a new hobby.

what the local sheriff department would be okay with, as far as crossing state lines and such.

When I mentioned about there being misinformation out there, this idea is a common misconception. I am not trying to say that you are knowingly misinforming anyone, but I do want to clarify the reality of what being on the registry means, when it comes to work.

There is nuance to this, and it requires explaining two different situations. Being on the registry and on paper (probation or parole) and being on the registry off paper are totally different dynamics. On paper, a person on the registry has to gain approval to take a given job. Off paper, a person on the registry is merely reporting the information to law enforcement. The distinction is the ability for the authority to deny approval. Off paper, there is no approval process.

I won't get into how this is different from decades past. Just understand that this is the function now.

Also, law enforcement officers don't conduct home visits for those who are on the registry and not on paper.

If there is a reason to suspect that a person is not actually living at the address being reported, then this would prompt a criminal investigation. LEOs are not likely to tip someone off by announcing they are coming by to see them.

All of this is from my personal experience with decades in dealing with the matter.

I really do appreciate that you provide encouragement to those who might think their situation is beyond hope. I basically just wanted to clarify that one particular dynamic. People in the situation of being on the registry and off paper deserve to understand that they are not asking for permission to live their lives, which includes working to support themselves. I am sure that there are some small counties in some places that try to create this dynamic. Because there are all sorts of reasons for being on the registry: Being guilty as charged, being guilty of something but not that specific charge, being by mere association, and simply falsely accused. Because of the fact that there can be a whole host of reasons why an individual is on the registry, no one who is off paper should continue to be treated like they are still serving a sentence.

Hi!!!! My names Tameika… So I want to begin this journey to be a lady trucker!!!! I’m not for sure where to begin I keep hitting brick walls. I’m look for a lodging CDL school that accept felons. I have 1 year left on probation. I have been denied by I guess would be the popular trucking names as Prime, Rohel, and TMC. I’m not giving up there is a school out there that will give me a yes just looking for some guidance. Thanks y’all!!!! Can’t wait to be apart of the team…

As has been stated, being on probation is going to be a significant challenge. The honest truth is that the trucking dream may have to be put on hold until after you are off paper. Once off paper, it will be a challenge, but a manageable one.

Being in Wilmington, DE here are some companies to try:

PAM Transport Butler Transport Variant/US Express Dutch Maid Logistics Big M Transportation Ashley Distribution Climate Express

If you go cold calling these companies to ask if they hire RSOs, the answer is most likely "no." Fill out an application and follow it up with a phone call the next business day.

I haven't been here in a while. Haven't even logged in for like 8-9 months, longer maybe? Just decided to log in this evening.

This topic is very personal to me. There is a ton of misinformation out there on the subject.

You can get a job in the industry. It's a matter of a company deciding to give you a chance. I have been driving for over 3 years now, crossing state lines regularly. I have been pulled unto weigh stations, obviously showing my license. I have been stopped on the road, obviously showing my license. I have had to report an accident, obviously showing my license. Not once has a LEO said anything to me about my legal status.

It's going to be a long and difficult journey to get your start in this industry, and once you do get that start you won't have any issues with LEO.

Every company that hires people with background issues does so on a case by case basis. Each company has its own threshold, but hiring a driver is an individual matter.

As far as Magnum, they wouldn't hire me, but I am not going to try to declare whether or not they would be willing to hire you. Apply everywhere and be persistent in following up on applications.

I much prefer winter over summer because I get hot too easily. But, the road conditions...eesh. I have been pretty fortunate to have been able to route around weather issues, or finding myself just ahead/just behind.

When I read that you were the only one on the road in either direction, the very first thing that popped in my head was: "And you probably shouldn't be, either." You got yourself to a safe location to park, so all is good.

I think I saw you over near Allentown the other day. I was picking up a load in Breinigsville, PA going to Crafton, PA.