Worried about Past Drinking Charges

[larryh31]

SillySundy,

I now that trucking seems attractive to you right now because the training is only 3 weeks long and after that you can make decent money. But, with your background issues, you mightl be better off using that government grant to retrain into another profession that will not care about you drinking history as much. Have you considered other fields like medical, secretarial, sales, customer service, computers, etc?

[sillysundy]

I was a secretary all my life and actually, it was NOT something I chose, but rather fell into. Just a point to ponder: What about all the truckers who use and never get caught? I actually knew one who smoked pot all day and drove for M. S. Carriers. That was before drug testing though. I was tested at Domino's because I had was involved in a fender bender in a parking lot, when a teen backed into me because he didn't bother to look behind him. I passed with flying colors.

If employers really are going to look at the big picture, they need to do just that. I have had no at fault or absolutely no moving violations or accidents in over 20 years. That ought to say something. Also, when I was using, I never used on the job.

Recently, I heard about a trucking accident where the girl driver tested positive for crack. Obviously, she was hired by Swift because her background looked good.

[cdswans]

Recently, I heard about a trucking accident where the girl driver tested positive for crack. Obviously, she was hired by Swift because her background looked good.

It was meth and it resulted in a $27,000,000.00 judgement against Swift. That's an expensive mistake they probably don't wish to repeat. It doesn't make any difference what the defense had to say about the whole thing, all the plaintiffs had to mention was "under the influence . . " and kaching, kaching, kaching.

I'll bet you're a wonderful person with a promising future but your history places you low in the barrel as far as trucking is concerned.

[sillysundy]

I got a call today from the recruiting department at CR England. I put down the dui and PI charges too! It's been at least a week and a half or so since I applied, so they must have checked everything. Or maybe not? Why would they even call if I told them about the DUI in my application????

[Windwalker]

I got a call today from the recruiting department at CR England. I put down the dui and PI charges too! It's been at least a week and a half or so since I applied, so they must have checked everything. Or maybe not? Why would they even call if I told them about the DUI in my application????

First question I have for you... Do you drink at all today? Or are you completely sober?

It isn't want we think. It's what the industry, as a whole, thinks, and the influence from the insurance companies. Not long ago, there was one company that I can think of, that would take a driver one year after a DUI. With the vast majority of companies, it's 7 years, 10 years, or never. The shorter the interval after a DUI, the higher the insurance premiums the company has to pay. So, it isn't the way we think here on the board, but what we see in company policies, and the way insurance companies think. Unfortunately, those policies do not just cover you, but everyone that has ever had a drinking problem. And, many return to the same problem. They are the ones that reduce your chances. You are put into a general group of people with a drinking problem. And, the thinking covers the group as a whole. Not any individual.

And, C R England may have called you because among experienced drivers, they are considered a "bottom feeder". That is... There could be 10,000 drivers out of work in that area, and England would still have a problem hiring drivers. Their best source of drivers is the students that they take in and train, that don't know any better. But, once they get some experience, and get to know more about the industry, they move on and England is looking for drivers again. So, in order to fill the trucks, they have to lower their standards and take the people that other companies will not. They may have looked into your back ground, but they may also have been looking beyond you, and didn't fill their quota, so they came back to you. But, with 108,000 drivers that lost their jobs last year, most companies have raised their standards quite high.

There are a lot of people that do not take a serous look at what they are doing to their records in early years, only to regret it later in life. Our comments do not determine the standards for this industry, but rather reflect the standards that someone else has set for us.

[dollarshort]

I got a call today from the recruiting department at CR England. I put down the dui and PI charges too! It's been at least a week and a half or so since I applied, so they must have checked everything. Or maybe not? Why would they even call if I told them about the DUI in my application????

They'll take you but don't do it!

[sillysundy]

They'll take you but don't do it!

Why do you say that? When she called, she said: "I would like to know if you have any questions and when you would like to get started".

