Screwed

[swanny]

Hi. New to the boards and trucking.

I am a recent grad of C1 Truck Driving School. School went fine, no problems. Received my CDL A in Indiana and transfered to Michigan. Upon graduation I signed on with Werner.

Two days into my job/training with my driver/trainer I received a citation for crossing marked lanes. This happened between Batavia and Owensville, Ohio at the intersection of sr222 and sr276. The turn in question was approximately 130 degrees. At the direction of my trainer I proceeded around the corner and with his guidance promptly drove the trailer tires over the sr. identification sign. A state trooper responded to the scene and wrote the citation.

We proceeded to pick up the load that we were after and headed for N.C. with me driving (driver/trainer was out of hours). I drove to Knoxville where we had to swap loads and ended up in Atlanta. Ga. After delivering the load in Atlanta we went to the Werner terminal where I was terminated over the above incident.

I didn't know how to proceed with this incident. I received no advice from anyone, including my driver/trainer. So I screwed up and paid the ticket.

Now, and I understand why, there are no carriers that will hire me without at least 3-6 months of otr. But noone will hire me so that I can gain that experience.

The local market is practically dead. I live in Jackson, Mi. - intersection of I94 and US127. A carrier told me I wouldn't even be considered for their school let alone a job because of this, even though I already have my CDL A.

Sorry to be so long winded, but this is just eating me up. I spent approximately 2 months and 4 grand and now I have a CDL A that I cannot use.

I thought of possibly training with an O/O or teaming with someone that needs the help. Don't know of anyone.

Can anyone advise/help/kick me in the ass?

Or am I just SCREWED!!!

Thanks in advance.

[GMAN]

It is usually a good idea to fight any moving violation tickets when you have a CDL. Getting a ticket only 2 days after starting with a carrier and having no experience makes it difficult. There are a few recruiters who frequent this board. You may address your situation directly with them. They might offer more advice for you.

[Trukrswyfe]

I am surprised they fired you on the spot,

But I don't know Werner all that well. Maybe with some extra on site training and additionaly safety classes, they should have put you with a more qualified finisher.
Can you contact the school for help with this? or have you already done that?
They passed you. Seems like after only two day you might not have been ready.

[VitoCorleone99]

One option is to try and have an attorney talk to the jurisdiction in question to get the charge changed on your record. Of course, this may not work and would cost you some money even if it failed. I'm going to make an unfair assumption, based on the information in your post, and guess that you don't have a ton of extra money in the mattress. Tough call in that case.

If you assume that the ticket isn't going anywhere, things get pretty tough. If I were you (and I'm not), I would do the following:

1) Click this link and bookmark the page.
2) Get to dialing.
3) Check the bookmarked page at least twice a day.
4) Understand that your best case scenario is probably to work for a company that you've never heard of, for less money than you probably think you deserve, for at least a few months.
4b) Also understand that this will likely not be considered "experience" by any company that you've ever heard of, thus conceivably not moving your driving career forward in any way.

Or you can just hope for the best. I know of a couple of guys who got fired from CFI for accidents and wound up falling in with some decent smaller outfits. The Catch-22 of having no experience and nobody to give you the experience really doesn't leave you with any magic cure.

[zipy46]

Too bad about your Werner mishap....if possible i would try to make it disappear if i could ($$$$$)

Really odd that they canned u over that...i know of people (including myself)

who have had small things happen during their start up period and they were given some slack.

PS:I had a trainee some time back and it was part of my job to keep them out of trouble and point out 'ticket situations' to them as they learned to handle the big truck...Sounds like Werner is lacking themselves when it comes to training

[BigDiesel]

I am surprised they fired you on the spot,

But I don't know Werner all that well. Maybe with some extra on site training and additionaly safety classes, they should have put you with a more qualified finisher.
Can you contact the school for help with this? or have you already done that?
They passed you. Seems like after only two day you might not have been ready.

And you have experience driving a truck ????

[Trukrswyfe]

I am surprised they fired you on the spot,

But I don't know Werner all that well. Maybe with some extra on site training and additionaly safety classes, they should have put you with a more qualified finisher.
Can you contact the school for help with this? or have you already done that?
They passed you. Seems like after only two day you might not have been ready.

And you have experience driving a truck ????

You wanna play boy? Come here, I throw your bone for ya!

NOW FETCH!

[BigDiesel]

I am surprised they fired you on the spot,

But I don't know Werner all that well. Maybe with some extra on site training and additionaly safety classes, they should have put you with a more qualified finisher.
Can you contact the school for help with this? or have you already done that?
They passed you. Seems like after only two day you might not have been ready.

