20 Years Experience, Now Can't Find A Job Due To Accident

Wayne, you sound very positive. You have taken a difficult situation and are making the best of it. I admire guys like you. Heck, in a year you might be running the show where you’re at!

Wayne, I really feel for you in this situation. Have you applied to the company I drive for? JS Helwig out of Terrell, TX. Give them a try, talk to Brandy in recruiting. Tell her driver KELB referred you.

The company has a referral bonus, but tell her in this case I would not accept it. We need to get you a job, man.

I would be happy to put in a good word for you. You can call me at 608 219 4599

We are a small company and I think they would give you a real chance.

I can't wait to get my cdl! Such an awesome community of comrades willing to help out people from the goodness of their heart. I love you guys already. Keep on truckin'!

Thanks. I've come to terms with I might not be driving for a while, if ever. I'll keep my CDL active just in case, but I'm really enjoying life where I'm at.

My next door neighbor still works for the trucking company that fired me. He came through town, and we went to the local diner for breakfast. He got to telling me about the 4am delivery that brought him home, and everything he went through the day before. The whole time, I'm listening to him, and thinking man, I don't miss that job at all. Not one bit.

I guess everything happens for a reason. The Lord will provide the means, if you apply the effort.

Wayne, you sound very positive. You have taken a difficult situation and are making the best of it. I admire guys like you. Heck, in a year you might be running the show where you’re at!

Thanks. I've come to terms with I might not be driving for a while, if ever. I'll keep my CDL active just in case, but I'm really enjoying life where I'm at.

My next door neighbor still works for the trucking company that fired me. He came through town, and we went to the local diner for breakfast. He got to telling me about the 4am delivery that brought him home, and everything he went through the day before. The whole time, I'm listening to him, and thinking man, I don't miss that job at all. Not one bit.

I guess everything happens for a reason. The Lord will provide the means, if you apply the effort.

Wayne, you sound very positive. You have taken a difficult situation and are making the best of it. I admire guys like you. Heck, in a year you might be running the show where you’re at!

You have a pretty good attitude, so I am willing to bet that when the time comes to start putting out applications again, you will be able to get the attention of someone. Once you have the opportunity to sell yourself, your positive attitude will go a long way.

Of course, that's if you decide that you want to get back to driving. Nothing says that you have to make that choice. Honest work is honest work. If you enjoy what you are doing and it works for you, then no one can do anything but respect the heck out of you for it.

Well, next week, it's been a year since the accident. I'm still working at the job in the guard shack at the orange juice plant up the road. Medical card expires here in about a week, so Friday after I get paid, I'll go get a new physical. This job not only pays the bills, but I get my 40+ hours in in three days, working two 16 hour shifts on the weekends, and one 12 on Thursday. Most weekends, the plant is closed, not always, but most of those two 16s, I'm sitting there watching movies, trying to stay awake. Most importantly, I'm spending a lot of time with my elderly mother who lives a few doors down on my street. For that reason alone, thinking back on the past year since I've been grounded from OTR trucking, I wouldn't trade that time I've spent with Mom for any dollar amount. I do miss the paychecks though. I'm making about half of what I was, but it's enough to keep the roof over my head and keep the lights on, even though I have to watch my pennies and can no longer just buy anything I want whenever I want.

I have no plans on getting back in a truck, at least while my Mom is still here with me. When that changes, who knows. I'll keep the CDL active just in case I ever change my mind, but I doubt that will happen, at least until she's gone. Another benefit, I've made friends at work, and folks who live near me. Getting together for football games, barbeques, and whatnot is something I've never experienced before this year. I'm 57 this year, I had been out on the road since I was 25 years old. A year and a half ago, I was so out of shape I struggled to walk from the truck to the truckstop or shipping and receiving office. Now, I'm riding my bicycle around the neighborhood.

I'm really thinking God pulled me out of that truck for a reason. Getting fired for an accident after driving for so many years of safe driving was a humbling experience, and truthfully, the first three months post-accident, I really struggled with the desire keep living, because I had no idea how I was going to make it, when the only thing I knew was gone. But, it ended up being one of the best years of my life, to be honest. I thank him for everything. I'm so grateful.