Companies that will hire a driver with a rollover accident.

[GatorOh]

It's been awhile since I last posted here, but here it goes.
I was involved in a rollover accident in Utah, back in October.
I drove with Swift(ha ha ha) and thought they were a good company up until they sacked me for the accident.
I never intended to stay in trucking forever, but I didn't want it to end that way either.
Needless to say, I've been going through a few, other big companies and I get the same response.
"Can't hire you until you get an accident-free, year of driving."
Same thing goes for Swift if I want to get back with them.
Problem is, they tell me to find some "Mom and Pop" companies that might take a chance by letting me redeem myself.
These companies tend to stay below even the most, primitive radar systems and seem to be hard to find.
I also have a total of 14 months under my belt, and a trucking school bill from another company that has to be paid off.
Please, somebody throw me a bone as far as "forgiving" companies go.

GDS express outta Akron Ohio. They run east to west and hire outta Cali. They are a NON DAC company! pretty good company, kinda small run alot of broker freight but a good place to look

[steeringwheelbracket]

Well strider from what I've read in these post and from my experience If you just need to work I would recommend a construction, concrete, pipeline company or somthing like that. Not as a driver but as a laborer if your up for some real work. Companys like that tend to want to stock pile cdl drivers for the "just in case". You never know you might just fall into a
trade you really like and make some good money. I got my cdl the old fashion and had to take that route because I refused to do the otr get screwed training thing. Worked out pretty good too. You would be suprised how some of them pay. I made 43k my first year and slept at home. Good luck

[bentstrider]

Well strider from what I've read in these post and from my experience If you just need to work I would recommend a construction, concrete, pipeline company or somthing like that. Not as a driver but as a laborer if your up for some real work. Companys like that tend to want to stock pile cdl drivers for the "just in case". You never know you might just fall into a
trade you really like and make some good money. I got my cdl the old fashion and had to take that route because I refused to do the otr get screwed training thing. Worked out pretty good too. You would be suprised how some of them pay. I made 43k my first year and slept at home. Good luck

Sounds alright, but the construction outlook in California is kind of grim for now and I've actually begun to miss OTR.

If anything, I may just take your route as a part-time gig to pay for college.

[WHLSOFSTL726012]

i had an alleged right turn fender bender with a ticket....im fightin the ticket here a year later, and i got in with arnold.....if u tell em about the accident theyll work w you....i dunno bout a rollover deal tho.

[bentstrider]

i had an alleged right turn fender bender with a ticket....im fightin the ticket here a year later, and i got in with arnold.....if u tell em about the accident theyll work w you....i dunno bout a rollover deal tho.

I could try them, but it might be a loss due to myself living in Cryofornia.

But, then again, I wouldn't mind relocating if they offered the job either, no kids, no wife/girlfriend to nag, I'm up for anything at this point.

[DRIVER 1998]

I was involved in a slow motion rollover and for ten days was told I would not be terminated on the tenth day i was told they had to let me go .now i cant find a company that will hire me because my dac report shows preventable rollover what can i do about that .I have been driving for ten years without any violations one single accident can ruin your career?

[bentstrider]

I was involved in a slow motion rollover and for ten days was told I would not be terminated on the tenth day i was told they had to let me go .now i cant find a company that will hire me because my dac report shows preventable rollover what can i do about that .I have been driving for ten years without any violations one single accident can ruin your career?

Well, I'm just doing the college thing and working security for now.
It's a PITA dealing with the mentality of these "aspiring world leaders", but I guess a nursing degree will make it worth the while.

As far as driving again goes, I've been told by companies like Knight, CRST, and a handful of others that regardless of post-accident, driving experience, that three years would have to pass before they could hire me.
Judging by the fact that the accident only shows up on DAC and Driverfacts, along with my DMV H6 being clean, this could be better than some other records out there.

Also, seeing the obvious state of the economy, just fall back on whatever you were doing beforehand, then kick it to the curb once enough time has gone by and you could drive again.

