[Jimbo56]

Call it crazy, or just a mid life crisis, and tired of the low pay in this area, but I am considering returning to the road. I have about 5 months of experience in the last two years with Swift, CR England and USA Truck. I drove for Swift and USA for about one month each, and completed the CAT program with CR England. I left Swift after 30 days due to a family emergency and USA and England due to problems at home. These seem to have been corrected, but with four employers in the last 2 years, I'm sure my work record looks to a future employer like writing on a bathroom wall. I'm 50 years young, have no tickets, accidents, etc, and I enjoy life on the road, but I've never met a driver who wouldn't rather sleep in his own bed than in a sleeper.

The 64K question is, Are there any employers willing to hire me with this work record? I'm open to suggestions from recruiters and fellow drivers on the board.

[Doghouse]

If you left the other companies without any DAC issues, and your license is clean, and you can pass a DOT physical,.....I can't see why you're not qualified to be hired. I was bombarded with offers a few years ago, and decided OO was for me, but I'm sure you can find a company to take you. At least long enough to get you road legs back, and then find a company you really like.
Good luck to you :wink:

[nickbtubas]

Im with Doghouse. From what you, JimBo56, said you look in pretty good shape to get hired with another company. One thing i would suggest is to make sure you fully disclose why you left the other companies and reassure the recruiter that all prior problems have been corrected!!

Good Luck

[firefighteremtb78]

I have 10 months OTR exp. with a very poor track record of jobs. Im not proud of this but things happen. I have had 6 diiferent employers within a year. I quit various reasons but no bad DAC reports and I just got hired on a different company. Im planning on staying here for awhile now. I really dont think you will have aproblem

[Cluggy619]

I hate telling you this only because of my bias for this company. But you might want to contact sheepdancer. JB might work out to be the best option you got right now. However, you will need to stay with them untill you get atleast 1 year in.

And who knows? You might like it there, and come back here, and call me a a$$hole whiner. :lol: :lol:

[Triple Digit Bob]

Originally Posted by Cluggy619

I hate telling you this only because of my bias for this company. But you might want to contact sheepdancer. JB might work out to be the best option you got right now. However, you will need to stay with them untill you get atleast 1 year in.

And who knows? You might like it there, and come back here, and call me a a$$hole whiner. :lol: :lol:

EH,Jb hunt no good. They have slow truck and pay only 150.00 week. Try this place call Prime. Tell them you want buy truck and you go fast and make good money. Yes?

[Jimbo56]

Sorry no Prime. I did two months for CR England and saw what they did to their lease drivers. The only way most, ( and most have very little experience) can turn a profit is to stay out 6 weeks at a time and be a CAT Trainer.

I'm a bit of a loner and want no one else in the truck to rely upon except myself. I am sending for a copy of my DAC report because I have no clue what it says about my time with England.

[golfhobo]

Originally Posted by Jimbo56

Sorry no Prime. I did two months for CR England and saw what they did to their lease drivers. The only way most, ( and most have very little experience) can turn a profit is to stay out 6 weeks at a time and be a CAT Trainer.

I'm a bit of a loner and want no one else in the truck to rely upon except myself. I am sending for a copy of my DAC report because I have no clue what it says about my time with England.

Jimbo, I don't think you'll have a problem. Now, you can probably get on with one of the "biggie" training companies, and take low pay for awhile, then get solo again, and your future is still ahead of you! Or....

You can find a mid-size or smaller company who needs drivers, tell your story, do a few weeks in a "team training" situation, and be on the road as a solo!

You've committed no "so-called" crime! Your record SHOULD be clean, but I agree with checking your DAC!

Blame ALL THREE moves on your home problems, that are now "settled!" Don't even "diss" C.R. England! Recruiters will see this whole episode as "hometime related" or home emergenies. Let them know right up front what was happening, and why it is no longer a problem! [And how it all happened AFTER you decided to get into trucking.]

You STILL have done your schooling for a CDL, DONE more than enough training between 2 or 3 companies, and DONE some time on the road! Your MVR is clean! You are a PERFECT "hiree!"

WALK and TALK with confidence about what you have DONE! They will respect that MORE than if you make "excuses" for not staying with those companies!

You will probably have to take a few "lumps," and they will be WATCHING you to see if your performance matches your "story." Show them! It can do nothing but GOOD for you.

As for your "work history" on an application: I think there is usually a space for you to add comments.... SOMEWHERE on the application. Use this space to mention the "home emergencies" that are now "corrected. Employer will usually give you a chance to explain your situation that came up AFTER you paid your money and began your "time" of experience.

As for:

but I've never met a driver who wouldn't rather sleep in his own bed than in a sleeper.

Hi. My name is Hobo. I'm single and 50. My previous business took over my entire apartment, so I now (and have for awhile) sleep on my COUCH! I have to "draw up my legs, to fit!" My Truck bunk is MUCH bigger and I can stretch out! I LOVE sleeping in my truck.... MOVING or not! :lol:

Best of luck to ya! Look at your OWN attitude about yourself! If YOU wouldn't hire you... no one ELSE will! But, if you present yourself as "hirable," I believe MANY would!!!

Trucking is not so different than other professions. ALWAYS try to get a "face to face" interview! Sell yoursefl, and you get the job! It has ALWAYS worked for me!

A couple of months from now, I expect to hear how it has worked for YOU!!!

[Jimbo56]

Golf hobo, Thanks, fort the words of encouragement. Its been a struggle to get my family to the point that I can return to the road without causing major concerns for the entire family, but I'm finally there. Hopefully, I'll be able to begin a life over the road and still have a home to return to. I've sent for a copy of my DAC and it should be here in a few days and I'll be able to verify that all is correct. I may not get the best choice of companies to begin with, but as I've said, I dont have the best resume so I'll take what I can get.........to a point.

[Jimbo56]

Ok all. I applied to JB Hunt today. The worst that can happen is they say no. I'm not hiding anything and I was straight up with the recruiter, so we'll see what happens. I haven't been given the "pre-hire" approval yet pending verification of my DAC, etc, but it sounded optimistic.

I've read a lot on this board about the pros and definitely the cons of JB. One thing that I've learned is 90 percent of your success or failure is dependant on your attitude, less that 10 percent is somebody else's fault. I'm not leaping into this with my eyes closed. I have a poor work record, too may jobs and a history of not sticking things out to completion, and if JB Hunt is willing to take a chance, I'll give them 110 percent.

Because of my record, they indicate that I'll have to do their "finishing program". I'm not looking forward to spending several weeks in a truck with another person I don't know, but I did it with a total of three people in a condo freightliner with CR England. I'm sure I can manage it with one. Three in a truck has to be the worst idea CR England ever discovered.