Trying To Start CDL School But Running Into A Temporarily Unavoidable Roadblock...

now if you Don't need to take the pain meds "DONT" ,,if you medically NEED them ,,,then dont tell the Co's ...if you can drive w/ the meds in you the that up to you ....

Ok so let me get this straight. You're saying if you need to take narcotics that are deemed illegal for commercial driving just do it and don't tell anyone, right? Well thanks for that Jon. If we're lucky that advice won't actually kill anyone, it will just land some people in jail or ruin their careers.

Buddy, this isn't the 80's anymore. You gotta get with the program. I started driving in '93 and there is a long list of things I used to do that would never fly in this day and age. Times change and you have to change with them. I know the history of this industry very well. I know how it used to be. But this is almost 2015 and you have to go by today's rules. Not to mention, you're not advising guys and gals that have driven for 25 years. These are people who are brand new to the industry, most of which haven't even started school yet. You're going to tell someone before they even know how many wheels are on an 18 wheeler to take narcotics and keep it on the down low? Yeah.....let's not ruin people's careers or lives like that. Let's come up with a better solution.

Cheyenne, speak with your doctor about getting an alternative medicine that is legal for commercial driving. Then do whatever it takes to get your career underway safely and legally. If you have to wait, you have to wait. I'm not sure what the legalities will be but I would speak with your doctor about how long it takes the current medicine to safely leave your system. Speak with different companies about their requirements. Be honest with everyone and do whatever it takes to get your career off to a great start. It might be out of your system safely within 30 days, it might take longer. I have no idea. So look into that.

Believe me, if you think you're struggling financially now wait until you see what it takes to get a job after failing a drug test or getting caught falsifying your medical paperwork. You have to think long term. Don't make risky decisions because you want to drive a few weeks sooner than you can legally. Do it right. You'll be glad you did. In this day and age it would be a miracle to find a decent paying job being offered as a "second chance" to someone who screwed up. Don't put yourself in that position.

now if you Don't need to take the pain meds "DONT" ,,if you medically NEED them ,,,then dont tell the Co's ...if you can drive w/ the meds in you the that up to you ....

Ok so let me get this straight. You're saying if you need to take narcotics that are deemed illegal for commercial driving just do it and don't tell anyone, right? Well thanks for that Jon. If we're lucky that advice won't actually kill anyone, it will just land some people in jail or ruin their careers.

Buddy, this isn't the 80's anymore. You gotta get with the program. I started driving in '93 and there is a long list of things I used to do that would never fly in this day and age. Times change and you have to change with them. I know the history of this industry very well. I know how it used to be. But this is almost 2015 and you have to go by today's rules. Not to mention, you're not advising guys and gals that have driven for 25 years. These are people who are brand new to the industry, most of which haven't even started school yet. You're going to tell someone before they even know how many wheels are on an 18 wheeler to take narcotics and keep it on the down low? Yeah.....let's not ruin people's careers or lives like that. Let's come up with a better solution.

Cheyenne, speak with your doctor about getting an alternative medicine that is legal for commercial driving. Then do whatever it takes to get your career underway safely and legally. If you have to wait, you have to wait. I'm not sure what the legalities will be but I would speak with your doctor about how long it takes the current medicine to safely leave your system. Speak with different companies about their requirements. Be honest with everyone and do whatever it takes to get your career off to a great start. It might be out of your system safely within 30 days, it might take longer. I have no idea. So look into that.

Believe me, if you think you're struggling financially now wait until you see what it takes to get a job after failing a drug test or getting caught falsifying your medical paperwork. You have to think long term. Don't make risky decisions because you want to drive a few weeks sooner than you can legally. Do it right. You'll be glad you did. In this day and age it would be a miracle to find a decent paying job being offered as a "second chance" to someone who screwed up. Don't put yourself in that position.

I agree with Brett on this one. I've spent the past couple months reading, learning, studying, and asking questions about this industry. Not to mention I see at least two commercials a day from an attorney mentioning "Big Trucks" and lawsuits. The rules are in place not just to protect the public but to protect the insurance companies and the trucking companies. The penalties, like Brett said, for lying about something, or for getting involved in an accident when you're taking something you shouldn't be are not worth taking a chance. Especially when you said quitting the meds is no big deal.

Do it the right way or give some thought to another career field that might get you moving in the right direction. Its only three months...

Well, I've been working my phone like a mad woman the last couple of days and finally got a hold of CRST. I need to ask a few more questions before I completely commit, but from what I've been told as long as I'm off of the meds 72 hrs before I get into a truck I should be fine. I need to make sure to verify that one more time and have it sent in written form to me. I don't believe in lying or withholding the truth about what's going on so that's just not a route I'd be willing to take. These are meds I've been prescribed for a back injury so I do need something, but it doesn't have to be a narcotic. But if everything goes as planned I should be starting school this coming Monday :-) @Brett, it's not just a matter of being broke. It's really super close to being homeless. I refuse to lie, but waiting 3 months is simply out of the question.

Well the DOT physical Dr. has access to said records and if they don't like the drugs your on your not driving. Norco, good stuff I was taking 2 10mg at a pop every four hrs a year ago, back probs.