[Orangetxguy]

I was involved in a slow motion rollover and for ten days was told I would not be terminated on the tenth day i was told they had to let me go .now i cant find a company that will hire me because my dac report shows preventable rollover what can i do about that .I have been driving for ten years without any violations one single accident can ruin your career?

I gotta ask. What is a "slow motion" roll over?

[matcat]

I gotta ask. What is a "slow motion" roll over?

The only possible explination I can think of is going at a low speed and dipping into a ditch or something

[Biscuit Lips]

I gotta ask. What is a "slow motion" roll over?

IDK, but maybe something like this? Who knows, right. Just watch the video.

[Orangetxguy]

IDK, but maybe something like this? Who knows, right. Just watch the video.

Hey!!! That was a pretty cool slow motion rollover! Well...Lay-over any way. It didn't really roll all the way.


I loved the braking action once it was up on the edge of the tires...that was slick!!

[matcat]

If I found myself in a situation where the wind was starting to lay my truck over, I would cut it in whatever direction there was no obsticles in my waY TO try to get the trailer and tractor in an L shape to prevent it from laying over, obviously in that video he had the room to cut it to the left to try to use the tractor as leverage against the trailer, and there was plenty of room it looks like to do it.

Well in reality too I wouldn't be driving in winds excess of 40mph

[Jackrabbit379]

In our safety meetings etc, they tell us when we have high winds, the faster we drive, the more chances of being blown over. Funny..I've always been told that if you are stopped, or going slow, you have more chances of being blown over. So which is it?

Ya know, we had a meeting with our safety man last year about severe weather. He was reading the book, and asked us, "what to do when there might be tornadoes in our area?' "Find a safe place to have shelter". I was like, "that's fine, if you are delivering in town, but what about us line-haul guys that get caught out in no-man's land?" "Do I just stop, get out, and go bear-hug a mesquite tree, or a fence post?" He said, "well, hopefully you can get to the nearest town, and seek shelter." I was like, "What???? The towns are 30 miles apart. If I'm gonna make it that far, why stop? By then, I be out of the storm."

[matcat]

In our safety meetings etc, they tell us when we have high winds, the faster we drive, the more chances of being blown over. Funny..I've always been told that if you are stopped, or going slow, you have more chances of being blown over. So which is it?

Ya know, we had a meeting with our safety man last year about severe weather. He was reading the book, and asked us, "what to do when there might be tornadoes in our area?' "Find a safe place to have shelter". I was like, "that's fine, if you are delivering in town, but what about us line-haul guys that get caught out in no-man's land?" "Do I just stop, get out, and go bear-hug a mesquite tree, or a fence post?" He said, "well, hopefully you can get to the nearest town, and seek shelter." I was like, "What???? The towns are 30 miles apart. If I'm gonna make it that far, why stop? By then, I be out of the storm."

I had a tornado blow me across two lanes on a bridge once, that was a scary experience! I was an inch from the guard, luckily I was able to fight it back over into the lane, and like you said, I was in the middle of nowhere, what was I going to do, stop on the bridge and stick my head between my legs?

[Jackrabbit379]

Well, it's common sense.
These yahoos know that in west Texas, there aint nothing. Yet, they talk to me like I am always passing through big cities. Hello??? McFly????

Oh well. I just hope this season (tornado season is just around the corner) is pretty mild. We need rain, much bad. But just no hail nor tornaders.

[golfhobo]

I loved the braking action once it was up on the edge of the tires...that was slick!!

Obviously, you are jesting. But, for the sake of the newbies.... that is the wrong thing to do! (Unless one uses the Trolley brake.)

IF and when this happens, there are three important things a driver can do to recover:

1) Turn the cab in the downwind direction. (LEFT... in this case.)

2) Hit the trolley brake to "anchor" the tandems while the cab is still pulling away.

3) Accelerate to pull the trailer forward while doing numbers 1 and 2 above.

