Student Driver On Felony Probation
Topic 1789 | Page 1
Hello Ryan, and welcome to the forum!
If you really want to make this happen you're gonna have to be diligent and don't let all the rejections get to ya. Hey, I know that is a whole lot easier for me to say than for you to do, but it's the reality of your situation. You don't need me to tell you that you've got several strikes against you because you already have been experiencing that. Unfortunately two of the felonies that trucking companies really have trouble with are drug trafficking, and violent crimes. Ryan, I'm gonna give you some advice and information, but I want you to realize that if you do get a trucking job, you've absolutely got to stick with it for a full year of safe driving. This is critical for everyone, but doubly important for you. So what I'm saying is that no matter how tough it gets, don't let the pressure or the frustrations of the job get to you so that you want to quit or do something stupid. It is going to be tough, but you've got to prove that you are tougher and able to handle it without breaking.
If Swift will keep working with you and put you behind the wheel, go for it - it's a great opportunity for you. Just ignore anything you've heard or read about them online because it's all trash. I work for Western Express, and I defy anyone to go online and find a positive review on them, yet I'm quite happy with my job and they run me just as hard as I can stand it.
Ryan, the one thing about that felony charge is that as more time goes by it becomes less and less of an issue. I know that doesn't help one bit for now, but I just wanted you to understand that fact. So, as the old saying goes, time is on your side. You are still young enough that if you keep out of trouble (and the prospect of getting a driving job one day soon should be a great motivation) you will still be able to get in a truck in a short while.
I think it's great that you got to do your CDL schooling while you were down, but trucking companies won't look at it that way. They are required by their insurance carriers to get recent graduates with verifiable recent training certificates. I ran into this problem when I started because I had some time between my schooling and when I got accepted by a company. What I'm saying, and you probably already have figured this out, is that you will have to go through their training again at a Company-Sponsored Training program.
One other thing that you need to consider, and again you may be way ahead of me on this, but I've helped a couple of people get trucking jobs that were in your shoes, and I advised them to have a letter from their probation officer stating that they are free to travel anywhere as long as they are working. This is good to send to companies that you are trying to get on with because a lot of them just think that if you are on probation you're not allowed to move around from state to state so they won't even consider you. Unfortunately for a lot of people that is the case, but if you can get a letter like that from your P.O. it will help some.
Jump back in here if things don't work out with Swift, I think I can at least point you in a couple of directions where you might have success, but I want you to keep following through with Sift if you can, because it really is a great opportunity for you if it will work out.
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.
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.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
I am on supervised release and am having some issues with my agent.
I told him I was looking for a cdl driving job but that many companies needed me to be able to go out of state, at least regionally. Since I have kept my nose clean, he gave me permission. Now, he is telling me via email that I need to have a travel permit each time that I plan to leave. I know that I explained to him that I have no way of knowing what tomorrow is going to bring until I call my dispatcher and find out where I'm headed.
I noticed in the above post that it was mentioned that a letter from an agent permitting out of state travel goes a long way towards landing a job.
Does anyone know how to go about getting such a letter, especially if the agent says no such thing is allowed? I know that other people are doing this and I just want my shot too.
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.
Dispatcher:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
I am on supervised release and am having some issues with my agent.
I told him I was looking for a cdl driving job but that many companies needed me to be able to go out of state, at least regionally. Since I have kept my nose clean, he gave me permission. Now, he is telling me via email that I need to have a travel permit each time that I plan to leave. I know that I explained to him that I have no way of knowing what tomorrow is going to bring until I call my dispatcher and find out where I'm headed.
I noticed in the above post that it was mentioned that a letter from an agent permitting out of state travel goes a long way towards landing a job.
Does anyone know how to go about getting such a letter, especially if the agent says no such thing is allowed? I know that other people are doing this and I just want my shot too.
See my reply in the thread you started.
Rick
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.
Dispatcher:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
There were a few folks in my class that had felony convictions who were turned down by several companies. They applied for every company they could think of and all, upon graduation, had pre-hire letters and were figuring out their orientation dates. As others have said....don't give up. Most people deserve second chances and someone will be willing to give you one eventually. Good luck, man.
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.
New Reply:
New! Check out our help videos for a better understanding of our forum features
Preview:
Why Join Trucking Truth?
- The High Road Training Program
- The High Road Article Series
- The Friendliest Trucker's Forum Ever!
- Email Updates When New Articles Are Posted
Apply For Paid CDL Training Through TruckingTruth
Did you know you can fill out one quick form here on TruckingTruth and apply to several companies at once for paid CDL training? Seriously! The application only takes one minute. You will speak with recruiters today. There is no obligation whatsoever. Learn more and apply here:
TT On Facebook
Hi i served 3 years in a florida correctional facility for aggrv battery and i am finishing My sentence of 10years probation. I did my cdl school while i Was incarcerated. I currently have my license and dot medical caRd. I am Ready to drive but need experience. Most companies shoot me down Once they find out my record. Then a few would work with me but i need To be 23 or 24 which i wont be 23 till January2014. SSwif . Is currently working With me but i cant help feeling like they too will deny me. Does anyone have some advice I have applied to 38 companies and this is my dream career.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
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.