Quote:
Originally Posted by snacker
After spending 15 years in warehouses, an opportunity came up for me last year to go to school to get a CDL with my employer paying 90% of the cost.
I had always liked trucks and thought it could be my ticket out of warehouse work. Make money, buy my own truck, live happily driving around the country.
Had no problems getting it at all.
Started working for Schneider in August last year, had no trouble going through orientation at all. Shifting, backing, road driving, etc all fine.
Got an OTR position and went out at the start of September.
All was fine and dandy for a while.
Then while driving through Mississippi in November I had an accident.
I had spent the night at a small gas station off the hiway. At 4:30 AM I was heading out. It was foggy, dark, the roads were empty. I was about to make my left turn onto the divided hiway, I saw a vehicle in the far off distance, no big deal I thought. Started pulling out across the hiway with my 42k load. Entrance to the highway from the gas station was an incline so it was slow going, my nose was just about across the East bound lanes when there was a bang and sparks across the front of my truck. Looked over just in time to see an SUV rolling in the grass center median. The guy admitted to the cops that he was doing 90 and tried to go around the front of me as I was pulling out. I bumped his passenger side as a result and sent him spinning. He was uninjured and although my bumper was a mangled, the truck was still drivable. I didn't get any citations from the police for it and after the officer got my info I was free to go. Safety department yelled at me, saying it was preventable because I could have stopped to let him pass, which I agreed with.
Then in January I had another accident. Had been running for about 4 weeks and was running recaps. I was a bit burnt out, even planning to take a 34 after completing my load to play it safe. But, I didn't make it that long. Was driving though a construction zone, there was no shoulder and the lane was narrow with the guard rail was right against the line. I drifted a few inches to the right and brushed the guard rail. I recovered but the steering was messed up. Was able to continue a mile down the road to an emergency pull off, leaving skid marks the whole way from my front tires. The tie rod got bent when the lugs on the passenger side steer caught the guardrail. When the drivers side tire was pointing straight, the passenger side would point towards 1 o'clock. Tires on the passenger side of the truck and trailer had gauges in the sidewalls as a result of the guard rail and the skirting on the side of the cab was scraped. Heard the officer talking on the phone saying the guard rail didn't need to be replaced, it was just 'chewed up'
I got terminated for safety violations.
Can't get unemployment either due to 'disregarding company safety rules'
Now, I live in South East PA in an area with dozens of major warehouses 15 mins away so finding a job wont be hard (yes, I know it's already been 2 months, lol).
I really hate the thought of going back to a warehouse. I was hoping to get out of that kind of work.
But, if there even any chance of me getting back into rig with 2 accidents in such a short time?
Or do I have to wait a few years before even attempting?
Sorry I wasn't around when you made this post and were misled by the likes of GMAN and a few others.
DAC/HireRight is in bankruptcy. I've already received one settlement from them and am looking forward to the next as a party to a Class Action Suit.
Truth being: Many companies would have no idea what you were talking about if you said: DAC. DAC has derailed too many promising careers via coolie carriers that operate only to "violate" you within their system.
DAC/HireRight operates within a loophole. (OPERATED?) They were (allegedly) using the FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act) unjustly.
Hope it all worked out for you.