zero tolerance?
 

I just started school for my CDL today- and realized it's probably all wasted $, because I have 3 misdeameanor (NOT felony) convictions for possession of drugs. They are from 1998-99 but I seem to be ineligible for hire. Does anyone know if this is the response I'll get across the board? I've talked to all the major companies I can think of.

I'm assuming Yes-when they look at that record I'm assuming they're(the Companies) gonna think you didn't learn anything.

this is pretty bad. i dont quite understand how someone with a 3 year old DUI can get a trucking job but i cannot. i was hoping enough time had passed. the convictions were ridiculous, yes, but i've never tested positive on a drug test and have been clean for 7 yrs.

I been applying everywhere, I have no police record but a few gaps in employment and I can't get hired so a few mistakes like drugs, well good-bye... I bet we meet at the employment line.....I lost out , my life is over since no one will hire me with a 3 week gap in employment. So far 6 companies said sorry you got gap..... instead of you got a rap sheet...

Just try and try , thats all i am doing.....

you can easily fix the employment gap in your history, by forming a letter, stating the dates, and periods of the employment gap. stating that it was unemployed without benefits collected. and having it notorized and witnessed, it then becomes a legal document and most truck companies with honor it. i myself have used one for years that encompasses a 6 year period for when i was working the temps services years ago. this was and still remains an easy solution to this wide spread issue.

rjk - I honestly don't know what to tell you. I know a lot of people get into things when they are young and foolish. Then learn to regret it later. Since I don't know where you are from, I can't give you any ideas where to try. And I don't have any advice for you either.

Uglymutt - on the other hand, with that gap, not very long, maybe you haven't tried the right company yet. No promises, I will not speak for them, but try calling 800 359 2900 and ask for recruiting. See what happens.

i am in nebraska, if anyone does happen to have a suggestion for me it would be very welcomed.

Check the companies link on this forum. It lists the basic requirements for drivers. I think you are going to have a problem with that many and drug related. However, you could just start calling companies. You might find a construction company or one that runs dumps. These companies are not as particular as long as you have a decent MVR. I would get on the telephone and just start calling carriers, explain the situation and see what happens. Drugs are a big no no in this business. :shock:

try some of the smaller companies maybe you can find one that will help you out but be honest and upfront with them

I am definitely trying some smaller companies. My wife, bless her heart, emailed about 40 companies yesterday and asked if I would be eligible. But the fact that I can?t get a straight answer is really upsetting me. For example, I called one company yesterday and asked, and they said they would not hire me. She emailed the same company and they said they?d be happy to consider me in the email.

I have no idea what to think or where to go? I don?t have enough job searching time to be snowing the country with applications and getting backwards answers?

once your convictions get into the seven year range more co may consider you. I have heard Trans am is lenient but do not know for sure. I have met a driver that works for them that claimed to have a conviction for trafficking cocaine hmmmm??? oh by the way where do u live?

i live in NE. and actually trans am is the company that gave me two different answers. i need to try calling them again. my last conviction was may 1999 so i am just under 7 yrs. also since i never got convicted as a felon (only misd) i am still able to get hazmat.

on your gap you just have to be able to have some one verify that you were out of work the three weeks thats all. I had a six month gap. and was hired sheesh.

Re: zero tolerance?
 

I am going to play devils advocate here! OK me the company looks at your application sees not one not two but three drug charges! Warning Warning Warning step away from the truck. Here is what an employer is going to look at 1. this guy did not learn his lesson. 2 OK if we give him a chance and he gets back to his old ways what the worst that can happen? 1. he kills a family, 2. he gets busted and we loose the truck and the load. 3 we are put out of business because some person can't leave drugs alone. nope sorry Mr. applicant three strikes and your out. also it does not matter how petty the charges were you knew it was against the law and you chose to break it three times. your character is questionable at best in the eyes of an employer. Best of luck and I do hope all works out for you.

Littleman2 and Rokk, I do have a verifying letter of unemployment, my wife owns her own business and is self employed and works out of the house and when a recruiter calls they call her business because its the only phone I use at home, but they all said that self employment don't count, all the time in my gaps I just stayed home and helped the wife and I never got paid, she is my wife and we share the household, these trucking companies say they want a stronger work background because I have only been employed the last few years by temp agencies that its not good enough or strong enough for them to accept me... if they would go back 20 years and see I spent 13 years solid in a Sawmill and made $1300 gross every 2 weeks and I called in sick once in 13 years then I can show them I can work solid but since they only see these temp agencies and gaps they assume I am a loser and can't keep a job, I tried to explain to them my wife OWNS her own business and supports the household but they see that as self employed and that don't count and if she can verify I was home it still don't count..... I am confused as to why one must work until the day you go off to their orientation and quit your job that day...., I am unemployed now after graduating CDL school and have not worked because I have not been hired yet, so if I go get a job and work it until I get hired its not fair to the employer that I work 2 weeks and leave..... I am going to try to get on with companies with less than 20 trucks and stay away from the BIG companies that only hire someone with a trucking job that they can quit...