And you have experience driving a truck ????

You wanna play boy? Come here, I throw your bone for ya!

NOW FETCH!

Still waiting for an answer..... Maybe you should stick to the topics that you have first hand knowledge of... such as eating, inappropriate inuendos, etc.... As you have you proven that you have no real life knowledge or experience in the world of trucking, other than what you fantasize on the www.......

[dobry4u]

I fantasize on the www....

But if I about posted it.. I probably would get banned from CAD .. and I find the info here way too valuable for that.

[Trukrswyfe]

Still waiting for an answer

I know you are, waiting, heel, sit,Good dog.....

Maybe you should stick to the topics that you have first hand knowledge of... such as eating, inappropriate inuendos, etc

Actually it's called sex, but I would expect you to have any idea what that means. Short block.....

As you have you proven that you have no real life knowledge or experience in the world of trucking,

Here's your ball boy.
here it is. watch it, watch it.

GO GET IT!

[BigDiesel]

Here's your ball

How on earth do you bend over to pick up a ball ??? :shock:

[Trukrswyfe]

Here's your ball

How on earth do you bend over to pick up a ball ??? :shock:

Good one, I'm sure your just jealous cause you don't got any.

[Evinrude]

Hi. New to the boards and trucking.

I am a recent grad of C1 Truck Driving School. School went fine, no problems. Received my CDL A in Indiana and transfered to Michigan. Upon graduation I signed on with Werner.

Two days into my job/training with my driver/trainer I received a citation for crossing marked lanes. This happened between Batavia and Owensville, Ohio at the intersection of sr222 and sr276. The turn in question was approximately 130 degrees. At the direction of my trainer I proceeded around the corner and with his guidance promptly drove the trailer tires over the sr. identification sign. A state trooper responded to the scene and wrote the citation.

We proceeded to pick up the load that we were after and headed for N.C. with me driving (driver/trainer was out of hours). I drove to Knoxville where we had to swap loads and ended up in Atlanta. Ga. After delivering the load in Atlanta we went to the Werner terminal where I was terminated over the above incident.

I didn't know how to proceed with this incident. I received no advice from anyone, including my driver/trainer. So I screwed up and paid the ticket.

Now, and I understand why, there are no carriers that will hire me without at least 3-6 months of otr. But noone will hire me so that I can gain that experience.

The local market is practically dead. I live in Jackson, Mi. - intersection of I94 and US127. A carrier told me I wouldn't even be considered for their school let alone a job because of this, even though I already have my CDL A.

Sorry to be so long winded, but this is just eating me up. I spent approximately 2 months and 4 grand and now I have a CDL A that I cannot use.

I thought of possibly training with an O/O or teaming with someone that needs the help. Don't know of anyone.

Can anyone advise/help/kick me in the ass?

Or am I just SCREWED!!!

Thanks in advance.

One minor incident and let you go.
What other industry does that to there future.
Its just shows how the industry treats drivers.
Maybe its a blessing as OTR is going down hill fast.

[TomB985]

Ah, but we're missing half the story! What did the trainer tell the cops and/or the company? Maybe he was trying to save his own skin by claiming that the OP ignored his instructions, deliberately did it, etc. Often, that has a lot to do with how a company handles a problem with a student driver......

What do you know of the statement your trainer made to Werner?

[Orangetxguy]

Ah, but we're missing half the story! What did the trainer tell the cops and/or the company? Maybe he was trying to save his own skin by claiming that the OP ignored his instructions, deliberately did it, etc. Often, that has a lot to do with how a company handles a problem with a student driver......

What do you know of the statement your trainer made to Werner?

Now there is a thought!!! "CMA" mode was probably in effect while the Rookie was sleeping!!!

[TomB985]

I just know that's one thing my company really looks at when evaluating a problem with a student driver. If there's an accident, and the trainer explains that it was a simple mishap, an error in judgement, often they'll retain the driver...now that trainer may not be training for awhile, but often they'll give the student another chance.

Now if the trainer comes out and says that the student ignored direct instructions and caused the problem, or worse was negligent or reckless...he's history....

The fact that the trainer didn't try and help the OP with the ticket, or any of the following consequences kind of indicates he was trying to save his own skin..... :x

[swanny]

I contacted C1's affiliate, Drivers Solutions, first thing. Thay are supposed to help place drivers who need the help. I got two suggestions from them and neither panned out. At no time did they suggest additional training on site or safety classes as a way to help my cause.

