**** !
 

this sound like I'm ****ed here,yeah OK I did some stupid stuff in my time and maybe not everyone has not, but just because I did them dose not mean I should not have a trucking job.
I never killed or robbed anyone,the only one that I ever hurt was me.
And the only people I ever helped was everyone. I'm good person I know I could use a break
I just got out of school Sage truck driving school in Billings Mt.
I'm actively seeking work now but what you saying is that just because I have some color in my back ground I'll never get hire in this job,a single dad will have to go to Micky-D's to support my son:eek2:

Rule of advice to everyone is don't mess with the Mega-Carriers I know that's easier said than done right now. They don't care about who you are or where you come from or if your a good person or not like a normal employer does. It's an insurance numbers game with them, does your mvr, dac, drug, and criminal record check out with their insurance, that's it. If you have ever dealt with a mega carrier and many of us have, you don't interview or even speak with anyone face to face you will never even meet your recruiter, you fill out an app answer some questions get on a Greyhound and go to orientation where they have a cattle herding process weeding out the unhireable and if you are one of those lucky ones then you get to find your own way home even if it is 2000 miles away. You then get a truck then get a load and go. Then you will start being asked to take this crappy load and that crappy load, get asked to take a hot load, sit and wait for loads, then you won't get home when you ask then you will question why you are out there and start rethinking that 9-5 you quit, and why are you away from you wife/gf and kids/grandkids, for really no more pay than what your getting. You'll start to realize why there is a over 100% turnover rate. Advice from all this yammering? Stay where your at if your semi happy with your situation, unhappy doesn't mean restless. I know countless others will tell you to get training and do something else well every industry is hurting at the moment even the medical field is catching up filling in all those positions they said would never be filled. If you can find a home at a small to mid size company take it and stay there. Right now is a bad time in the industry and not the time to be breaking in when things down the road recover and you have the dweller itch then make your entrance into the industry. Good luck to all out there.

I really can't be that bad, if I can carry a hazmat and the FBI letter that I just got said that I can renew and hold one, so whats up with that ?
:cool:

...with everything that has been said in this thread about driving schools, wouldn't it be a much better solution to get training through one of the schools like Swift or Millis, which I would think would not accept someone who they wouldn't be able to hire once the CDL was obtained and the road training was completed...

School vs. Company Training
 

I was told by many drivers that it would be a better idea to try to get my CDL on my own, without resorting to the "CDL mills" that seem to be everywhere, I understand that you're commited to these companies for about a year if you get your license through them,I guess they make you sign a contract or something, I was this close to signing with England, but got lucky and got into a school instead.:thumbsup:

you'll only take $5/mi freight going 1500 miles.

where can I find this freight? I want some:p:p

truck driving schools
 

I've read all the sites about truck driving schools & i've come to the concluesion that community college truck driving schools are the way to go.:lol2:

what you should know before you go to trucking school



That you should'nt go to trucking school!

if you want to drive long haul, don't listen to anybody. try it and then decide for yourself if you like the lifestyle. the best thing you can do when deciding about what trucking school to go to is FIND A COMPANY THAT WILL HIRE YOU first. If they hire trucking school graduates with 0 experience, ask what schools they hire from (they'll have a list of 'approved schools'). Then, go to the cheapest school on the list. otherwise, you'll spend 5 grand on a school and then discover that no one wants to hire you. that's how i did it. it works.

Cat , That is what i did even thought the only out of my pocket expense was my dot physical and my first drug screen for the class. I have learned more in this past week ( 8/31/09 to 9/4/09 ) then i ever would anywhere else. I have heard stories from other guys that the "CDL mills" have as many as 4 or 6 trainees in the trucks at a time . Now I do not know how true this would be never seen it with my own eyes but not a good way to learn. Only me , another trainee and the trainer in the truck where i am going to school.

If you have the opportunity to go to a true driving school with a low number of students excepted at a time your going to learn more and get more seat time. In the past week besides 1 1/2 days of classroom time I have been in the truck the rest of that week. 1/2 day on the range last 3 actually out on the roads from I81 driving to the back roads of Virginia and West Virginia.