Hope ya'll don't mind if I chime in here because after reading this thread I'm actually wondering if I shouldn't even waste my time. If I'm reading into this thread too much just tell me.....I sure hope I am because I would really hope that a past medication (from over a year ago) wouldn't prevent me from being a trucker.

I went through a brief period in which I was struggling with anxiety......relationship issues mostly. To help me though the tougher times I was prescribed a very light dose of Xanax and I talked through it with a psychologist. I honestly hardly ever took them and when I did it was the lightest dose possible. I'm not a big fan of pills. Anyway, I haven't filled a script since July 2013 and never even took one out of that bottle so it's been even longer than that since I took one. As soon as I got the girl out of my house the anxiety just subsided....Amazing how that works. LOL

Does this mean that I'll actually have to tell the DOT doctor that I went through that period in which I struggled with anxiety just because I decided to fill a script that I hardly ever took. Will I even be able to get a job with them knowing that I HAD a PAST issue with anxiety. My recruiter at Roadmaster told me that I wouldn't need to tell them that stuff because it was private.

I'm hoping that this thread was more meant for people taking CURRENT medications.

Thank you

Drug tests are for current medications. You are just fine and you don't have to tell anybody about your past problems.

Holy ****balls, everyone here knows more about pain meds and what shows up on a drug test than I do and I'm a damn Registered Nurse..WTF? It's like a "how to " list of doing drugs and beating the system.

Lady (pain med person), if you let yourself get to the point where you can't wait 3 months to get into truck driving school, how are you going to survive the starvation year that it takes to get that experience? From what I've seen in this biz, you better have a somewhat healthy bank account while you drive and starve to get that coveted 1 year of driving time. These companies chew up and spit out people like you because YOU put yourself over a barrel and they're going to ream you. What happens when you're in shoddy equipment 700 miles from home and they haven't paid you, or they are deducting 50% of your check for your "expenditures"? What happens when your trainer has to pony up for your meals because you don't make enough to support yourself? He or she won't be too sympathetic about your poor life planning.

My suggestion may be harsh, but you need to quit the drugs FIRST and stay off them longer than 3 months before you attempt to get your head together to go to truck driving school. If you don't you'll be an indentured servant to any trucking company taking you and your problems on.

Yeah, I know, I don't know you and shouldn't judge you. And that's all nice on Oprah, and Dr. Phil, but driving an 80 ton vehicle with a clouded drug addled brain, isn't that safe for the rest of us. Be wary of a company that tells you "yeah we believe in safety first" and oh by the way, just don't do drugs for 72 hours and you'll be ok"! If they'll hire you under those conditions, they aren't worth working for.

I came to my judgments based on what you wrote so if you don't need the pain meds, why are you taking them? Low doses not withstanding, you have developed a therapeutic level in your body and quitting cold turkey isn't a good idea. You should know that, since you are experienced with taking them as long as you have. The fact that you said you "can get off them" tells me you've got bigger issues. I hope it works out for you, but rushing into this industry is just bad mojo.

Drug tests are for current medications. You are just fine and you don't have to tell anybody about your past problems.

Thanks Old School, exactly what I was hoping someone would say. It's definitely a PAST problem. I actually laugh at myself a little now over the whole thing.

Great site by the way. Ton of helpful information.

Your right Dale, you don't know me or **** about my situation. Before you go throwing your weight around why don't you try not being a flat out ****? It'd be greatly appreciated. To my knowledge this is supposed to be a discussion area, not a "slam anyone you can" forum. If your a registered nurse WTF are you doing here? Go work on being a better all around person and actually use your time wisely instead of just being rude. Thanks.

Ok so Dale went a bit overboard there and Cheyenne got even so we'll call that a draw and continue on with our regularly scheduled helpful, honest, and respectful discussions. I don't like deleting anyone's comments so let's keep it respectful.

Cheynne,

Yes my post was a bit abrasive, but don't let the harshness cloud the information. If you think you're in a bad situation right now, read some of the posts about what some of these companies do to trainees, and take these people at their word. I have brother who likes his OTR job and his last statement to me about driving was "truck driving isn't bad, if you don't need the money".. He was in a bad financial situation and went through driving school and now has a year of experience, but he BARELY made enough to support himself out on the road, he is just now getting paid a livable wage. I have another brother who went to the company that told you to wait 72 hours, and they hosed him, and now are chasing him for training money.. If you can wait until you're system is clean of the pain meds, and you can put yourself in a better hiring position you won't be setting up for failure. Look at some of the turnover rates of these companies, and if you think you'll be one of the 1% that don't get hosed, then go for it, but I wouldn't be that confident that they won't do to you what they've done to hundreds of other people.

Maybe I could have relayed the information in a less abrasive way, but I wasn't at work where I have to be PC all the time, I'm in a truck driver forum where I figure I can say it in a more direct manner. Lord knows you're going to be in warehouses, loading docks, distribution centers and truck stops where it can be worse.

Please accept my apology for the harshness of my original post, and good luck in becoming a professional driver. I might be out there one day myself and you can give me some pointers too, no matter how harsh or gentle, they will be appreciated.

Dale