WHat Company Will Hire Me?
 

Hello my name is Eric, and Im new here. Im 22 and have been in the Ohio Army National Guard for the last 5 years. Now I have been out of work for the past 4 months and For the past 2 months i have been trying to become a Trucker.

My Problem is that I have two speeding tickets on my record in the last year (the only two I have ever had) and they were both for 15 MPH over the speed limit. I have talked to 15 different companies and they all say the same thing, that I cant be hired with the tickets until one drops off. Except for Swift, They will hire me on the date that the oldest ticket was paid. Like I said before these tickets are the only trouble I have ever had with the law.

Im just trying to figure out if any one out there knows of any company who will hire (besides Swift) some one with these type of traffic offense?

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Zippo

What is wrong with Swift? Thousands of drivers have gotten their start with them. Many carriers won't hire someone with one ticket that is 15 mph or over. Any speeding ticket 15 mph or higher is considered reckless driving. If it were me and Swift would take me with those two tickets, I would jump at it. Otherwise, you will need to wait a couple of years for them to drop off your mvr. Carriers go back 3 years when checking a driver or prospective driver's mvr. If you started now, you would have 2 years experience by the time they drop off and many more doors would open for you.

There Is nothing wrong with swift, I just like having more then one option, But like i said they will hire me on the day i paid the ticket. That is not for another 4 Months and I was just wondering if there was a company that would be able to hire me sooner.

Have you checked with CRST? Their trucks are (or were) governed at 60, so speeding would not be an issue there. But, 15 over the limit is a serious violation, and with two tickets, that's two violations which will get you out of the driver's seat even if you've been driving for the last 5 years.

Now isn't CRST a team driver only company? I know my options are limited, and I will still look into them because well if they will hire me then I can at least get into the driver seat and start getting much needed experience. Am I right in thinking that they are only a team driver operation?

Originally Posted by SPCZippo:
Now isn't CRST a team driver only company? I know my options are limited, and I will still look into them because well if they will hire me then I can at least get into the driver seat and start getting much needed experience. Am I right in thinking that they are only a team driver operation?

The Van Expedited is the "Team Only" part of CRST.

BUT.......If they took you, they might require that you spend an extended amount of time in a "Training" truck, because of those 2 tickets.

Between the 2 Swift is your better option.

Well Like i said before, Swift might be the best option out of the two but swift cant hire me for another 4 months, Unfortunately my money wont hold out that long. My question is wouldn't swift still have me in a training truck for a period of time even if I didn't have these tickets?

Originally Posted by SPCZippo:
Well Like i said before, Swift might be the best option out of the two but swift cant hire me for another 4 months, Unfortunately my money wont hold out that long. My question is wouldn't swift still have me in a training truck for a period of time even if I didn't have these tickets?

Any and ALL companies will have you in a "training truck" for at least 3 months (just my guess.) So... what difference does it make?

If you will run out of money, then get a part-time JOB! Don't mean to sound rash, but you've got to do what you've got to DO to get into trucking... if you have a good reason to DO so. If Swift will hire you first... then go with Swift! Don't you have U/I insurance income in the meantime?

You could check into the WIA program I suggested on the "other thread," and you might get lucky like I did. You can call and talk to the schools and ask them about "special placements" for people with your kind of record. Then call the companies instead of trusting the "school recruiter."

Actually, after further review. Personally, I think that CRST would probably be a perfect fit for Golfhobo, Orangetxguy, Windwalker, and last, but certainly not in the least. The King Of Coolie Carriers Mackman!

Where y'all been?


Ohhhh shoot.......on edit. Certainly GDOG is CRST material!:thumbsup:

Originally Posted by golfhobo:
You could check into the WIA program I suggested on the "other thread," and you might get lucky like I did.

Lucky? Jeez, Hobo. You call working 80-100, logging 70 and getting paid for 40 lucky? C'mon brother!

"A wet brain is a terrible thing to waste...........................................": o

Originally Posted by belpre122:
Actually, after further review. Personally, I think that CRST would probably be a perfect fit for Golfhobo, Orangetxguy, Windwalker, and last, but certainly not in the least. The King Of Coolie Carriers Mackman!

Where y'all been?


Ohhhh shoot.......on edit. Certainly GDOG is CRST material!:thumbsup:

ALRIGHT. :mad:

Just who the HELL opened the door and let this GOOF in?? :p

In fact......... :D ..........Who left the freezer door open so he could thaw out??

Wattzup Gary? Where the hell have you been hiding??

Originally Posted by Orangetxguy:
ALRIGHT. :mad:

Just who the HELL opened the door and let this GOOF in?? :p

In fact......... :D ..........Who left the freezer door open so he could thaw out??

Wattzup Gary? Where the hell have you been hiding??

Didn't I WARN you about "global warming?" The ice melts... the polar bears move south. And running right in front of them is our old friend... Belpre!

