Question:
I have talked with a couple companys(well more than a couple lol)...I was truthfull about my less than perfect past- some said they we're ok with it some not. But I cannot help but be worried about getting all the way to orientation and then finding out I am not hireable. TransAm assures me they check you out before they call you in- just run a MVR again just before then but there is really no way of knowing if I am being told the truth. Sure I know many companys do not even start screening people untill they get them in there- but isnt that just plain stupid ? OK- I know it costs $$ to run checks etc- can understand that but still....

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They are all scum bags,don't care about people and you want to work for one of them,ok have fun
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Ignore the recruiter's assurances that you've been "checked out". In most cases, the Safety Director has the final say in hiring so call the company on a non-recruiting line, and talk with the Safety Director.

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Thank-you very much Phil !!!! That is the first real usefull advice I have gotten on this subject after wading through all the negative stuff.

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As I'm sure that you're aware, I'm a purveyor of the "negative stuff" myself and much of the reason for that is because I've been jerked around by various, less than honest, individuals in this industry. Frankly, I think that most people who visit this forum would be better off giving truck driving a pass but if you're going to do it, most of us will try to steer you through some of the pitfalls. BOL
Member of the Naysayer Posse.

Answer:
Thanks Phil !!! Well- I have my mind made up I am going to do this. My drywall job is coming to a dead end due to bad knees and WAY to many Mexicans. Wife died last year- the road calls me Thankfully I have good friends that have been driving for years(currently running a dedicated team run for CFI) who are helping me. Plan on moving out their way in north Texas soon.They tell me rent will be nothing or allmost nothing lol. No state taxes in Texas either From what I can gather many newbies fail because of lack of support from home and/or homesickness. So many guys in my class say- Ohh no I wont drive for XXX company unless I can get home 2-3 times a week. Half of them do not want to drive OTR. Well I know better- gotta pay your dues etc. But time sure goes by fast-helps if you have a good attitude. There are quite a few good local outfits here where I live(near Charlotte N.C.) but surely you have to get decent OTR experiance to get on with allmost all of them them. I am trying to check with a company out of Charlotte that does runs for Wendys and 2 drivers go to Savannah and/or Florida and back. Make their stops at night unloading product. They hire out of school. Pay by the 'trip'Suppossedly $300 on the Georgia run..600 Florida.Still trying to contact them- guy at school doesnt seem to be able to remember their webpage right- maybe he'll get it tonight LOL...

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I took your advice Phil...called TransAms saftey department-left a message. Got a call back from the head honcho who I had a long talk with and made me feel much better. TransAm seems to have an excellent training dept. Out with a trainer you get dispatched as a solo... after your 4 weeks back in and do about 20 hrs perfecting backing etc on their range.. They are looking better and better. Yea I know they haul alot of meat etc - get ready for waiting time. But I believe it's all what you make of it. Afterall- It is a job

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Of course, it's a job; which is all the more reason you should be compensated for the time you devote to it.
On the other hand, you know what you're getting into and I figure if you're old enough to hang drywall, you're old enough to hang around meat packing plants. Best of luck to you.

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You're on your way to success with that mindset.
That's what it is ,was and will be. A JOB,not a mystical
"lifestyle".
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Yeah, but from the way Shuffler talks, you'd think +100 hour workweeks and living in a 8X10 box was a paid holiday.
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TransAm's recruiter was at our school today......they seem like an alright company. Beware....I'm from NY and I prolly see more TransAm rigs in the Northeast than I do when I'm here in the Midwest. The recruiter also mentioned that their Classics and Columbia tractors are autoshift's. Home one day every week worked. lots of meat loads out of the midwest to the East.
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Good thing I have 2 sisters living in upstate N.Y. that need visiting

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Make sure you contact "higher authorities" at whatever company you appy with. I sent a copy of my MVR to a recruiter at Swift asking him to double check with someone "higher" to make sure I was approved before I went down there for training in July. He responded that I made the right decision sending him the record and that he would pass my MVR on to "higher authorities." After all, I would be leaving a somewhat stable job to go and train with them (if another company doesn't contact me in the meantime) so the least they can do is give me some assurance that I'm not wasting my time.
We'll see what happens...
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What's he supposed to do, asshat? Get hired on with that union shop? They're bigger jerks than the companies.
But you knew that already, didn't you.
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When I was talking to a recruiter at swift i mentioned a 20 year old felony and was checked out before they called me down. Best thing to do is talk to a recruiter that works inside the company.