Profile For Scott

Ooooo-Kay!

All I said was that criminal records may have gotten easier to expunge. I didn't say to not reveal your previous criminal history or that expungement was a license to lie on an application. I recently disclosed my criminal past to a recruiter and told him I was looking into having that record expunged, he told me to call back when that is done (sometimes an expungement makes a difference). Disclosing a criminal past that was expunged shows that the court decided that you were otherwise an upstanding citizen and deserved the expungement.

I simply posted this subject because I thought it might help people in the same predicament.

My only legal advice is: Don't blindly trust the advice of an attorney, they don't work for you, they only work for themselves (you may quote me on that).

You're definitely a faster hire if you have your CDL in-hand.

I'm not trying to totally refute your comment, Scott, but be careful here and consider this if you would... While that may be true with some companies, it is not always the case with every company. Most companies prefer hiring drivers who have gone through their CDL program.

Maybe I didn't say that quite the right way: If you go to a private school then several companies that would hire you will bypass the basic skills training and train you on the way they want you to drive. When you present as a licensed CDL holder then they know you have some basic driving skills and they will build on that. Also, companies that provide training require a commitment and if something goes wrong you might be financially liable for the training however government sponsored training may be available at no cost to those who qualify. They may provide training even if you're working in a lower paying job and want to move up. I understand that government sponsored CDL training usually starts in July (at least in my area).

I can only comment based on my experience but personally I felt less pressured getting the training on my own before having to perform in front of by employer. I'm sure there's pro's and con's either way but that's the way I did it. Good Luck!

Hello All,

If you have felonies or misdemeanors be sure to check the current laws in your state. Ohio just passed Senate Bill 288 (in April 2023) and it made substantial changes to expungement and record sealing laws in Ohio. I just happened to stumble across it online and if you have a similar issue then make sure to check current laws in your state in case things may have changed for the better. I went to the local Public Defenders Office and they are processing my request. Good Luck!

This method of employment verification is pretty shady at best and a rights violation at worst! This really needs to be regulated and any communication should be in written form on the report, signed and dated. Companies shouldn't be calling and getting opinions from former employers, they should be able to refer to the DAC report period. If the DAC report is so important than the previous employers should respond to potential employers the same way they reported. If they don't then there should be liable. These people are messing with peoples lives! I mean: If I have repetitive preventable accidents then sure, make a note of it and offer me some form of training to make it right and give me a friggen chance but if companies keep handling inquiries over the phone then the DAC report is just a waste of time. Honestly: I just want a job driving a truck and hauling your freight, I'm not trying to get a job at the FBI! They shouldn't make their decisions on how the company rep. "sounded" on the phone...

[Insert smiley image flipping you off here]

I drove from 2002 to 2004 and the text only Qualcomm basically told me "Exit 146, turn left, good luck" (meaning once I was off the highway the directions were scant). With the newer turn-by-turn navigation I was wondering: Once you make it to your destination and you start back towards the highway on-ramp, does the navigation continue to give you turn-by-turn directions? The reason I ask is because I pulled into this tiny downtown area and when leaving I made a right turn when I should have turned left and got stuck until the police showed up and got me going the right way. I'm hoping that the off-highway navigation has improved to avoid issues like that (since that seems to be the time most drivers are at risk of accidents). Please let me know your thoughts and I appreciate your comments!

I drove past a kid at the side of the road on a BMX track. He stopped, pulled off his helmet and pumped his arm. That's probably the best thing about trucking!

Well I don't smoke anymore but I am overweight (I thought that was a prerequisite to being a trucker, or an American for that matter).

You just need to get a sleep study done. If you DO need a C-PAP machine then you should get one and do your best to get used to it. I've had one since 1994 and it has really helped me!

Your blood pressure needs to be under 140/90 so your close but you should be okay.

Yeah, if you tested and received your CDL then it replaces your prior license. Did you take a class in ELDT (Entry Level Driver Training) when you originally got your CDL? If not then you may need to take it before you can add endorsements.

And (just my personal opinion) making an H and T endorsement equal to an X endorsement to save letters seems to be one of those stupid laws that someone just made up. Like the need to take the ELDT to add endorsements, I just can't imagine any driver saying: "I'm sure glad I took that ELDT course, I would have been in real trouble without that informative training!"

Finally: The background check takes two months so make sure you get that done a few months before you go for the hazmat test.

Good luck!

Scott

Thank you all for your comments! It seems that having experience that's 20 years old just isn't appealing to trucking companies (or their insurers). I think if I'm a "recent graduate" then they can at least see that I was recently behind the wheel without killing anybody. A far a sketchy companies go: I'm sure some of them are really good at being sketchy. Maybe drive overweight and then start the trailer on fire if you get pulled over (that way you can burn off some of the over-weight, dodge some tickets AND get an insurance payout).

But seriously, I do appreciate the feedback and I did get some promising leads: (1) Starting out driving class B and working my way up to class A, (2) Driving for a Hot Shot company in their pick-up truck and trailer, (3) Driving for a Drive Away company (cars and class B), (4) Spending $100k+ and starting my own Hot Shot pick up truck company (hey, a guy can dream can't he?).

Anyway please keep those comments coming! And if there are any sketchy companies out there I would be willing to learn a foreign language and wear flip-flops if that's what it takes... And any non-sketchy companies out there feel free to reach out to me as well (my best selling point is: There's a lot worse out there!).

And a special shout out to the Trucking Truth High Road Training! That is an excellent tool to brush up on the knowledge side of trucking. The questions kept re enforcing previously discussed skills. If you're new to trucking I highly recommend it!

High Road CDL Training Program

So I've applied to over 40 companies and I'm having a hell of a time! I drove for 2 years over the road but that was 20 years ago. I actually got hired by a large company but was "Terminated" after two days of training because I couldn't climb into the back of a trailer. Now I have a termination on my Driver IQ and recruiters want nothing to do with me. I won't mention any names (thanks pumpkin ####ers) but wow, thank you sooo much! I contacted a "2nd chance" company and everything seemed very promising until I disclosed a felony from 20 years ago and now they want nothing to do with me (yeah, okay so I'm stupid but learn from my mistakes). I retained my CDL-A all this time and recently got my "X" Hazmat endorsement and I have a current DOT physical. I'm retaking a 160 hour CDL-A course to refresh my skills but I feel my efforts might be a waste of time on my part. I honestly just don't get it... How can the industry be so selective in their hiring process when there are so many drivers out there that throw garbage and bottles of pee out the window, run into other trucks and drive away, pull king pin release handles because some other driver somehow disrespected them, etc., etc.

So does anyone know a company like "SkirtTheWeighSta Trucking" or maybe "SketchyDriving4SixMos Logistics?" I'd damn near drive for free for the experience...