Profile For Hark L.

Can they pull a nose hair for a follicle test?

I guess i am confused about your dissatisfaction. In one statement you are critiquing a rigid training system designed by those whom you say have no experience driving a CMV, then you follow that up with the fact that you will be training drivers, when you yourself acknowledge your two weeks of driver training. Is there a reason you can't do both with them, drive and also do the training tasks?

My apologies for the confusion. I was in trucking school for 2 weeks and then took my DOT CDL exam on the Sunday following the second week. I passed, and got my CDL, but the fact that I was there with people doing 3,6, and 9 month programs just made two weeks to accomplish the same task seem absurd. I passed, but it required me to not do or think about anything but my training for two weeks. I am honestly proud of getting my CDL in that way but I feel like it should at least be a 4 week program, not 2.

However now I will be "training" for the next 5 months culminating in a 3 week program halfway across the country where the emphasis isn't driving, but bring able to recite a thick binder and all it's contents. They don't care that you as a trainer are a food driver, or even an okay one. The job is essentially you working with new CDL holders and "training" them based on nothing but my company's ideas on safety and driving. I just feel like if I'm not given the time and training to become an experienced driver myself, it will just be the blind leading the blind.

Also, I don't want to have to train snd supervisor other people anymore. I fell in love with driving during school and want to drive. My position pays well, and I know I'll take a pay cut for the first few year, but I'm willing to make less and not hate my job.

They're putting you through a 2 week training program so you can train other drivers?

Nope, I only had 2 weeks at a trucking school to learn everything and pass the test to actually get my CDL. I was there with students who were doing 3, 6, and even 9 months programs but I had 2 weeks to learn everything from the pre trip, brake test, pre trip, backing, shifting, anything that was required to actually get my CDL. I passed my test on the first try, so it's definitely doable just ridiculously short in my opinion.

Welcome, Hark!

The best thing you can do is wait a long time before taking any hair follicle test. It's impossible to say how long, but our best guess is 6 - 12 months minimum. None of us really know for sure how far back these companies go on the testing.

You can also pay for a test yourself before taking any official tests so you know you're clean. Just make sure before you take it that the results will be 100% confidential.

If you fail a drug test, your career is pretty much over for the next several years. I can't think of anyone who has told us they failed a drug test and then got another trucking job. I know there are some out there, but it's pretty rare. So consider a failed drug test the end of your career and approach it that way.

Hiring is slow right now and companies are being picky. You can find work, but you don't want any blemishes against you.

You can Apply For Paid CDL Training here on our website, also.

Yeah for sure, if I have to choose between waiting or potentially failing a test I'm making for sure. It's just that waiting entails me having to memorize hundreds of methods, practices, potential scenarios and how you should respond, dozens of shipping origin snd destinations and a bunch of stuff. Just for said knowledge to be pointless a few months later, I know I probably seem like I'm asking for the world but it just seems so useless for me and I'd rather just start on my journey behind the wheel. I realized how much I do not want to have to be a trainer or a supervisor. The first time I went on road in school was almost like the first time I had sex, I didn't know what I was doing for the most part but I knew I loved it and it felt so good lol. Plus my company is dealing with the massive drop in volume like everyone but they're handling it so poorly that I just want to not be around people either miserable that won't rest until you are too, or upper management who are like robots short circuiting using business school buzzwords to try and blame everyone for the low volume they possibly can

I'm sure a lot of you will just immediately be negative, but I've searched high and low and haven't found any answers on my question.

I used to smoke pot in a legal state, I never drove while high and didn't drink or do anything else. My company offered to send me to trucking school as part of a promotion, and they have a 2 week express school program. I quit pot immediately, was able to pass the DOT urine test then went through the school and passed on my first try. My issue is that while going through school I realized how much I enjoyed driving the truck, as opposed to eventually training new drivers in my company's rigid training system designed by people who have never or will never drive a truck. My father, grandfather, great grandfather as well as several uncles snd great uncles on both sides were truck drivers, it runs in my blood. I've been looking at starter jobs, and have enough in savings to take a low paying beginner job and get a year or two of experience, then I'd transfer to a better paying position elsewhere and be good to go. The issue is companies look like they either hire beginner drivers and do follicle testing, or require at least a year of experience but don't follicle test. Are there any companies that do both? Again, I smoked legally and responsibly and stopped immediately, and wil l never smoke again until I retire. My urine is clear, but I have really long hair and I'm very hairy and don't want to risk it, but I'd like to make this career move kinda soon before my I really start having to do stuff for my new position in the current company just for a lot of hard work studying to be pointless. I'm based in the northeast about an hour and a half from NYC and two and a half hours from Boston, however I want to go OTR and truly don't care where the company and their training are located. I know I'm gonna get some harsh remarks, but any advice or recommendations would be awesome.