Leaving For School On Midnight May 4th

I am sending a letter to CRST asking for a explanation of why I was dismissed when I was improving.

Doug, let me shoot straight with you.

Just move on. Forget about analyzing what went wrong. I got dismissed three different times when I was getting started in trucking. Believe me, I know how much it bothers you. The most likely answer you'll get (if they even respond) is that "we had better candidates to choose from." These decisions are made on the fly, and at best they are making a guess at who they think will eventually become an asset to their team.

They pass on potentially good candidates all the time. They accept people they later wish they hadn't. It's really difficult for them to watch a brand new rookie and make an accurate assessment of how they will eventually turn out. They really have little to go by until you've put in at least a year of time with them. There's no science to this hiring process, it's pretty much a "crap shoot."

I've got a question for you. What's taking you so long? The answer to that may indicate where you failed at CRST. Trucking requires that you be assertive. It's imperative that you be able to make quick decisions well. It's a very dynamic environment. You would have been wise to already have had several backup plans in place. I remember one of the places that dismissed me was going to get me a bus ticket home. I said no thanks, get me a ticket to Nashville, TN. That was where the next company I was going to try was located.

Doug, you are probably unaware of my beginning to this career, but I got sent home from three different orientations. It's a tough pill to swallow, but it's not the end of everything. You still have the potential to have a great career ahead of you. These things happen. We learn from them, we press on, and we conquer our fears and our doubts. It's a great lesson in realizing the resiliency required for this career.

Hang in there, and if you need some advice, feel free to reach out to us. Many of us have been right where you are.

What happened that you had to leave that many schools?

What happened that you had to leave that many schools?

I didn't leave any "schools."

These were orientations for employment by trucking companies. I attended a private school. You know, the ones that people tend to think will allow them to have a lot more options when they enter this career. I got several pre-hire agreements together and went with my top choice: TMC.

During the company physical their physician decided I had a small hernia. It didn't matter that I already had my CDL , and a 2 year medical card. I was sent back home. I paid cash out of pocket to a surgeon, a hospital, and an anesthesiologist to get that repaired. A huge expense for an unemployed guy with no insurance. I had the money, and I wanted to start a trucking career, so out came my wallet.

After a six week recovery I got a full work release letter from the surgeon and TMC invited me back. Then during their physical agility test they decided I looked weak. Duh! I just had surgery! I told the guy observing me that I was going to do everything he asked, but since I was still healing I was going to be slow and methodical with the strenuous parts of the test. I accomplished each task including getting the tarp upon a trailer and then on top a 6' tall steel coil. It wasn't good enough. He DQ'd me, and back on the bus I went.

The recruiter told me to wait four more weeks, get my strength back, and he would get me back on board. I exercised, did Yoga, and in general kept myself motivated and working toward getting back up there. After setting up a third orientation, while waiting for them to let me know when they would have my bus ticket, my recruiter called to tell me someone above him determined they weren't going to "waste any more time and money" on me. I was done - they were done with me!

So, I went to my next pre-hire agreement which was PGT trucking. They were thrilled to have me, and put me on the bus the very next week. After being there three days, they discovered I'd been out of trucking school for almost 3 months. That was basically the time I spent back and forth with TMC. They said my training was too "stale" for their standards. They were willing to pay my way back home so I could go back to school for a "refresher course." Uhmm, I decided I didn't want to spend another $1,800 dollars, which is what the school quoted me.

I asked PGT for a bus ticket to Nashville, TN. I had a pre-hire agreement there with Western Express. Once there, I got hired and I never looked back. I got a great start to my flatbed driving career there. Many of the long time members here will remember how much I struggled during that time. It was a brutal entry, but I survived it.

What happened that you had to leave that many schools?

I didn't leave any "schools."

These were orientations for employment by trucking companies. I attended a private school. You know, the ones that people tend to think will allow them to have a lot more options when they enter this career. I got several pre-hire agreements together and went with my top choice: TMC.

