Have Had CDL For A Year But No Experience. Who Will Hire Me And Train Me?
Topic 28081 | Page 1
Can't help you with the hair test issue cause I've never had to do that test. I wouldn't have to worry about it anyway because I NEVER did drugs of any kind. I'm sorry to hear about your Dad. However, you better get it straight in your mind that regardless of the stress, smoking marijuana is not worth losing your CDL for. Even if your State allows it, it's a Federal rule that you can't use marijuana.
As for getting hired, you are considered stale, so may have to redo your training. Click on this link: Trucking Truth Jobs and start talking with recruiters.
Laura
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.
I would highly suggest that you wait 6 months or so and stay clean so there's no chance of failing a drug test. If you fail a drug test your career is over as far as I can tell. I don't know of a single person that has failed a drug test and went on to find work anywhere. I'm assuming it has happened, but I haven't heard of it, and I've been doing this for a very long time. So consider a failed drug test a permanent end to your trucking career and make the safest possible decisions.
What happens if you take the DOT drug test for yourself and fail?
Not for an employer. But marked as pre employment
I would highly suggest that you wait 6 months or so and stay clean so there's no chance of failing a drug test. If you fail a drug test your career is over as far as I can tell. I don't know of a single person that has failed a drug test and went on to find work anywhere. I'm assuming it has happened, but I haven't heard of it, and I've been doing this for a very long time. So consider a failed drug test a permanent end to your trucking career and make the safest possible decisions.
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.
If a retrain is necessary perhaps comapny sponsered school maybe right for you since they put you through school and work for them depending on the school 1 or 2 years and it pays for the school. I’ll be doing this through Swift and with them it’s 1st year they take a small bit from you check each week and the 2nd year they put it back making the school free. You can look at the list on this site to see which one works for you. The beauty of this is they will have work for you and this is where you get your experience. Then you can stay with them or take another opportunity. I’m hoping to stay with them. It sounds like they’re a good company and they have many opps. Swift does hair test but there is a list of school on this site and some of them do not hair test. That’s not an issue for me. From what I’m hearing they all have about the same thing going on as far as school and opportunities. I would take Brett Aquila’s suggestion as well and keep clean for 6 months or so. Good Luck.
As for getting hired, you are considered stale, so may have to redo your training. Click on this link: Trucking Truth Jobs and start talking with recruiters.
Laura
I agree you should wait. I haven't seen anyone mention the new FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, potential employers will be able to access to check on your previous test results. If you test positive then it will follow you on this register. The wait will also give you a chance to make sure you're over the urge to fall back on an old problem. There quite a few companies that will train you so it shouldn't be a problem finding somewhere to find a job. Good Luck and stay safe in these rough times.
CSA:
Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA)
The CSA is a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) initiative to improve large truck and bus safety and ultimately reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities that are related to commercial motor vehicle
FMCSA:
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
The FMCSA was established within the Department of Transportation on January 1, 2000. Their primary mission is to prevent commercial motor vehicle-related fatalities and injuries.
What Does The FMCSA Do?
- Commercial Drivers' Licenses
- Data and Analysis
- Regulatory Compliance and Enforcement
- Research and Technology
- Safety Assistance
- Support and Information Sharing
Fm:
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.
What happens if you take the DOT drug test for yourself and fail?
Not for an employer. But marked as pre employment
I would highly suggest that you wait 6 months or so and stay clean so there's no chance of failing a drug test. If you fail a drug test your career is over as far as I can tell. I don't know of a single person that has failed a drug test and went on to find work anywhere. I'm assuming it has happened, but I haven't heard of it, and I've been doing this for a very long time. So consider a failed drug test a permanent end to your trucking career and make the safest possible decisions.
Amy, as was stated earlier, the last thing you want is any failed drug test. Only test you can try is those home kids. Once you take the DOT test & fail, its game over for your CDL career. Both Roehl & Knight do hair follicle. Prime only does urine but that can change at any moment. Those are the only companies I know from experience. 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.
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.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
CFI and Crete also are hair follicle testing.
Echoing all others---WAIT!
Technically unless it’s changed recently, if you fail a pre employment hair test they can’t share it because it’s not DOT authorized. Would I feel comfortable testing that rule, NO WAY. Take the advice given and wait. I wouldn’t even consider it until I was clean a minimum of 3 months but preferably 6 for a hair test. Also I personally know a driver that just failed a U/A test because he ate a couple CBD gummies.
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.
This statement: “ I admit that I have smoked pot here and there since my dad died to deal with the stress but I have been clean for about 35 days now.”
How will you deal with stress out here?
I’m sorry for your loss. I hope you never have that much pain again. But there are days you’re gonna be really stressed out.
What if you have a rough, I mean REALLY rough, week or two and you get home for three days of...DE-stressing?
I just bring this up because your use was pretty recent. You, and your employer, need to be certain pot won’t be your recreation of choice in the future.
Good luck and I agree with the others. Wait.
Dm:
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.New Reply:
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I got my CDL back in June of 2019. I have put in applications but have not pulled the trigger on starting my career because I have had a lot going on family wise and I am also very nervous about starting this new life. My father recently passed away from Lung Cancer and I am working at Domino's. All of the local companies that I had contacted want experienced drivers.
I don't want to continue working at Domino's if I can have a great career in trucking. I want to face my fears and honor my dad.
I admit that I have smoked pot here and there since my dad died to deal with the stress but I have been clean for about 35 days now. So I am looking for a company that does not hair test.
Is there any company's that will train me because my skills need to be polished before I am comfortable and feel like I can safely operate a tractor trailer.
Or is there any alternative ways to get retrained?
I am ready to face my fears an put my CDL to use.
If you have any other advice it would be greatly appreciated.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
Dm:
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.