Questionable Backround

Hey everyone i was just feeling a little discouraged because of some stupid stuff i did years ago and was wondering if anyone had advice on different companies who maybe didnt care so much about backround but still pays a decent wage. Im getting into the trucking industry to support my family and so far ive been turned down by midwest express, swift based on my backround and i feel its set the pace for most companies please someone tell me im wrong.

Ryan T.

Absolute best thing to do is apply online to some big companies (Prime, Swift, Central, Stevens) and then follow up right away by calling the recruiters at those companies. They can go over your application with you on the phone and answer ALL of your questions. Be honest and don't leave anything out. They have ways . . .

Jopa

I have a criminal background with my last charge being 11 yrs ago. Celadon took me with no problem. The school is Quality Drivers.

If you have any felony convictions or DUI's in the past 5 years it's going to be extremely difficult to find anyone that will give you a shot. If you have convictions and they're 7-10 years old or more you'll likely get a shot somewhere. It will depend on the number of charges and the nature of the charges also. Drug and theft related charges seem to be the worst ones to overcome.

All you can really do is apply like crazy everywhere and see what they say. Have you decided whether you want Company-Sponsored Training or private CDL training? Read through our Truck Driver's Career Guide if you're not sure which one wil suit you best.

I have two accidents, one my fault, last year and the year before that consecutively, Will C.R. England Hire me to train for the CDL? They said there might be a six month wait when I talked to them today, but I don't care...With the negative reviews I've heard about them I'm not nailing myself down to any 1 company yet.

I have two accidents, one my fault, last year and the year before that consecutively, Will C.R. England Hire me to train for the CDL? They said there might be a six month wait when I talked to them today, but I don't care...With the negative reviews I've heard about them I'm not nailing myself down to any 1 company yet.

Hi

they are a good company with a good training program. If you have a chance to go with them, you should not hesitate. Even in Salt Lake City the school changed their staff and it is a good school now. The negative views are not always reliable information.

The Trainer Coordinators during your over the road training are good people. They work with you. If you are with a trainer that does not do his job, you can always ask them for another trainer. You can also request that you don't want to share a truck with a second student. They just don't like it when you don't communicate with them.

Remember, C R England is a Refrigerated Transport Company. Hauling temperature controlled freight is different from hauling a dry van. You will be driving long distances and your home time will be less compared to dry van. Temperature controlled freight is perishable freight. That means that if you wait too long, the freight may spoil or you deliver rotten and moldy carrots. C R England is a good company and a large company. If you are stuck on the road or a sick and are sure you can't deliver on time, they will send another driver with an empty trailer or just bobtail and you just swap the trailers. You just need to communicate well. If you don't say anything, you should not expect them to know you situation.

A lot of freight is touch freight and some are no touch freight, but drop and hook is very few. This is the nature of the freight. If you haul non-perishable goods such as furniture or applicances. You are not in a hurry to deliver. Usually, it is drop and hook.

Those who complain, usually arrive to school or orientation without preparation. They expect that they babysit them. Preparation prior to starting a career is important.

Just be careful with any Lease Program. If you don't know the market, you should not go that route. They might be a bit pushy, but they don't force it on you.

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If you have a questionable background, it is important to communicate with the recruiters. Communication can make a difference. If your background requires you to wait because of DOT Regulations then there is not much you can do and the recruiter is also not able to do much. If your background is questionable with regards to Company Policy, but not with regards to DOT Regulations, then you should communicate with the recruiter in a polite manner.

Every recruiter is different. You might have a jackass on your phone. The next recuiter might be a very merciful recruiter who would give you second or even third chances. Even in the same company, you find different types of people. Some are conservative others think more liberal.

I know a person who applied at Knight for the Squire Program. The recruiter in Arizona did not accept his application, but the recruiter in his hometown would have been willing to hire him anytime. This local recruiter talked to the recruiter in Arizona. This did not change her mind due to stubborness. If you are able to walk in and speak with the recruiter personally, you might get a better result. However, the local recruiter told the applicant that he should find a small local company and drive for three months and then apply directly at the local terminal. He would gladly hire him. This shows that if it does not work with one recruiter then don't lose hope. Try it with another recruiter. Eventually, you will have a recruiter at the phone who is lenient and gives you a second chance.

However, if DOT Regulations require you to wait then they are not able to break that rule.

They can be lenient regarding Company Policies, but not concerning DOT Policies.

Thank you very much. finally a positive review that didn't come from England! Yes The recruiter did mention they recently changed their policies. I don't care if i have to wait. I may also have a problem with hypertension , so that gives me some time to work on that, maybe even quit smoking! I don't wanna be so anxious about my first ride that I have a heart attack and keel over and drive a 40,000 pound truck into someones baby :-/

I remember my first driving exam in high school... everyone else got the ford focus... your fiat 500... your mini cooper... Me? no,no,no... I got their chevy montecarlo. I passed with better scores than most of them. I believe I was destined for this calling. My long term goal is to drive a log truck in Alaska <3 Maybe even a refer for England, I just don't want to rush this now... I've got the bug in my system and I've been known to be impulsive. I want to do this right and look good doing it. I want to become the best driver I can be and stop grinding bloody wheels on the curb...

At C R England, they allow their trainers to choose and pick their trainee. Usually, they choose a trainee with a good GPA. The better your GPA after school the better chances you have to get a good trainer.

Remember, most of the trainers are Owner Operators or Lease Operators. Rarely, you have a company driver train you. The trainers are usually very experienced (15+ years). Sometimes, you might drive an old truck, because they owner operator bought his truck long time ago. This should not be a problem. If you can handle older truck, they you can handle new trucks even better.

You need to remember that Owner Operators also pay their trainee. Some Owner Operator Trainers even give bonus on their own. The company pays you a flat rate, but the trainer, if he is an owner operator, also gives you a pay.

I know a person who had a trainer who was an owner operator. He was successful. What he did was not just lease a truck. Throughout his career he bought 12 trucks. Now he has his own fleet with 12 trucks. He hires his own drivers who haul freight for him. He give his trainees bonus pay if they complete certain miles. You might even be eligible to drive for him someday.

You need to make sure if you hometown is a good location for C R England. They mostly drive along the I-80 and I-40 and somewhere between. With Refigerated Freight you might experience more down time than with dry van.

I am going with Celadon by the way and start their Quality Driving School in Laredo, TX, 8th of September. I think starting my career with dry van is preferable for me personally. Taking care of the reefer additionally would not be a big problem, but with dry van I don't have to do that.

Going to look at CSX intermodal next then Kennesaw Transportation.