During the company physical their physician decided I had a small hernia. It didn't matter that I already had my CDL , and a 2 year medical card. I was sent back home. I paid cash out of pocket to a surgeon, a hospital, and an anesthesiologist to get that repaired. A huge expense for an unemployed guy with no insurance. I had the money, and I wanted to start a trucking career, so out came my wallet.

After a six week recovery I got a full work release letter from the surgeon and TMC invited me back. Then during their physical agility test they decided I looked weak. Duh! I just had surgery! I told the guy observing me that I was going to do everything he asked, but since I was still healing I was going to be slow and methodical with the strenuous parts of the test. I accomplished each task including getting the tarp upon a trailer and then on top a 6' tall steel coil. It wasn't good enough. He DQ'd me, and back on the bus I went.

The recruiter told me to wait four more weeks, get my strength back, and he would get me back on board. I exercised, did Yoga, and in general kept myself motivated and working toward getting back up there. After setting up a third orientation, while waiting for them to let me know when they would have my bus ticket, my recruiter called to tell me someone above him determined they weren't going to "waste any more time and money" on me. I was done - they were done with me!

So, I went to my next pre-hire agreement which was PGT trucking. They were thrilled to have me, and put me on the bus the very next week. After being there three days, they discovered I'd been out of trucking school for almost 3 months. That was basically the time I spent back and forth with TMC. They said my training was too "stale" for their standards. They were willing to pay my way back home so I could go back to school for a "refresher course." Uhmm, I decided I didn't want to spend another $1,800 dollars, which is what the school quoted me.

I asked PGT for a bus ticket to Nashville, TN. I had a pre-hire agreement there with Western Express. Once there, I got hired and I never looked back. I got a great start to my flatbed driving career there. Many of the long time members here will remember how much I struggled during that time. It was a brutal entry, but I survived it.

Congrats grad you made it. Did you know you had hernia before the doc told you?

Old School, thank you for your boldness. I respect your point of view. I will continue to post when I have something to update. Thanks again.

Did you know you had hernia before the doc told you?

No, I was unaware of it. I had already been checked by another doctor who missed it. Of course, he was doing med cards for the private school I attended. He didn't seem to interested in failing any of us.

Did you know you had hernia before the doc told you?

No, I was unaware of it. I had already been checked by another doctor who missed it. Of course, he was doing med cards for the private school I attended. He didn't seem to interested in failing any of us.

Yeah same thing happened for me. I did a DOT physical but they never looked at my groin. Just felt my abdomen area. I hope I don't have it.

You might want to look at millis transfer they have a school in wisconsin near you that you could drive to. stay mon thru friday and drive home on the weekends. If i could figure out the alley dock anyone can. Jaimie the instructor there is fantastically patient to the point of madness.

First of all Happy Father's Day to all you fathers! Noob Driver, I have considered Millis and wanted to go there before going to CRST. However, I was told that I lived just outside of their hiring area, otherwise I would have gone there. Right now I am waiting to see if they are going to hold me to the agreement we were all required to sign on the first day of school. There is a clause that states that a student cannot be employed by another company unless the school cost plus room and board is paid. That's a total of around 7000.00. So far I haven't received a bill, but I expect one anytime. I have heard this agreement is iron clad, and I've heard that it cannot be enforced, I don't know what to expect. If anyone has insight please let me know. As it is my plans are on hold. When I was dismissed I asked if I was going to be billed and my recruiter told me he didn't think so but didn't seem to know for sure, and the school person who dismissed me said it wasn't his department and he didn't know anything about it. But the agreement states that they have the right to dismiss anyone for any reason at anytime and that the student will be responsible for cost to be paid 30 days after leaving school.

Keep your head up Doug. We're all pulling for you. This may be a dumb question but I know some carriers pay reimbursement for CDL training. Do any out there pay for the situation Doug is in? Just asking... I want Doug to realize his dream.