The school itself, in my opinion left a lot to be desired. Half the instructors are only there for the paycheck and don't really have the best interests of the student in mind.

I was so pissed by this entire thing that I didn't stop to think that by paying the ticket I was admittng guilt. And your right, there's no money under the mattress.

As far as I know nothing derogatory was said about me by my trainer but I wasn't privy to all statements made by him to the cops and/or the company. If I were to find out otherwise shame on him. I've got a lot of time on my hands and know about where he lives.

As it is, what's done is done. I'm just trying to put the pieces together and move on.

Thanks for all your thoughts and comments. I really appreciate it. But what I really need are some leads.

But it looks like I'm just plain screwed.

[Orangetxguy]

I contacted C1's affiliate, Drivers Solutions, first thing. Thay are supposed to help place drivers who need the help. I got two suggestions from them and neither panned out. At no time did they suggest additional training on site or safety classes as a way to help my cause.

The school itself, in my opinion left a lot to be desired. Half the instructors are only there for the paycheck and don't really have the best interests of the student in mind.

I was so pissed by this entire thing that I didn't stop to think that by paying the ticket I was admittng guilt. And your right, there's no money under the mattress.

As far as I know nothing derogatory was said about me by my trainer but I wasn't privy to all statements made by him to the cops and/or the company. If I were to find out otherwise shame on him. I've got a lot of time on my hands and know about where he lives.

As it is, what's done is done. I'm just trying to put the pieces together and move on.

Thanks for all your thoughts and comments. I really appreciate it. But what I really need are some leads.

But it looks like I'm just plain screwed.

The only way your going to get past this problem of yours, is to walk into the front door of the companies you try to find work with.

You have 3 things working against you right now.

1; Bad economy. You have zero experience driving a truck. There are literally thousands of truck drivers with 5+ years of experience, whom have been thrown to the wolves by the companies they worked for,whom closed their doors in the last 5 month's....and there will be more.

2; Your ticket and dismisal from Werner. Both bite, both make it tough for you.

3; The fact that so many people today rely on the cell phone and e-mail to "Take care of Business". If you want a job in today's enviroment, you better be willing to expend the time, money and effort, to walk through the door of a truck terminal...because that is what the more experienced drivers are doing.

I have not had that many jobs in my life. My very first job, which I was given when I was 12, the rancher whom hired me drove to our home, and offered me the job, based on what he had been told by fellow church members of his, whom I had done day work for.

Since then (1972), I have walked through the front door of every company I have ever worked for. All 5 of them. To find each of those jobs I probably walked through 200 doors.

[Windwalker]

I am surprised they fired you on the spot,

But I don't know Werner all that well. Maybe with some extra on site training and additionaly safety classes, they should have put you with a more qualified finisher.
Can you contact the school for help with this? or have you already done that?
They passed you. Seems like after only two day you might not have been ready.

Actually, I'm not surprised. Remember the thread about "WH Trans" shutting down their DRI-VAN fleet? And, Jevic is shut down? I read an article a couple of months ago that recruiters are not simply hiring "STEERING-WHEEL HOLDERS" anymore. I believe there was a figure of about 130,000 drivers freed up because of small companies that have parked their trucks. Recruiters are being more choosy and companies are not as desperate anymore. Something that, a year ago, would have gotten you another chance, will get you fired today. Not surprised at all.

But, as to what to do now? Maybe you can find an OO with his own authority and get your experience with him. But, one that is leased on with another company will find the same thing that you have if he tries to put you on as a driver with the company. You still have to "PASS MUSTER" with the company he's pulling for.

And, as to your trainer... Back when I was training, if my trainee had a mishap, it went on MY record as well as the trainee. It meant that the very last thing I wanted was for my trainee to do any kind of damage. As the trainee's ability improves, he/she gets to do more difficult maneuvering. I'm guessing that the 130 degree corner was a right turn, not a left. That "can be" difficult for a seasoned driver, much less one with two days experience. I've seen drivers with 8 and 10 years experience take down traffic lights like that. There is an intersection in AR that has a 3 foot high, 2 foot wide "WALL" around the curb to protect the traffic light. The trainer should have known better than to put you through that. But, I don't know if Werner works it that way or not.

[Uturn2001]

About the only thing I can suggest is to start putting in application everywhere and see who bites or at least nibbles. You may end up working for some company that is way down on your list of who you would choose to work for but with any luck you can get back out there and get some experience and if you can keep your record clean from here on out more oppurtunities will open up.