Last Chance Or Time To Move On?
Topic 29360 | Page 3
Multiple phone calls yielded 3 job offers:
Western Express Flatbed - .32 cpm OTR - 9 month contract, $2,500 fee for leaving early - 6 weeks with a trainer
TransAm - .50 cpm Regional - $7,500 sign on bonus ($1,250 monthly for 6 months) - 3 days orientation, then truck is assigned and assigned first load.
Navajo - .32 cpm OTR - .38 cpm if you meet the monthly metrics to qualify for a bonus.
The phone calls moved along quickly. After putting in a mini application with truckers report or find cdl jobs, (can't remember which one I used) I spent an entire day answering phone calls from recruiters.
Before their sales pitch I would say "I have a recent DOT accident"
Their response was usually wait 1 year and reaply or wait 3 years and reaply. All the recruiters were very kind and informative.
I am now a TransAm driver but will not drive like Burt Reynolds.
Okay, thanks for the extra information.
All you can do is apply quickly and try to get a driving job as soon as possible. Well, there is one more thing you can do. Try to be EXTRA CAREFUL!
We aren't going to judge you, but by now you know how serious this job is. You have got to keep it between the ditches and be a safe driver. If you can't do that you will not be given any more chances.
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.
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
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.
CPM:
Cents Per Mile
Drivers are often paid by the mile and it's given in cents per mile, or cpm.
Wish you well, good sir~!!
Hopefully you won't be persuaded to 'fleece' (aka: Lease) .. however.
Please keep us posted; super glad you found another opportunity!!
~ Anne ~
Thank you! I made it!
I talked to an older trucker way back when I was kicking around the idea of becoming a driver. When I asked him about lease options he called them "rent a wreck" that summed it up for me. However my current company has a lease program that is particularly brutal. I went over the numbers with some newer guys who were going to lease. They are going company driver now.
Wish you well, good sir~!!
Hopefully you won't be persuaded to 'fleece' (aka: Lease) .. however.
Please keep us posted; super glad you found another opportunity!!
~ Anne ~
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I must say, if you are questioning the need to move on as much as you seem to be....you've answered your own question.
DAC:
Drive-A-Check Report
A truck drivers DAC report will contain detailed information about their job history of the last 10 years as a CDL driver (as required by the DOT).
It may also contain your criminal history, drug test results, DOT infractions and accident history. The program is strictly voluntary from a company standpoint, but most of the medium-to-large carriers will participate.
Most trucking companies use DAC reports as part of their hiring and background check process. It is extremely important that drivers verify that the information contained in it is correct, and have it fixed if it's not.