Any help/advice?

[trucker_wife]

Trying to find out some information for my husband, I hope someone here can help!

Dale has been a truck driver for over 15 years. 1st year OTR, next 7 local, then OTR again until Feb 19th. The last 2 years were with Transport America, which fired him for delivering a load 20 minutes late. He had been late on rare occasions before, but to be fired for 20 MINUTES? IMHO, it was their excuse to get rid of a higher-paid driver(.40/mile).
The problem is, he had an accident last June in rush hour traffic in Akron-he rear-ended a car that had just rear-ended another car. He got a ticket, but no points. That accident is keeping him from finding any other trucking jobs right now. He's been home 2 weeks now, and we really need to find him something soon. And, NO, I can't make enough to support us.
Can anyone suggest a company that he could look into? Other than the accident, he's only had 2 tickets(one for non-moving violation), unfortunatly they've been all in the last 3 years.

[dobry4u]

You can always have him apply here https://www.classadrivers.com/driverapplication.php


I believe that the app goes to quite a few companies

[trucker_wife]

Did the application, already got 2 automated responses.
Marten is out-they say go to Cannada, and he doesn't have a passport.
Crete was the other one-he'll have to fill out THEIR application. I'll post for him on here, but I don't do applications.

[trucker_wife]

We're in western PA, if that helps. Close to I-79 and I-80.

[dollarshort]

Trying to find out some information for my husband, I hope someone here can help!

Dale has been a truck driver for over 15 years. 1st year OTR, next 7 local, then OTR again until Feb 19th. The last 2 years were with Transport America, which fired him for delivering a load 20 minutes late. He had been late on rare occasions before, but to be fired for 20 MINUTES? IMHO, it was their excuse to get rid of a higher-paid driver(.40/mile).
The problem is, he had an accident last June in rush hour traffic in Akron-he rear-ended a car that had just rear-ended another car. He got a ticket, but no points. That accident is keeping him from finding any other trucking jobs right now. He's been home 2 weeks now, and we really need to find him something soon. And, NO, I can't make enough to support us.
Can anyone suggest a company that he could look into? Other than the accident, he's only had 2 tickets(one for non-moving violation), unfortunatly they've been all in the last 3 years.

Lets state the fact that we know already.....

1.) He has a history of being undependable. i.e. late deliveries, service failures.
2.) A rear-end preventable accident
3.) 2 more citations in last 3 years in addition to the accident.

Sound to me that he will be dis-qualified to drive for any decent company until his record gets cleaned up.

Unfortunately with the way the economy is today, your husband will be competing with many, many drivers for a position. And with your husbands record he will not look so desireable to the potential employer.

[Jumbo]

Lets state the fact that we know already.....

1.) He has a history of being undependable. i.e. late deliveries, service failures.
2.) A rear-end preventable accident
3.) 2 more citations in last 3 years in addition to the accident.

Sound to me that he will be dis-qualified to drive for any decent company until his record gets cleaned up.

Unfortunately with the way the economy is today, your husband will be competing with many, many drivers for a position. And with your husbands record he will not look so desireable to the potential employer.

+1 I have to agree that it will be tough.

[trucker_wife]

Lets state the fact that we know already.....

1.) He has a history of being undependable. i.e. late deliveries, service failures.

HISTORY of being undependable? Umm.....NO. I said OCCASIONALLY late. Back when Transport America was using "scorecards", his LOWEST quarter was 96% of loads delivered on time. He is FAR from "undependable".

[repete]

HISTORY of being undependable? Umm.....NO. I said OCCASIONALLY late. Back when Transport America was using "scorecards", his LOWEST quarter was 96% of loads delivered on time. He is FAR from "undependable".

In normal times 96% would be pretty good but right now most companys have there pick of drivers with a perfect 100 and are not willing to "settle" sorry I know it sounds harsh. Don't count on the generic online app. make sure he sends them directly to the company. BOL

[robertt]

To reiterate, I'm not trying to be an a**, buuuutttt..... since when was being late "occasionally" not considered to be undependable? Occasionally is once to many for me if I'm an employer, just sayin.

[GTR SILVER]

with his exp. i would say try going with a local towing co. heavy duty wrecker low boy work etc,
BOL 2 you and yours.........

[Uturn2001]

I concur with the above opinions that hubby is fighting an uphill battle. Most of the items on the list would not be too bad if they were alone, but when you combine all of them it makes for an ugly resume.

We are in an employer's market right now. With unemployment at 8+% and no real end in sight employers, in all fields, can be a lot more picky than they used to be.

[dollarshort]

HISTORY of being undependable? Umm.....NO. I said OCCASIONALLY late. Back when Transport America was using "scorecards", his LOWEST quarter was 96% of loads delivered on time. He is FAR from "undependable".

I totally understand your frustration, but another company will look at his firing from Transport America as just that. Undependable. I agree that he is probably a very good driver, but you are going up against what is documented on his record.

[GMAN]

Trying to find out some information for my husband, I hope someone here can help!

