What to do????????

[Drivinhome]

Ok first post here and i could use a little help. Ive had my CDL A for 16 years and i have driven mostly OTR Northeast regional and local. I have a spotless driving record and criminal history. Great work history and no DUI's. Sounds good right??????????

The last five years i have been self employed and that seems to be the catch. Most companies want OTR in the last three years and it must be verified. Being self employed there is no acceptable way i can prove this to them.

Any ideas???????????? Small companies that understand this type of situation????????

Thanks

[Ridge Runner]

Ok first post here and i could use a little help. Ive had my CDL A for 16 years and i have driven mostly OTR Northeast regional and local. I have a spotless driving record and criminal history. Great work history and no DUI's. Sounds good right??????????

The last five years i have been self employed and that seems to be the catch. Most companies want OTR in the last three years and it must be verified. Being self employed there is no acceptable way i can prove this to them.

Any ideas???????????? Small companies that understand this type of situation????????

Thanks

Just so everyone is clear:

In the last 5 years was your "self employment" in a driving position? If it was, was it local only? Regardless of the type of job, you should have tax records and such. If it was driving you should have copies of invoices and such. Please fill in some of the gaps so we don't have to guess your true situation.


Ridge

[Fredog]

Just so everyone is clear:

In the last 5 years was your "self employment" in a driving position? If it was, was it local only? Regardless of the type of job, you should have tax records and such. If it was driving you should have copies of invoices and such. Please fill in some of the gaps so we don't have to guess your true situation.


Ridge
and log books, you should have log books

[Drivinhome]

Thanks guys mostly Local work with a few runs a month OTR only Northeast though. Log books and letters dont seem to work for these big companies. They want W-2's or 1099's. My customers pay me but they are small as well and are not required to submit these forms.

I know it sounds easy but im finding out it isn't.

[Jay B]

Thanks guys mostly Local work with a few runs a month OTR only Northeast though. Log books and letters dont seem to work for these big companies. They want W-2's or 1099's. My customers pay me but they are small as well and are not required to submit these forms.

I know it sounds easy but im finding out it isn't.

Umm, What? Not required to file the proper and correct legally required tax forms? Did you even pay taxes? Do you or did you own your own truck and trailer? Sounds to me like you were scammin' the taxman and now it's coming back to bite you on the keyster.

Repeat after me "You want fries with that order?"

[dobry4u]

I would think the companies that you worked for would have given you a 1099 or W2 so that they could support their expense unless you were really a small amount (less than $600) for them.

How could you support yourself unless you did runs for a lot of companies? Doesn't quite add up. :eek2:

[chris1]

Invoices for loads you hauled and cancelled checks would back up your logs.
If any interstate you would have a DQ file containing drug test,random drug test,medical(in 5 years),maintenance reports,all linking you as a driver. Also IFTA and IRP(or permits),insurance and operating authority. On top of that all tax filings.

[Drivinhome]

:hellno::hellno:I would think the companies that you worked for would have given you a 1099 or W2 so that they could support their expense unless you were really a small amount (less than $600) for them.

How could you support yourself unless you did runs for a lot of companies? Doesn't quite add up. :eek2:

I have all my Taxes 1040 and YES i have reported all income. It's mostly local Excavating work to builders and home owners. My buisness is very legit and by the book.

That is not what i was getting at. The OTR companies dont see that as enough. They want Recent OTR within the last three years. I dont have that it's mostly local in the last five years. Prior to 2004 i Have OTR but that is not acceptable to these companies.

I guess my point here is i have been driving TT for sixteen years with no other work involved so i figured it would be easy to back OTR again. That doesnt seem to be the case. I guess New England driving doesnt give you enough clout to drive OTR.

[dobry4u]

:hellno::hellno:


That is not what i was getting at. The OTR companies dont see that as enough. They want Recent OTR within the last three years. I dont have that it's mostly local in the last five years. Prior to 2004 i Have OTR but that is not acceptable to these companies.

I guess my point here is i have been driving TT for sixteen years with no other work involved so i figured it would be easy to back OTR again. That doesnt seem to be the case. I guess New England driving doesnt give you enough clout to drive OTR.

sorry for the misunderstand. It is my understanding as well that lots of companies, even local want recent OTR experience and generally don't define OTR quite so regional as that.

BOL

[devildice]

Aside from possibly a small mom & pop outfit some where, I am willing to bet that the only OTR companies that will look at you will be the "mega carriers". Although you have had your CDL for 16yrs, they will more than likely require you to get a refresher course and/or go out with a trainer before allowing you to go solo. I know that may suck big time, but insurance companies are more than likely preventing them from hiring someone without recent verifiable OTR experience.

[GMAN]

You might try a smaller carrier or someone with only a few trucks. Insurance companies mostly look at how long you have had your CDL. They may ask for work experience as far as company names, but they rarely check references. You could start with a smaller carrier and go with someone larger at a later date if that is what you want. Another thought is that you could get your own authority and equipment. That way it won't make any difference about your experience as long as your insurance is good.

