Wanting To Start Back After 10 Yrs Away. Everything Has Changed! Advice Needed.
Topic 17164 | Page 1
Hi I'm in Long beach Ca. Trained with Schneider about 10 years back and left the road after my wife passed away while l was on the road. I'm ready to make a comeback after struggling for many of the past few years with BS jobs...I want my trucking lifestyle back!!! Some of my best memories was from trucking! Here are the issues l need advice on:
1 I let my CDL go years ago and i'm studying to get it back...I just got my class c license a few months ago. Are there carriers that will accept me without having my license for a while?
2. What's the best start to move to in order to get good OTR runs? We have the Port of LA/ Long Beach here but l don't see alot of companies recruiting here. 3. Can anyone give me advice on training programs in SoCal?
4. Roehl will pay folks during training..but l don't live in their hiring area, any advice on how to get around this?
5. I how far back does companies look at hair test?
I would love to drive for Crete but need 3-6 otr. any advice on how to gain this exp. without burning bridges?
Any and all advice will greatly appreciated.
Without giving this a whole lot of thought, I would contact Schneider first and foremost and inform them of your desire to return. Maybe they can help you expedite this and at least get a pre-hire in place. Worth a shot. Either way you will more than likely be required to go back to a school if for no other reason to have the certificate and again go through road training.
Beyond Schneider here is a link of Paid CDL Training Programs.
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.
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.
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.
As I am short on time right now, I will make this short. Look into Company Sponsored Training. Many resources on this site. Next, If you have been indulging in substances that may show up on a Hair/Pee test, get and stay clean for a Minimum of 6 months. One failed drug test, either pre or post employment, will pretty much shut the doors on this career FOREVER. Good luck to you. I'm sure MANY others on this site will add valuable information to this post.
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.
Welcome back, Jeremiah. Your 10 year old experience won't get you much. But I bet you can handle the CDL skills test no sweat!
You will most probably have to take the full newbie path: 160 hours/ 3-4 weeks school, plus some time with an OTR mentor driver, that's up to 4 weeks or so. Good news: strut your experienced stuff and you can probably test out of most of this.
Here are some things to get you started:
- Truck Driver's Career Guide
- Brett's Book: The Raw Truth About Trucking (free online version)
- High Road Training Program
These things might seem old hat for you, but you've been out of the game for 10 years and you'll need the updating. The high road training program will certainly prepare you for today's CDL written test. Brett's story will give you an idea of what's different now, and the career guide speaks for itself, only it's for the 21st century.
If you're looking for strictly LA/LB local, talk to the drayage companies. The companies we mostly deal with here are 99% OTR.
- Trucker's Career Guide: Choosing Your First Truck Driving Job
- Article Category: Finding The Right Truck Driving Job
- Forum Topics Tagged "Choosing A Trucking Company"
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.
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.
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.
Jeremiah, sorry for your loss.
Unless I missed it, I don't think anybody responded to your curious statement about just getting your class C a few months ago, even though you used to have a class A when you drove 10 years ago. If you lost your license for some reason, and just got it back, this might hinder you from getting hired - depending on why you lost your license. For example, if you lost it because of DUI , and just got it reinstated, most companies will not hire you until at least 3 years has passed since your driving privileges were reinstated. Some companies make you wait 5 years. And multiple DUIs are very hard to overcome.
If you explain what you meant about just getting your class C a few months ago, and why you didn't have it prior, we might be able to help you better.
DUI:
Driving Under the Influence
Jeremiah, sorry for your loss.
Unless I missed it, I don't think anybody responded to your curious statement about just getting your class C a few months ago, even though you used to have a class A when you drove 10 years ago. If you lost your license for some reason, and just got it back, this might hinder you from getting hired - depending on why you lost your license. For example, if you lost it because of DUI , and just got it reinstated, most companies will not hire you until at least 3 years has passed since your driving privileges were reinstated. Some companies make you wait 5 years. And multiple DUIs are very hard to overcome.
If you explain what you meant about just getting your class C a few months ago, and why you didn't have it prior, we might be able to help you better.
Thanks for all the comments. Yes, I'm realize I need to return to school and looking forward to that. The decision on schooling is a hard one. I would like to go over the road again and enjoy the life style I miss so much. Also considering team but that's something that to me, would be more of a right fit situation between myself and the other driver. I would never roll the dice on that without spending a great deal of time with that other guy or gal...I look at it like a relationship!
I lost my license due to a child support issue that has been since corrected. That's the only reason. I have a clean driving record.
Thanks for the advice so far...let's keep the comments rolling in...I need to start the process very soon. Oh any btw. I stopped smoking wacky tobacco a couple months ago when l decided I want to get on the road again. Anyone know of a good home test kit? Def. Want to pass that before applying for a Co and getting a failed drug test.
Thanks in advance for all the great advice
Over The Road:
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.
DUI:
Driving Under the Influence
Well it's going to be at least a few months before you can safely pass a hair follicle test and the recent suspension is going to rule out a lot of companies. Unfortunately I don't think you're going to have a whole lot of available options. I would start by applying to all of the company-sponsored programs and see who is willing to give you a shot before you waste too much time researching a bunch of options you probably won't have.
We have this list also:
Hair Follicle vs. Urinalysis Drug Testing: Breakdown By Company
Well it's going to be at least a few months before you can safely pass a hair follicle test and the recent suspension is going to rule out a lot of companies. Unfortunately I don't think you're going to have a whole lot of available options. I would start by applying to all of the company-sponsored programs and see who is willing to give you a shot before you waste too much time researching a bunch of options you probably won't have.
We have this list also:
Hair Follicle vs. Urinalysis Drug Testing: Breakdown By Company
And by "a few months" - a lot depends on how much you smoked (regular daily etc.). We've had people that have claimed to have quit- that have come up dirty more than two months out (on urine) and 6 months out (on hair). So it seems real subjective as to EXACTLY HOW LONG you have to be clean to pass either. Rule of thumb has typically been 30 days for urine, and 6 months for hair.
Rick
May I ask how your parting terms with Schneider were? If you parted on good terms they may be worth another look by you. Granted you may have to go to a local school for your CDL , but if you had a good relationship with them they may be more likely to overlook the short time you have had your license back.
As far as hair follicle test. Remember hair grows roughly 1/4" per month. Yes it is dependent on age, health, diet, genetics. But that is a rough estimate. To attain 1 1/2" it takes 6 months. Hair follicle wants 1 1/2" to test. Simple math.
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.
And don't think cutting your hair will solve the hair problem. They will get one from other body parts you won't enjoy as much.
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Hi I'm in Long beach Ca. Trained with Schneider about 10 years back and left the road after my wife passed away while l was on the road. I'm ready to make a comeback after struggling for many of the past few years with BS jobs...I want my trucking lifestyle back!!! Some of my best memories was from trucking! Here are the issues l need advice on:
1 I let my CDL go years ago and i'm studying to get it back...I just got my class c license a few months ago. Are there carriers that will accept me without having my license for a while?
2. What's the best start to move to in order to get good OTR runs? We have the Port of LA/ Long Beach here but l don't see alot of companies recruiting here. 3. Can anyone give me advice on training programs in SoCal?
4. Roehl will pay folks during training..but l don't live in their hiring area, any advice on how to get around this?
5. I how far back does companies look at hair test?
I would love to drive for Crete but need 3-6 otr. any advice on how to gain this exp. without burning bridges?
Any and all advice will greatly appreciated.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
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.