Title says it all I am looking into getting a class a cdl. Passed general knowledge and air brakes will be going to school next month at a comunity college in northeast pa. I have a few blemishes to my driving record. I know it's all about the insurance companies but I was looking for some pro opinions. Speeding in mn 70 in a 45 2012 and the marijuanna charge in 06 in nj. The charge wasn't anything crazy there was a piece of a joint in my car after a bachelor party nj state troopers charged me w having less than a gram including the bag it was weighed in. Anyway will all this add up to an automatic no go when I start applying to trucking companies?

Do you guys have any recommendations what companies I should call on in my area Ne pa. I'm hoping to get a class a to over qualify myself for a lower level commercial driving job till I can get picked up by a long haul company unless you guys have better ideas. I'm very new to all this so please try to explain in laymans terms.

Thanks in advance for your input and suggestions.
Grant

The pot charge only hurts, the speeding ticket will be the deal breaker. 25mph over its a wonder you didn't lose your lic, and get charged with reckless. Most if not all company's will look at that as you being reckless and will not even consider hireing you for several years. Save your money , don't go to cdl school now cause a cdl has a shelf life. For a noob its about 2-6months! If you don't get a driveing job in that time you'd have to go back to school again. Somebody will get on here and tell you to go for it and try small comp. it MIGHT work but probably not.

Gharris 129 the Marijuana charge may or may not hurt you each company is different, but as repete said, the 25mph ticket will automatically disqualify you from MOST companies including the big training companies for at least 3 years. I would heed the advise given from repete. Don't go out and get your CDL.

My cousin was in a NY Prison for ''drugs''.I am not happy with him at this moment.But he called me the other day and he is in recovery and is doing better and staying clean and sober.3 Months now..
He wants to go to trucking school(state paid)...That's another sore subject for me...lol,lol....Needless to say he was informed by USA Truck that he is a GO...(ROLL EYES)...LOL..Another sore subject...

So you may wanna check with USA Truck.If they take my gangster cousin,they should take anyone...lol,lol...But the deal breaker as stated is the speeding ticket.That may hurt you..As far as ''felons'',there are many many truckers out there that have a criminal record...I for one have a felony conviction from 1982 when i was a young dumb kid...I am here and i even passed back ground for Haz Mat..Don't believe all the ''trucker'' stories you here..

Thank you very much for your fast and honest replies. On your recommendations I will not go to school until I have a job lined up. If I can get a job tossing boxes for fed ex or ups maybe that will fast track me when I do qualify. Does that make sence to anyone or is there a better idea out there? Thanks again for all the fast honest responses.

-grant

I think you got the right idea. But whatever you do be carefull! NO MORE TICKETS! Also becarefull of "prehire" letters, thats what a company will send you saying that they will hire you as long as you meet the saftey standards. What they don't tell you till you've paid good money for the school is that you DON'T meet those standards. Good luck.

Just a few more questions or suggestions. You don't have to answer.

Why didn't you get the speeding reduced to AT LEAST less than 15 over? 15 over makes it a major offense both for your insurance AND any future CDL consideration. Most prosecutors will reduce this if it was a first offense. Do you have several other moving violations you are not mentioning?

How old are you and how long have you been driving?

That misdemeanor possession charge is not SO bad... but, you're not claiming that you didn't plan on smoking it, are you? If so, you might want to rethink your priorities in the next couple of years while waiting to get your CDL. BTW. If it happened in 06 (6 years ago) and you need to wait almost 3 more years on the speeding charge, that makes 9. I would wait another year until the pot "conviction date" is 10 years old. SOME companies will only pull a Criminal background check (different than an MVR,) for the last 10 years.

Depending on how bad you want to be a trucker, you might consider getting a SAP assessment. Even if you are not a pot smoker. Having an assessment that says you don't have a drug problem could help if/when the question comes up in an interview.

If you HAVE no problem, and have no other recent problems with law enforcement, you might consider trying to get the drug charge "expunged" from your record. You might even get a judge to expunge the speeding ticket (but, I doubt it... maybe reduced.) Getting the drug misdemeanor OFF your record could really help your chances. I don't know the procedure... but, you can find out.

You mentioned going to the Community college. While you're waiting for time to expire... why not go anyway for something you can use. Maybe Diesel repair?

Tossing boxes for UPS or Fed Ex could be a good idea. FedEx (ground) at least offers insurance to it's package handlers (though NOT to drivers... aaargh!) I hear UPS hires their drivers FROM THE DOCK. So, in that case, it might do well for you. (Plus, I think you get random tested which will help you stay clean.)

Best of luck. [But, definitely do not pay for CDL school until you get these other things resolved.]

Well I am 35 have been working with adjudicated youths since 09. And I haven't been using any drugs since pre96 when I was in high school. I didn't look to get the ticket reduced because I didn't have the ability to get to court it is about 18hrs one way from my home and i didnt think i would be looking to get a job based on my driving record I also doubt it crossed my mind that anyone would reduce the charges. before that I had a suspension for an unpaid ticket when I LivEd in Philly but that wasn't a moving violation just a product of being poor and not planning and was in 2007 or earlier. Overall I have been driving since 95 and have had 3 moving violations total. The ticket in mn was a detour off highway and there was no signage calling for a reduction in speed that I saw and being from out of state driving home with my two kids I really didn't think it was a good idea to argue at that time. Hind sight being what it is I wish I had.

Thanks for the clarifications. I would think that your "job" working with adjudicated youth would go along ways towards having a judge expunge the pot charge. Make sure you present a good case for how much of a problem it would be in getting a CDL job. [Might as well try the same thing with the judge in MN. See if he will reduce the speed.] For that one, you might pay a few bucks to a local attorney and see if he thinks a letter from him will do any good... as opposed to the 18 hr drive. I know I'm sounding disjointed. Obviously, you should consider retaining a local lawyer for BOTH efforts.

Doesn't sound like such a bad record overall. Your age helps alot, too. Younger drivers have a harder time selling the "stupid mistake" argument. If you can't get the pot charge expunged, I still highly recommend a SAP assessment (you should be able to get this done as a "courtesy" considering your recent occupation.) That, and perhaps a letter of recommendation from whatever agency you've been associated with concerning the youth, would go along way when included with any applications in the future. At the very LEAST, play up this "counseling" job on all your applications.

Continued best wishes. If you have anymore questions, keep asking.

I will keep updating in hopes of helping others muddle through the process. I do want to drive I'm not looking to get rich I just want something to do that interests me and this career seems like a means to that end. I have had to make my own way my whole life no parents ect you've heard the story before. But I have no one to guide me. I just need one chance and i will do great. How this applies to this board forum ect is I will not give up or fail because I can't and so it's a question of how and when I can achieve my goal. And I think this will be an informative thread for all noobs because they will also hit some of the pitfalls I will face. I know it will be a hard road for me and if anyone cares to mentor or advise everything suggested here will be evaluated and tried.

From here on out I would ask the replies be constructive as possible. Don't tell me why I can't do something today without telling me a few ways I may be able to work towards my goal. I may not get hired as Otr trucker today or for three years but anything you guys can suggest to get me closer to that end would be awesome. I promise i won't let your knowledge or advice go to waste.

Thank you
Grant