I know it may not pay the most, but at least I could get my CDL and begin the long road of proving myself to the industry. I know I'm cut out for this kind of job because I love to travel and am really an excellent driver. I have tons of driving experience, especially on the highway and have even traveled long distances between states by myself in my own car. Besides that, I am good at math, can type, and am extremely intelligent. I would like to even become an owner/operator one day.

I'm hoping to hear back from her today. I'll keep you posted.

[Windwalker]

Why do you say that? When she called, she said: "I would like to know if you have any questions and when you would like to get started".

As I said, England is one of the "bottom feeders". I won't tell you not to do that, but please keep in mind that because of their company policies and the way they treat drivers, they have a problem hiring qualified people. I would suggest that you expect the worst, and any improvement will be great.

I know it may not pay the most, but at least I could get my CDL and begin the long road of proving myself to the industry. I know I'm cut out for this kind of job because I love to travel and am really an excellent driver. I have tons of driving experience, especially on the highway and have even traveled long distances between states by myself in my own car. Besides that, I am good at math, can type, and am extremely intelligent. I would like to even become an owner/operator one day.

Yes, it may well be a chance for you to get your CDL, but you may also be paying for it. Not just in terms of the time you will be required to drive for them, but emotionally as well. During the time that you are required to drive for them, your dispatchers will be aware that you have little choice but to do as they say, or take on the financial burden of paying them back financially.

The next thing you'll find out is that driving your car and reading a map is very helpful, but driving a car is very far removed from driving a truck. When driving your car, no one ever told you that one eighth of a mile in front of a truck is a SUICIDE ZONE. But, that is one of the things you will soon realize once behind the wheel of one of these. If you said you pulled a large boat behind your car, it would be helpful, or one of those large horse trailers. But, a jointed vehicle, with a 53' trailer behind you is going to be very different. To your advantage, you'll be sitting up high enough to have a view of the road that you never had with your car. And, while it's true that the major amount of our time is spent in driving across states on nice highways, the biggest part of our job is maneuvering in cities and towns, and getting into a dock. In most cases, driving a car does little to give you any idea about this.

I'm hoping to hear back from her today. I'll keep you posted.

I won't tell you not to do it. But, I will suggest that you expect a "BED OF ROSES"... COMPLETE WITH ALL THE THORNS. I would also suggest that you do a search of all the posts about driving on slippery roads. Also, be aware that your past record will follow you throughout this industry. You will always be restricted in who you will be able to work for. And, in the future, there may be other companies that follow the example of CFI and others, no DUI-EVER. There may be a point in the future when you will be restricted to the company that you will be working for, whether you like it or not.

I won't tell you not to do it. You've already put yourself in a position that reduces your options. And, England knows that. You may expect them to use that to their advantage.

[BIG JEEP on 44's]

If England will hire you with your current record , and you really want to drive then drive for the Crown ...Yes England is not the best of the best ,But your record at this time is going to severly limit your choice of carriers ,And Getting your foot in the door and getting experience will open up better doors provided you keep a clean accident free record ,And if the Crown is willing to provide you the opprtunity to get into the industry ,and trucking is really what you want to do then going to CR.England is not a bad thing.

[sillysundy]

If England will hire you with your current record , and you really want to drive then drive for the Crown ...Yes England is not the best of the best ,But your record at this time is going to severly limit your choice of carriers ,And Getting your foot in the door and getting experience will open up better doors provided you keep a clean accident free record ,And if the Crown is willing to provide you the opprtunity to get into the industry ,and trucking is really what you want to do then going to CR.England is not a bad thing.

The recruiter still hasn't called me back. And, I did read some pretty scary things about this company. I'm still considering whether I really want do this or not. I may be a little too "high maintenance"!

I'm thinking about selling on ebay and combining that income with my pizza delivery. I just KNOW FOR SURE I do not want to EVER work for a law firm again. I don't care how good the money is.

I may wait awhile and try Swift again because they seem like a better company than C. R. England. The recruiter told they would probably take me at the 5-year deadline on the DUI. It will be in May.