HOW many years now have they had to ship SNOW in for the Iditarod?

The polar ice cap melts.... and the "Alaskan rejects" come flooding back into the Lower 48.

I'm gonna need MORE "line 5" time for this!

Originally Posted by belpre122:
Lucky? Jeez, Hobo. You call working 80-100, logging 70 and getting paid for 40 lucky? C'mon brother!

"A wet brain is a terrible thing to waste...........................................": o

I see you haven't lost your "form."

I have NEVER worked 80-100.... even in the service. I've never HAD to log under the 70 hour rule, and have NEVER come close in a one week period (that you are implying.)

But, you are right about getting paid for 40. I can get to CALI and back in less than 45 hours "logging time" as a team, be HOME every weekend, OVER 5,000 miles "team" and average better than the 30 something cpm most solo drivers make!

6 years ago when I started trucking, I came from a good paying hourly job with O/T making about $25k/yr.

Working for a "bottom feeder" because of some things on my record, I averaged $34k for the first 3 years. Three years later, I parlayed my OTR "experience" into a dedicated FedEx run paying about $48k/yr. Three years now with the same employer and I'm making "north" of $60k. I've ONLY been trucking for about 6 years!

I've never HAD to work for a "coolie," but... I understand how you can't appreciate that... since you DID!

Anyway.... it's good to see you again!

Eric,

My advice to you is to take whatever is available and do not waste your time trying to find multiple companies right now. You have more than the speeding tickets against you. You are only 22 years which makes you too young for most insurance policies to be able to carry you as a driver. Most policies require a 23 year old minimum with little or no tickets in the past 3 years on your MVR. Swift is not a bad choice. You will hear mixed fixed about all trucking companies, so you need to make your own decision on the quality of the carrier and don't listen to other drivers. I have been trucking long enough to know to make my own judgements about companies and not to believe everything I read or hear.

I have been on both sides of trucking, from driver to fleet manager, and I can tell you that most of the things negative you hear about companies are not because they are bad companies, it's usually because the drivers that are complaining are simply cry babies that can't function unless they always get their way. I am sure that will offend someone here, but it's the truth. Driver's have so many good days that they don't even notice it until someone bad happens to them. Then all of a sudden all the good days they've had are non existent. It really is true when you hear people say you have to take the good with the bad, and I can assure you that any driver that has been in this industry long enough will tell you that they have had more good days then bad. Get your experience, keep your record and your nose clean, then you can choose your carrier because you will have many more choices.

Originally Posted by belpre122:
. The King Of Coolie Carriers Mackman!

:D:D

Well look who it is!!! Mr Coolie himself. Where the hell you been??

Originally Posted by SPCZippo:
Hello my name is Eric, and Im new here. Im 22 and have been in the Ohio Army National Guard for the last 5 years. Now I have been out of work for the past 4 months and For the past 2 months i have been trying to become a Trucker.

My Problem is that I have two speeding tickets on my record in the last year (the only two I have ever had) and they were both for 15 MPH over the speed limit. I have talked to 15 different companies and they all say the same thing, that I cant be hired with the tickets until one drops off. Except for Swift, They will hire me on the date that the oldest ticket was paid. Like I said before these tickets are the only trouble I have ever had with the law.Zippo

Eric........sorry that Golfhobo attempted to hijack yet another thread.............That said.........

If Swift will take you. Go for it. You've gotta make your bones somewhere. At least while you are at Swift, you will have some benefits. Also you can buy time for those tickets to fall off of your driving record. Swift has a decent terminal there in Columbus, which makes the offer that much more attractive.

Running teams at CRST is a tough row to hoe. Truly a last resort. If you are typing from the Salvation Army.....is the only reason you should be considering that option.

If you are in it for the 'long-haul,' as you have stated. Take the offer, understand that you are in a "basic training" type situation. Get the experience and move on. There are MORE than plenty of driving opportunities out of Central/NW Ohio.

BTW Zippo..........9 years Indiana National Guard.........4 years Army Active duty on this end. Best of luck and let us know if we can help in any way.

Staff Sergeant Belpre (Ohio?):)

Originally Posted by SPCZippo:
Well Like i said before, Swift might be the best option out of the two but swift cant hire me for another 4 months, Unfortunately my money wont hold out that long.

Go down to the armory and ask the UA if you can work some man days for the State. I used to do it all of the time. The pay is not that bad. That might help for a few months............................ Plus.....that time DOES count towards retirement.

Just saying.............

Originally Posted by golfhobo:
Anyway.... it's good to see you again!

LOL.........ditto.

I'll get in contact with you and Stan shortly with info.

Stan.......are you still running tanker OTR? (coolie?) I had to ask. heh heh

MackPuppy: How is married life? No need to ask you young'n. I know that you are running for 25CPM!:D

G