Wanting To Be A Truck Driver But Will Any Sponsored School Accept Me And/or Will They Hire Me Afterwards?

Hello everyone. I've been reading a lot lately about getting my CDL and truck driving in general and finally stumbled on this site. Great site btw, lots of very helpful information. I am really thinking about going to school to get a CDL and choosing one of those sponsored schools where I'll have to drive for a company for at least a year which sounds like a win/win for everyone involved. Gotta have that year of experience so might as well get some free schooling to go with it. I do have a few concerns though which I hope won't disqualify me from A. Even being allowed into school and B. Ever finding a job. In no particular order they are:

1. I haven't worked in a while. A really long while now. How badly will that be held against me? I'm not lazy and I'm a hard worker and the more I keep reading about the demanding challenges of the life of a trucker the more I want to meet those challenges. I had a minor medical problem that unfortunately took forever to get diagnosed. It's nothing major and is under control now. Turns out it was just low Testosterone. I get a shot now and I'm good to go and feel normal once again. I was miserable, sick, no energy, etc for years. Wish they'd found it earlier. So I haven't worked in a decade or so and I'm worried they might see this lack of working as me being lazy or won't hire me because I don't have a good work history anymore. Up until that point I had worked since I was 15, sometimes working multiple jobs at once.

2. I have a lot of dental problems. Being unable to work I haven't been able to see a dentist as often as I'd like. I only have a few teeth left I need pulled and then I can get dentures. It's embarrassing but I can't let that keep me from living my dreams and/or working. Gotta have a job to get them fixed which is the most important thing. I plan on fixing them immediately once I'm working. Will they take one look at me and say no because of this?

3. I'm 40 now but when I was in my mid 20's I did get into some trouble. I was told I don't have to put down that I had a felony since it was deferred adjudication but that could be wrong. It was for forgery and fraud which I know sounds awful on paper and it was. Basically I stole a check from my mom while she was on vacation and forged her name to it. I also changed my SS# when I put it on the check hence the fraud part. I took the deferred adjudication and did my probation with NO problems. I have never been in any other trouble. Not before and not since. When I took the check I wasn't even thinking about committing a crime. I just didn't want my mom to find out before I could repay the small amount I was trying to write it for. She didn't want to press charges but the state did and rightly so. That really changed my life for the better and I vowed never to be an idiot again. Probation literally saved me and I am thankful for it every single day but I worry now that it may come back to haunt me. Has that been long enough to get a CDL or not? Or is that too big of a felony? We all make mistakes, some worse than others but the important thing is what we do with those mistakes and that we learn from them.

Anyway that's about it. If I have a shot of going to school and getting a job then I'll definitely be asking a lot more questions in the future. I really want this. I want a career and I want this career. Instead of thinking all of the challenges associated with truck driving are too hard or too demanding I want those challenges and I want to overcome them and succeed. I have NO problems being on my own for weeks or even months. I have NO family or children and I know it is going to be hard. I don't mind. I don't mind driving....a lot or going whenever they need me regardless of sleep. I am a very attentive driver and also good at just going with the flow. Not getting too upset with situations that are beyond my control and I know there will be a lot of those on the road. I just think I might be a good fit for it but won't know 100 percent until I try and give it my all.

Thanks in advance you'll. I appreciate everything I've learned here and hope to learn more. Stay safe out there.

I have a friend who has not had steady work in his life ever. He is 30 and been off of drug use for about 6 months now. CRST accepted him as a student a few weeks ago. Be warned though they do not pay students a whole lot.

He never did make it there though, he was only accepted and given a bus ticket. When that bus came he was still asleep at home in his parent's basement and has not attempted to find another job since.

Jamie, you're going to find that some companies won't accept you for the unemployment thing. The dental problems shouldn't be much of a concern. The felony was a long time ago so most companies won't be too worried about it but some certainly will.

From what you've told us there isn't anything that will keep you from getting started in trucking.

Jamie, you're going to find that some companies won't accept you for the unemployment thing. The dental problems shouldn't be much of a concern. The felony was a long time ago so most companies won't be too worried about it but some certainly will.

From what you've told us there isn't anything that will keep you from getting started in trucking.

Nice thank you so much. I forgot to add one other thing which I also hope won't disqualify me. I was born with a condition called Duane's Retraction Syndrome or Duane's Syndrome. I've had it my whole life and am so used to it I forget about it. Basically my left eye is partially paralyzed and will not move to the left so I don't have as good of peripheral vision on that side. I've learned to compensate just by moving my head more and it doesn't really seem to effect my ability to drive any. I'm hoping they'll just check to see how well I see and it won't be a problem. I am also currently looking for a job so maybe I can get some work experience in before starting school or I can volunteer somewhere which I've been wanting to do anyway.

Thanks so much for everything. Still doing a lot of reading and going over the CDL Training course. Regardless if they'll take me in I'm going to go do it. I've got it down to 3 different starter companies and one in particular has a really great school but pays a bit less when you start out but I may go with them just because of how well they teach you. I would really love to be a part of the industry and give it a shot. Thanks again.

1. I haven't worked in a while. A really long while now. How badly will that be held against me? I'm not lazy and I'm a hard worker and the more I keep reading about the demanding challenges of the life of a trucker the more I want to meet those challenges. I had a minor medical problem that unfortunately took forever to get diagnosed. It's nothing major and is under control now. Turns out it was just low Testosterone. I get a shot now and I'm good to go and feel normal once again. I was miserable, sick, no energy, etc for years. Wish they'd found it earlier. So I haven't worked in a decade or so and I'm worried they might see this lack of working as me being lazy or won't hire me because I don't have a good work history anymore. Up until that point I had worked since I was 15, sometimes working multiple jobs at once.

I got accepted by Celadon with 5+ years of unemployment and very little in the way of references so you might try them. I don't have any convictions though (besides an out of date inspection I received the day after sending my application lol). The recruiter requested I get my permit before coming to the school which I assume is because of the unemployment. But this shouldn't be too hard with all the resources available from this site and a copy of your state's CDL manual.

Okay thanks DB. I'll look into them and that's nice to know about not having the prior work experience for the last 5+ years. I think I'm going to call the school I have in mind and talk to a recruiter and see what they have to say. If I can't get in with one of those starter companies that offers the free training then I can always just go to school on my own somewhere with student loans, grants, etc. If I can pass and get a CDL then I know I can find a job even if I have to drive water around for all the local oil wells where I live. Also great idea on the permit. Thank you for the information. Going to keep reading as much as I can here and find a manual for the state I'm in.