Restarting After 3 Years

Posted in another forum, but was suggested to post here.

It's a long story, but I'll try to shorten it as much as I can. In early 2016, I went to the Celadon academy to get my CDL. Went through their orientation, started training, and due to my marriage falling apart during all of this, I left. After about 7 months, all of the drama had fizzled and I decided to try again. Ended up going to Werner and headed out with a trainer. Was on the trainers truck about 3 weeks when I got a phone call I never thought I'd hear, a family member had had a massive stroke, and they let me get off of the truck to be with them. I don't want to put too many details into that, but I felt the road wasn't for me after both of these incidents happening.

Fast forward to now. I'm officially divorced, and to be honest, hate the normal 9-5 job. I still have my cdl and an updated physical, so I thought maybe I could try again, since I now have nothing back home to worry about and to have to come back to.

My problem is, will any company even touch me with practically zero experience even though I have my Class-A?

Absolutely they will. I think your best bet would be to contact Werner or Celadon for starters, although, most any Company will take you on. You will probably be required to take a "refresher" course of some type. I put refresher in quotes because it really isn't a cut and dried term throughout the industry. Probably go through a company orientation and then several weeks with a trainer, mentor, engineer or what ever term the company uses to describe their road trainers. My guess is that you will be solo in 3-6 weeks. Good Luck!

Mark, you kind of have yourself in a tough position. It would seem easy enough to just go through a "refresher" course at one of the many Paid CDL Training Programs. The problem with that is most of them won't consider someone who previously dropped out of a training program. You've quit twice during training. They simply see you as a high risk, and don't want to commit their resources to someone with that kind of record.

There are some options, but you're limited. I know Western Express has a program for folks in your situation. What they do is run you through orientation and then pair you with another driver in a similar situation as yours. Then the two of you work together as a team for a certain amount of miles. I'm not sure, but I think it's 40,000 miles. After you've satisfactorily completed the teaming portion of your training they put you in a solo truck and your on your own as a solo company driver.

You might also try contacting CFI and see what kind of options they offer. It seems we've had a few people in your situation get started fairly painlessly with them.

Foremost you need to recognize the extreme commitment this job requires. It's not easy getting started, and even more demanding to stay in the game. You need to put some skin in the game and hang tough. It's not unusual for us to have emergency situations arise at home. Most of the time we deal with them from the road and keep moving forward. I'm not saying you did anything wrong. I just want you to realize bad stuff happens - how we deal with those events is not typically the way folks with a 9 -5 regular job would do. If there's anything that separates the folks who are enjoying and succeeding at trucking from the many malcontents out here, it's a recognizable "hardcore commitment" to getting this job done under all the various circumstances that constantly push them to gravitate back to their former lifestyle.

I know it's going to be tough, and I have a lot to prove. Thankfully now I'm in a much better place in my life and I'm ready for the commitment.

Mark, if driving is your goal, or dream, don't give up on it. Like Old School said, it may not be easy. I like the old cliché "where there's a will, there's a way". Good luck with getting back to it.

Mark, I stand by my original post. Companies are hiring drivers and students left and right these days. If I read your original post correctly, you did originally drive for 7 months? Then had family issues?. If you have a clean driving record, no preventables in your previous jobs with Celadon or Werner, a clean criminal record, (although not completely necessary. There are several drivers on this forum that have been hired, even with felonies), and a steady employment record, there are 50 companies that will have you in orientation next week. Get the Driver Pulse app on your phone and apply today. Good Luck! Please report back and make a liar out of me if necessary.

Tractor wrote...

Mark, I stand by my original post. Companies are hiring drivers and students left and right these days. If I read your original post correctly, you did originally drive for 7 months? Then had family issues?. If you have a clean driving record, no preventables in your previous jobs with Celadon or Werner, a clean criminal record, (although not completely necessary. There are several drivers on this forum that have been hired, even with felonies), and a steady employment record, there are 50 companies that will have you in orientation next week. Get the Driver Pulse app on your phone and apply today. Good Luck! Please report back and make a liar out of me if necessary.

Tractor if you reread his initial post, he actually quit twice before finishing training at Celadon and then Werner. It doesn’t appear as though he had any solo, 1st seat experience; and if he did, definitely no where near 7 months. Mark if you don’t mind, could you kindly confirm this?

I do think (like Tractor), his best bet is to return, hat in hand to Celadon and Werner and humbly request a second chance. Be honest...of the two, Werner may be more forgiving since it was a serious health emergency in the family.

Mark use these links to help expedite the process:

Paid CDL Training Programs

Apply For Paid CDL Training

I do caution you Mark that you must be 100% committed and see it through. Might be your last chance...

Good luck to you!

Correct...with Celadon it was more of their idea that I leave to deal with all the issues I was having.. With Werner I was over 3/4 of my way through training, I think I had 210/275 hours I needed.

Mark, I also feel that this is going to be very tough, but doable. You will need to go through training again but most of the companies are going to turn you down. Someone will definitely give you a shot though. I would apply to as many Paid CDL Training Programs as possible, and also try to get back on with one of your previous companies. It only takes one opportunity to get back out there, but not many companies will be willing to give you that third shot.

Most of the people who take a shot at these programs don't last very long because they're not fully committed to the process or severely underestimate how difficult trucking really is. Unfortunately, you've set a really bad precedent by failing to complete the training with two different companies already. I understand that you were facing tough circumstances, but from the company's point of view they're trying to mitigate their risk by choosing the candidates that are more likely to succeed so it really doesn't matter why it didn't work out for you those two times, it just didn't. That makes you super risky.

So expect a lot of people to turn you down, but also expect someone to give you a shot. You just have to keep after it until you find a way to make it happen. It only takes one. You might even find that one opportunity quickly. You'll soon find out.