Dale has been a truck driver for over 15 years. 1st year OTR, next 7 local, then OTR again until Feb 19th. The last 2 years were with Transport America, which fired him for delivering a load 20 minutes late. He had been late on rare occasions before, but to be fired for 20 MINUTES? IMHO, it was their excuse to get rid of a higher-paid driver(.40/mile).
The problem is, he had an accident last June in rush hour traffic in Akron-he rear-ended a car that had just rear-ended another car. He got a ticket, but no points. That accident is keeping him from finding any other trucking jobs right now. He's been home 2 weeks now, and we really need to find him something soon. And, NO, I can't make enough to support us.
Can anyone suggest a company that he could look into? Other than the accident, he's only had 2 tickets(one for non-moving violation), unfortunatly they've been all in the last 3 years.

I am sorry to hear that your husband has lost his job. The only thing I would suggest is to start filling out applications. Some carriers are still hiring. He is fighting an uphill battle with the current economy and difficulty in getting him covered under insurance. Points don't really come into play when it comes to your mvr. They only seem to consider the event. If he received a ticket then that is taken into consideration. It is the accident that will likely hurt him more than anything.

As far as being late is concerned, late is late. Whether it is 5 minutes or an hour if the load has a hard delivery time then he must either make it or reschedule. I don't recall the last time when I was late for an appointment. If you know that you have a hard delivery or pickup time you plan your trip to make sure you make it. If there is a question about making it then you either rearrange your appointment or don't take the load. I have turned down loads that I felt would be a problem to make the delivery in a timely manner.

There are a lot of carriers. If he can fill out enough applications then he may find something. Check local trucking companies and construction companies. He might find something driving a dump truck. At this point he just needs to find a job. He could check with Lowe's, Home Depot and other lumber companies who make deliveries. Concrete companies also have trucks. If you live in a coal producing area he might find something driving a coal truck. Check with rock quarries. Check with your local state employment office.

[Biscuit Lips]

^^^ Good advice GMAN. I would also check Craigslist for jobs. Look at all the massive job listing sites such as Monster, CareerBuilder, and the like too.

[Double R]

^^^ Good advice GMAN. I would also check Craigslist for jobs. Look at all the massive job listing sites such as Monster, CareerBuilder, and the like too.

Which are kinda dead in Western PA right now. Of course, Waste Management has been on all those lately looking for drivers. Other then that, not even the OTR companies have many ads in this area.

[trucker_wife]

I am sorry to hear that your husband has lost his job. The only thing I would suggest is to start filling out applications. Some carriers are still hiring. He is fighting an uphill battle with the current economy and difficulty in getting him covered under insurance. Points don't really come into play when it comes to your mvr. They only seem to consider the event. If he received a ticket then that is taken into consideration. It is the accident that will likely hurt him more than anything.

As far as being late is concerned, late is late. Whether it is 5 minutes or an hour if the load has a hard delivery time then he must either make it or reschedule. I don't recall the last time when I was late for an appointment. If you know that you have a hard delivery or pickup time you plan your trip to make sure you make it. If there is a question about making it then you either rearrange your appointment or don't take the load. I have turned down loads that I felt would be a problem to make the delivery in a timely manner.

There are a lot of carriers. If he can fill out enough applications then he may find something. Check local trucking companies and construction companies. He might find something driving a dump truck. At this point he just needs to find a job. He could check with Lowe's, Home Depot and other lumber companies who make deliveries. Concrete companies also have trucks. If you live in a coal producing area he might find something driving a coal truck. Check with rock quarries. Check with your local state employment office.

Thanks for your response. He has applications in numerous companies, and just this morning, left a voicemail responding to an ad at a construction company. We check every day for new job listings.
A few comments on being late or turning down loads-you can't always plan accordingly. Relay is late, pickup isn't ready on time, tire blows....rescheduling is sometimes possible, but there have been times when the company has said "Just get there as soon as you can"-then count it as being late. Also, the last few times he tried to turn down a load(because he KNEW he couldn't do it in the time allowed), his dispatcher told him "Take it or find another job". And look where THAT got him.

[doboy]

sorry to hear about the job loss. check out the the truckersreport.com site also.
crete is tight on logbooks so if he goes there drivers are given plenty of time for pkup/del.
has he tried usf glen moore good luck

[bighunter]

why cant your husband get a passport to run canada i got mine and it cost $130 for the booklet travel by air, sea, or road. and its good for 10 years. you can get a passport card its cheaper but you cant use it to fly or cruiseship because they cant stamp it. most companys that run canada require a passport. good luck

[bighunter]

one more thing late is late. our company keeps a scorecard for every thing you do. 1 min. late is 1hr. late on card. and if you put everything you say on qualcomm its saved. if you call them its word against word.

[Biscuit Lips]

Which are kinda dead in Western PA right now. Of course, Waste Management has been on all those lately looking for drivers. Other then that, not even the OTR companies have many ads in this area.

I hear you, I am not real familiar with the Pittsburgh area. Do have a trucking friend that lives in Sewickley which I believe is over there by Pitts. Anyway, those Waste Management guys can make some good money though.