?I am going to play devils advocate here! OK me the company looks at your application sees not one not two but three drug charges! Warning Warning Warning step away from the truck. Here is what an employer is going to look at 1. this guy did not learn his lesson. 2 OK if we give him a chance and he gets back to his old ways what the worst that can happen? 1. he kills a family, 2. he gets busted and we loose the truck and the load. 3 we are put out of business because some person can't leave drugs alone. nope sorry Mr. applicant three strikes and your out. also it does not matter how petty the charges were you knew it was against the law and you chose to break it three times. your character is questionable at best in the eyes of an employer. Best of luck and I do hope all works out for you.?

OK, I understand this. All I can say is I went through a terrifically bad period in my life, I didn?t care what I did for a few years so I did it, and I didn?t have any reason not to. Now things have changed, it is a full seven years later, my record (and my system) are completely clean.

I know they have the right to refuse anyone they want to. What angers me is that they will give a job to someone who chose to drink alcohol and get behind the wheel of a car (even if they did it more than once, mind you), but not to someone who had weed in his apartment. I think the priorities there are a little fucked.

OK-here we go again with comparing alcohol and Drugs-I know you don't know the trucking business but a DWI will cook you just like a drug conviction.

There's plenty of us that when through "rough" times in our lives but didn't turn to alcohol or Drugs

I think the assumption is made that you did not learn once, did not learn twice, and after the third time you just figured out how to not get caught.
After all, No One is going to believe that you got caught the only three times you were in possession of controlled substances.

But here's a thought:
Contact an attorney. Ask about expungment laws in your state. If you are luck - REALLY lucky! - you will find out that after a certain amount of time the record can be expunged (that means erased) and you may answer "no" to all "have you ever......." questions. As you point out, these are misdemeanor charges and usually they can be expunged, especially after a period of years with no further violations.

BOL....really, BOL! :)

thanks alligator, i will try that!

for the record, every company i've talked to so far (and it's been several) will hire DUIs after three years. even multiple DUIs.

and i dont mean to be comparing alcohol or drugs, or defending anything. i actually volunteer as a drug counselor now. i'm against it; trust me.

An Idea??
 

Well, RJK!!!

There are certain realities that you are going to face, even if you do find a company that will take you on. One problem is that you won't be allowed into Canada, so that closes a lot of doors for employment opportunity from the very beginning.

I know a few ex-convicts and past drug offenders that drive (most of them for an outlaw company here in Texas), and even though their legal troubles may be behind them, these guys spend a lot of time behind the scale houses having their trucks searched.

Stopped by the Police, Sheriff, DOT, or Highway Patrol ?? Once they run a check on your driver's license , and your records of arrests pop up, you might as well hand the LEO an engraved invitation stating "Tickets Welcome, Guilty or Not!!" Of course, you'll also be losing more time, because you WILL wind up having your truck searched-again!!

Once your record of past offenses becomes known, you will loose any credibility you may have as far as being able to defend yourself, even if you are not guilty!! So you become a lucrative source for revenue enhancement, and you spend many hours driving off fines that you owe.

All of these things cause trouble not only for you, but for your employer as well. That is part of the reason companies have a zero tolerance policy on drug offenses.
:idea:
Here's an idea for you to consider!! You want to travel?? You want to get paid to travel?? Instead of complaining about doors being closed to you, take a liability, and transform it into an asset!! Go out, and get the word out; tell people about the doors that are closed to you!! You may be able to reach a few young people, and help save them from making the mistakes you made; the mistakes that you are paying for to this very day!!

You said that you work as a drug counselor; any chance of capitalizing on that by becoming a paid speaker, offering lectures on the long term consequences of getting caught, and helping people to find positive things for young people to say "Yes" to?? Did drugs deliver you from your problems?? There are church congregations, church youth ministry groups, schools, maybe even some truck driving schools, and other civic groups who might want to hear your story!!
8)
Good Luck, Useless

I've driven for alot of years and don't know of any company that will allow a person to have multible DWI's. If there is some company that does that I sure wouldn't want to drive for them.

Uglymutt, the problem you are having is that you are trying to use a family member to verify your employment gaps. What you need is at least 3 people who are not family to write letters for you with dates of your unemployment and be sure to get those letters notorized.

why are these gaps so important cant you just say you where lazy and living off your wife's/husband's income lol :P

"One problem is that you won't be allowed into Canada"

False. My charges are not felonies, which WOULD keep me out of Canada.

"You want to travel?? You want to get paid to travel??"

No, I actually need to make some real money so that I can marry my girlfriend. do you know what that is? Probably not.

I'm really sorry to be inspiring all of these nasty replies because of the fact that I'm upset regarding the way this career is not working out for me. I came here for advice, I admitted that I made mistakes, and asked if what I was doing by continuing with my CDL was realistic. Thanks to those who said it's not impossible and gave me advice on how to continue.

