When Is Training Considered "stale"?

Thanks Susan.

I have had some contact with Crystal at West Side. I think I will try her tomorrow!

Do you train men or just women? I don't sleep in moving vehicles so Team is out. I think I am over the thing about living in a truck with a trainer. As I no longer have to maintain the apartments I was managing... I think I will view it as an adventure and better way to train. (No, I WON'T do 50,000 miles!)

Thanks Susan. West Side was on my short list, I think

West side took me after I graduated in February and I started there end of June. They where a good company to work for everyone is friendly and I liked their training program.

Had this linehaul opportunity not come up id probably still be there.

Thanks Bobcat Bob!

There are a few companies that will take you on but yes, yours is considered stale. You fall into a hard category as your training is stale and your experience is not enough. Some of the "last chance" companies will still happily take you though. Western Express is another that comes to mind that will probably take you. Best of luck.

Thanks Michael.

I would be more inclined to go to a "finishing school" or complete new training from scratch than a "last chance" company...

From Western Express web site:

No Recent Experience? No Problem. We’ve pioneered the industry’s first “REFRESHER” program for drivers with NO RECENT EXPERIENCE, including drivers who have a CDL but didn’t attend truck driving school. Most trucking companies require you have recent driving experience regardless of how much driving history you have. If you don’t, they make you go back to school, which costs you time and money. But at Western Express, we recognize your past driving experience, or your past CDL A school training, and provide you the on-the-job PAID TRAINING you need to get on the road fast. Call now to come back to truck driving earning TOP PAY – Right Away!

I train both males and females.. last 3 or 4 have been males. I do smoke, so I typically avoid taking nonsmokers. I've had a couple non smokers swear up and down its not a problem, but then later gripe and complain, so I'm over it lol. We do have non smoking trainers too. Some drive 10 speed manuals and some are in 12 speed autoshifts.

Mark, make a list and call the ones you like most first. That is the best thing you could do. I never heard of West Side before Sue started with them. They seem like a great company. Of course CFI has treated me great. I wouldn't go any place else for OTR. Best of luck in your future as a driver.

Mark, Big Scotts written list is good idea. Since you fall into the tough category of less than 3 months experience but more than 60-90 days since cdl school I would bet most of your first choices will decline. With any luck you can get a yes from at least one of your top 10 choices. But at least with Westside and Western Express you know you can start driving again without having to redo schooling.

I had also never heard of Westside until a couple days ago when a shipper accidentally loaded my preload onto their trailer then I had to wait 2 hours for them to find it and transload to me....ugh.

I don't sleep in moving vehicles so Team is out.

From Western Express web site:

No Recent Experience? No Problem. We’ve pioneered the industry’s first “REFRESHER” program for drivers with NO RECENT EXPERIENCE, including drivers who have a CDL but didn’t attend truck driving school.

Marc, just so you're aware...

The program that Western Express "pioneered" will pair you with another inexperienced driver, with a similar situation, in a "team" dispatched truck. They assign you a special dispatcher , and expect the two people in the truck to help each other figure it out. After a month or so (it's a certain amount of miles, but I can't recall the number) they'll separate you and put each of you in their own truck as solo drivers.

Marc during my training at Swift’s Richmond Academy there was a student attending the training who had a current CDL but had been out of the cab for almost a year.

He breezed through training and was allowed to complete an abbreviated Mentoring (Road Training) stint of only two weeks (as opposed to the 240 required at that time).

Granted that was over 6 years ago, but Swift might be a viable choice, especially considering all the Dedicated options including Target.

As others have indicated, most companies will consider this on a case by case basis. Try not to overthink your reentry into trucking; you can be successful at most any company.

Good luck and be safe.

The program that Western Express "pioneered" will pair you with another inexperienced driver, with a similar situation, in a "team" dispatched truck. They assign you a special dispatcher , and expect the two people in the truck to help each other figure it out.

I think the Donner Party were "Pioneers" too. We all know how that worked out!