[golfhobo]

If I found myself in a situation where the wind was starting to lay my truck over, I would cut it in whatever direction there was no obstacles in my way TO try to get the trailer and tractor in an L shape to prevent it from laying over, obviously in that video he had the room to cut it to the left to try to use the tractor as leverage against the trailer, and there was plenty of room it looks like to do it.

Close, but no cigar. Obviously, if there is traffic to your left, you wouldn't want to drive into them. But, turning to the RIGHT would be the wrong thing to do. If the wind is coming from the right, and your right side tandems are already off the ground, turning to the right would INCREASE the pressure against the trailer side. The CAB may be turning into the wind, but the trailer will not respond quickly enough to reduce the pressure, and you will only increase the "whip" affect that will roll the trailer over.

As you said.... in THAT video, the driver had plenty of room to steer to the left. Doing so would reduce air pressure against the trailer and give stability to the entire frame. Anyone who has ever been sailing knows that you reduce pitch by turning "downwind."

[golfhobo]

Jackrabbit379 said:

In our safety meetings etc, they tell us when we have high winds, the faster we drive, the more chances of being blown over. Funny..I've always been told that if you are stopped, or going slow, you have more chances of being blown over. So which is it?

It is as you were told. The faster you go, the more wind resistance you create. Couple that with the wind itself, and you are asking to be blown over.

Ya know, we had a meeting with our safety man last year about severe weather. He was reading the book, and asked us, "what to do when there might be tornadoes in our area?' "Find a safe place to have shelter". I was like, "that's fine, if you are delivering in town, but what about us line-haul guys that get caught out in no-man's land?" "Do I just stop, get out, and go bear-hug a mesquite tree, or a fence post?"

You COULD, but personally I would look for a better alternative.

First, even on 30 mile stretches of Texas highways, there are often crossroads that go UNDER the interstate. I would try to get to one of those, pull off the road and park UNDER the overpass.

Second, and failing that availability.... I would take the next exit and drive TOWARD the tornado and onto a two lane highway with trees on either side. Then get out of the truck and either lie in a ditch or run into the woods and lay low!

Third, if I had NO OTHER alternative, and the tornado was upon me, I'd drive the truck OFF the road and into the ditch TRYING not to lay it over. It is easier to pull a truck out of a ditch than to put it back on its wheels.

The funny thing about that video is that there was ALREADY a truck on its side! That driver was a fool to continue! In fact, where were the cops to close off that bridge (at least to high profile vehicles?) That bridge apppeared to be over water... I'm not sure. But, bridges over WATER are more dangerous than bridges over land! I suppose someone here would want to know WHY I say that. Maybe not. I'll wait and see.

For what it's worth: I have BEEN in the direct path of, and survived ONE tornado in my life. Not in a big rig but, lessons learned nonetheless.

[Jackrabbit379]

Hobo, thanks for the advise. Only problem. I run 200 miles on a 2-lane highway. Nothing but a barbwire fence on both sides.

[dollarshort]

It's been awhile since I last posted here, but here it goes.
I was involved in a rollover accident in Utah, back in October.
I drove with Swift(ha ha ha) and thought they were a good company up until they sacked me for the accident.
I never intended to stay in trucking forever, but I didn't want it to end that way either.
Needless to say, I've been going through a few, other big companies and I get the same response.
"Can't hire you until you get an accident-free, year of driving."
Same thing goes for Swift if I want to get back with them.
Problem is, they tell me to find some "Mom and Pop" companies that might take a chance by letting me redeem myself.
These companies tend to stay below even the most, primitive radar systems and seem to be hard to find.
I also have a total of 14 months under my belt, and a trucking school bill from another company that has to be paid off.
Please, somebody throw me a bone as far as "forgiving" companies go.

You say you thought Swift was a good company until they "sacked" you for the rollover accident? What did you expect? Did you think they would run out and hand you the keys to another truck so you could do it again? No matter what your excuse may be..A rollover is ALWAYS a preventable accident. If you can't handle the piece of equipment you are driving then you shouldn't be driving it. Consider yourself lucky you didn't kill yourself or someone else and find another career.