I might suggest that the reactions of some people around here are indicative of the difficulty I'm being faced with in attempting to get into this job force. It's a shame. I was fully expecting to spend the rest of my life defending my past bad choices. I messed up, I'm doing what I can to fix it, and some people are forever judgmental and nasty.

Maybe that's why I did drugs... =)

By the way, if I'm ever pathetic enough to sit around a forum and call someone I don't know childish names, I'll have to put myself away instead of breaking the law to get it done.

I have met a driver that works for them that claimed to have a conviction for trafficking cocaine hmmmm???

Yeah right :roll:

Hey thanks Uturn2001 , I just heard from PRIME INC. and they just want to call someone to verify my unemployment so I plan on giving them some phone numbers to call, they said a phone call will do instead of a letter, but I will still get some letters signed and notorized... heard from a few other companies, like CRST so I hope these are good companies, I applied to many and hope soon I will be on the road to happiness... thanks again

Now I will go and find those companies that do allow multiple DUI's , I seen some that said not more than 2 in 5 years and they will hire you, I been applying to several companies, about 130 of them so i will find them and post the companies so you all know ...... really lets all have a drink on them, no just kiddin , don't drink no more, too old for that ....I think if you have one DUI you should loose your license for 10 years.... so you learn not to drink and drive.......

There's plenty of us that when through "rough" times in our lives but didn't turn to alcohol or Drugs[/quote]


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gee Yoopr It must be nice to be so perfect.

Re: An Idea??
 

I used to be a narcotics detective, and worked very closely with recovering addicts (not saying that you are an addict) and most of them are VERY honest, and VERY hard working since they get clean. However, they will not be offered the same opportunities that most others will have.

Useless had a great idea. If you want to look into that, pm me here, I will try to hook you up with a DARE officer in NE (no promises, as I never worked in NE) who can help you with that.

BOL in whatever you do.

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gee Yoopr It must be nice to be so perfect.[/quote]

Oh bite me-Some people tough it out without drugs

Yoopr, is that the best you can do? lololol



and some people take a little longer getting their act together, why continue to punish them for the next 10, 20, 30 years?

Like you?
Interesting it seems the Druggies jump on the Drug Threads

Like you?
Interesting it seems the Druggies jump on the Drug Threads[/quote]

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Your not very good at this, are you, Yoopr?

What makes you think i'm a druggie? Get off your high horse and quit judging people.

Reality 101
 

Reality 101

It's time for a Serious Reality Check here!!

Regardless of your political views, regardless of your position on the "War on Drugs", there are certain realities that must be faced. Driving an 80,000lbs. missile down the road, through mountains. or through cities is very serious business. It requires people who are willing to accept responsibility and accountability, and adhere to a certain standard of behavior.

As far as being "judgmental", this is an industry that requires that you be judged based upon your conduct while driving, and while NOT driving as well. If you are not willing to accept the fact that you are going to be judged, then you will not be welcome in this profession.

There are no "Kings X's" here. Get involved in an incident?? Damage property?? You are going to be held accountable, regardless of whatever excuses you may have. If you have a documented history of substance abuse, and wind up in a wreck where someone is seriously injured, a company is going to be hard pressed to explain in a court of law why they hired you in the first place. You can argue that "that was a long time ago" all you want to, but it won't matter a bit. The "That's so unfair" arguement will get you nowhere here.

In this industry, if you are a user, then you are a loser, and every professional driver, motorist, passenger, or child who has to share the road with you is at risk.!! We are already overburdened with drivers who seem to believe that their past mistakes or errors are "not their fault", or "no big deal" The fact is, having a history of drug use IS a big deal in this industry, and it should be!! Second Chances??? Hey, if someone is killed, or left to spend the rest of their life in a wheelchair, do they get a "Second Chance"??

Sorry, but you are going to be judged in this industry, and well seasoned Professional Drivers like Yooper who adhere to the requirements of a higher standard of conduct, responsibility, and accountability have every right to judge other professional drivers, potential professional drivers, or wanna'bee drivers by that same standard.

BTW, I'm no angel myself; I'm not some Conservative Republican Red-Neck either. I am an old hippie who takes driving very seriously.

Peace, Useless

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Your not very good at this, are you, Yoopr?

What makes you think i'm a druggie? Get off your high horse and quit judging people.[/quote]

Imagine-someone new on here from the Left coast
Most everybody on here knows me-you don't
I WILL Judge people who use drugs

losers

Be that as it may, it is a BLOODY shame the Mods can't enjoy a holiday without breaking up yet another NINJA FIGHT.

The back biting and name calling really does get old and quite childish.

This topic has gone totally awry and if the HATE AND DISCONTENT does not stop the topic will be LOCKED and the abusers will be BANNED.

Now PLAY NICE!!!!!!!

go ahead ban me. You all are way to judgemental and obviously can't read. I guess it's fine for me to be called a druggie, which I'm not, but I can't call someone a loser. Why am I singled out and not the person who is calling me a druggie. BYE LOSERS

:idea: Wonder if this guy was any relation to Road Runner!! :P