Which marks are worse for your driving future?
 

DUI's? Speeding tickets? Drug charges? Multi-vehicle accident with injuries? Single-vehicle accident with no injuries?
And then of course there's the type of accident as well: Rollover, fender-bender, rear-ender, side-swipe, property-takeout.

I just wanted to know how employers would rate these if only one type happened to anyone person.

Like, are they willing to take someone with speeding tickets and DUI from years ago, vs. a person with no DUI's/speeding tickets, but a few accidents from a few years ago?

Essentially, which combination of unfortunate occurrences are more than likely to keep you out of the game longer.
For the record, I strictly had a few, unfortunate ones(some of you already know) that led to my demise from Swift and into the hands of the many, "no-speak English" container/short haul outfits of the LA/Inland Empire region.
I found seven months of work to add to the 13 months gained with Swift, but unfortunately that guy folded after January '09.

So far, I've talked to Central Refridgerated, Knight, CRST(got my license/trained with them in '04), Marten and a few other well-equipped, top-notch companies.
I tell them the circumstances of what went on and how clean I've kept everything since the October '07 blip.
They tell me three years of driving or no-driving with no additional accidents until I'm considered for hire.
Well, one more year until this test comes to pass.

I always hire the guy that hasn't worked for the big box companies, has no big accidents, no DUI's, etc.

Once they Swift ya, there just aint no way to un-Swift ya. I learned my lesson with that years ago.

Originally Posted by Bandit102:

Once they Swift ya, there just aint no way to un-Swift ya. I learned my lesson with that years ago.

In 1986 myself and a friend flipped a quarter for one of them. I lost(or so i thought at the time)and hired him. 14 years working for me untill he purchased his own truck. It was annoying babysitting him for the first 5-6 months untill he learned to think for himself.

actually, I worked for swift and when I stepped out of the company I stepped down to a 200 man fleet. now I'm working for a 6 truck fleet. No qual com, no written directions, and nobody to call for directions . I'm also pulling an 18 wheeler into shopping center parking lot's right in front of the stores with no problem. That theory you can't un-swift them doesn't hold water my friend.

Originally Posted by Bandit102:
I always hire the guy that hasn't worked for the big box companies, has no big accidents, no DUI's, etc.

Once they Swift ya, there just aint no way to un-Swift ya. I learned my lesson with that years ago.

I know this just fine, drove for the small guys and it nearly killed me.
I'll just wait and see what happens in another year, the other large, "Swift-like" companies seem quite promising as far as that "3 years" thing goes.

Some like to be totally independent, while some of us just like that 50/50 mix of partial autonomy and reliable company guidance.

Originally Posted by chris1:
In 1986 myself and a friend flipped a quarter for one of them. I lost(or so i thought at the time)and hired him. 14 years working for me untill he purchased his own truck. It was annoying babysitting him for the first 5-6 months untill he learned to think for himself.

And KJ is still trying to buy his own truck ;-)

But I worked for you for how many years and I still can't think for myself!

Originally Posted by catalinaflyer:
And KJ is still trying to buy his own truck ;-)

But Uncle Tom babysits him now.

Originally Posted by chris1:
But Uncle Tom babysits him now.

The seems to be a pattern there, aren't there quite a few who have made the rounds and wind up back at uncle tom's hauling the cheap freight. I guess the idea of running a dedicated run making twice the money and being guaranteed home every week is just too much for some to handle so they go back to the other side of town. :confused:

Every time he has a repair and can't pay Tom calls me and complains. I just laugh and tell him he adopted him.
Some people just can't deal with the same thing each week. You have to have a personality and get along with your customers,that rules a lot of people out.

Originally Posted by chris1:
You have to have a personality and get along with your customers,that rules a lot of people out.

This I can agree with. I've had many that deliver to places and talk about how bad they were treated at a place they p/u or deliver to. When I go there there is no problem, I got along fine. I'm figuring it was in the truckers attitude, or they saw something there that really wasn't, idk

When you deliver to the same customer(s) each week you have to get along with them. If you have an attitude it screw's your whole schedule up and upsets the others when you're late. That eliminates quite a few drivers.

yup. they know you by name and already they are eather all smiles or frowns. I used to deliver semi-static routes where I'd see over 80% of the same ppl every week or 2 and we knew each other on a name basis. I always treated the customer like I wanted to be treated. Also, I worked on the other end as well, if the trucker was nice and had a good attitude we did all we could to get him unloaded as quick as we could. A driver was giving us attitude, well they might well work thier way to the end of the line. Sorry driver, we are swamped, might take a few hours.

Well, this thread got much derailed as usual, but then again which one doesn't?

As I said, two years into this bumpy road and aside from the unfortunate wreck I went on about, the MVR/DAC plate has been kept clean.

My troubles aside, I'm seeing more and more stories of drivers with worse conditions on their MVR/DAC records trying to get back into the driving force.
DUI's, speeding tickets, and many other "lack of judgment/common-sense" type of issues that are usually quite easy to avoid.

From my own understanding, with all the companies going to "no DUI ever", I would say it might be a good thing to stay off of line 5. Virtually, anything that will take you out of driving for a time, seems to be able to make it very difficult to find another job. But, a DUI, even in a POV, will even keep you out from behind the wheel of a taxicab for 5 years. Until freight and driver demand goes up, I would not suggest trying any one of them.

I'm no expert but here is the fealing I get reading through the job apps

drugs and DUI's are top. As someone mentioned here some places don't want to see one EVER. Even if they allow for it, 7 years is the standard.

next are accidents. Actually accidents with fatalities would probably be the killer taking precedence over even drugs and DUI.

Accidents with Injuries or Major DOT reportable accidents require a minimum of 3 years to clear off the record for most places. I can speak from expierience, you don't want a DOT reportable major accident on your record. I landed another job pretty quick when the economy was ok but in todays economy it took me from nov till sep to land a driving job.

Minor accidents and speeding tickets are next. Most places want to see at least 1 to 2 years w/out. Of course it depends. 1 to 2 major speeding tickets can get your license revoked. No license meens no job.

Originally Posted by geeshock:
I'm no expert but here is the fealing I get reading through the job apps

drugs and DUI's are top. As someone mentioned here some places don't want to see one EVER. Even if they allow for it, 7 years is the standard.

next are accidents. Actually accidents with fatalities would probably be the killer taking precedence over even drugs and DUI.

Accidents with Injuries or Major DOT reportable accidents require a minimum of 3 years to clear off the record for most places. I can speak from expierience, you don't want a DOT reportable major accident on your record. I landed another job pretty quick when the economy was ok but in todays economy it took me from nov till sep to land a driving job.

Minor accidents and speeding tickets are next. Most places want to see at least 1 to 2 years w/out. Of course it depends. 1 to 2 major speeding tickets can get your license revoked. No license meens no job.

Well, the one I had back in '07 was an epic fail, but luckily no injuries or other vehicles involved.
As I said, I spoke in person with some of the larger carriers and they gave me the "three year" thing as well.
If things hold up, then 11/10 is my target.