[DaveP]

I don't see any mention of where you are in NE...but if you're near Central NH I know of a 16 truck company that currently have a couple empty seats.

If you're interested PM me and I'll shoot you a name and number.

[Drivinhome]

Thanks for all the suggestions. If anyone knows of some small companies i would appreciate some names. I live in southeastern, Mass close to Plymouth.

Thanks again.

[rkeck]

About 5 years ago, I was in a situation similar to you. You of course will need to provide several references to verify what you were doing as "self-employed", but beyond that you'll probably have to call around to someone like perhaps TMC. They may require you to take a 1 week "refresher" course (at a local and reputable trucking school, and at your expense) and then come on board as either a trainee or refresher driver status, depending on what programs they offer.

You can then expect to go out with a trainer for 1-2 weeks and if you've got trucking in your blood and it shows in your performance then the trainer should recommend you go solo and away you go. TMC did this for me and I'm sure there are others who do to. (They brought me in as a "student" but had me do a driving test during day 2 of new hire orientation and that went flawlessly, then moved me to refresher orientation that cut several days off of orientation and several weeks off of riding with trainer)

But I seriously doubt you'll get on with any type of major carrier solo right out of orientation not having recent (3-6+ months in last 3 years) OTR experience. Good luck and I hope everything works out for you.

[jagerbomber3.0]

Umm, What? Not required to file the proper and correct legally required tax forms? Did you even pay taxes? Do you or did you own your own truck and trailer? Sounds to me like you were scammin' the taxman and now it's coming back to bite you on the keyster.

Repeat after me "You want fries with that order?"

That guys post.......:thumbsdown:

[geeshock]

weard, I would think signed invoices or companies you hauled for as references would do the trick. If you do find the trick to this, please do tell, inquireing minds wanna know.

[mike3fan]

weard, I would think signed invoices or companies you hauled for as references would do the trick. If you do find the trick to this, please do tell, inquireing minds wanna know.

I believe it's more about the recent OTR experience, I don't really understand this requirment in cases of experienced drivers going regional and or local for a while but it is what it is.

[chris1]

Thanks guys mostly Local work with a few runs a month OTR only Northeast though. Log books and letters dont seem to work for these big companies. They want W-2's or 1099's. My customers pay me but they are small as well and are not required to submit these forms. I know it sounds easy but im finding out it isn't.
Sorry,i was going on what you stated here. Pretty much stuck with a refrsher course or working for someone who doesn't care. And there will be a reason why they don't care.

[Rev.Vassago]

I believe it's more about the recent OTR experience, I don't really understand this requirment in cases of experienced drivers going regional and or local for a while but it is what it is.

Don't you know? Driving 500 miles, and then turning around and driving 500 miles back is different than driving 500 miles, and then the next day driving 500 miles somewhere else in a different direction.:lol:

[Orangetxguy]

Sorry,i was going on what you stated here. Pretty much stuck with a refrsher course or working for someone who doesn't care. And there will be a reason why they don't care.

And a very scarey reason at that!!! Beware! Be Aware!!

[GMAN]

It seems that many of the major carriers don't consider local driving when they are hiring OTR drivers. I know. It sounds strange, but that is the way some look at it. Unless you find a smaller to mid sized carrier who doesn't care how much OTR you have that you may be relegated to go with a carrier who will put you with a trainer for a couple of weeks. Some of these carriers are getting really strange with some of their requirements. I am sure if you persevere you will find a carrier who will hire you. You may check the company listings on this forum and see if any of those are a good fit. Good luck. Let us know how you do.

[Drivinhome]

Thanks for all the responses and yes i will keep you updated. i spoke to the recruiter at NFI today and he was more than helpfull as far as explaining things to me. He said it is a fact that the insurance companies are controlling the way things are being done right now. He liked my record and the fact i have plenty of expierence and as far as he was concerned he would love to grab someone like myself. BUT, the insurance companies place mandatory requirements on the bigger companies and require that any driver hired must have Verifiable one year OTR in the last three years in order to be hired. He explained that if i were to have an accident and the insurace company checked me out they would raise NFI's rates through the roof due to a violation of there policy.

I believe the insurance companies are taking over this industry and it's sad. Onward and upward i will try to remain positive and search for small mom and pop type operations. On a side note the bigger companies seem to be saying they are only hiring students right now. I talked to Swift today as well and they said they were not hiring anyone with expierence. If you have had your CDL more than 1 year they were not interested. They want only students who have not worked for anyone else. Must be a government program. :lol:

It appears im in the middle of the sandwich. Either they want no expierence or someone that has one year OTR in the last three. Im going to keep at it. Sooner or later i will find something. Hopefully sooner. :thumbsup: