I was an OTR driver. I love driving and I'm barely home I stay out as long as 7 weeks to have a week off or five days off. I had an accident (June 12-5am in Salem, VA that resulted in reckless driving. I have no points and my license was never suspended. DOT & company put me out of service, gave me a urine test, i passed, then they switched my truck with another driver so she could deliver the load.
My dispatcher said she was giving me a bus ticket home, I told her no bc I had alot of stuff in my truck that wouldn't go on a bus such as my t.V., food and pet (dog). I asked her can they get me a rental car or something. She said no & that Gainey didn't honor that.
So let's see the insurance agent from my company gave me, my stuff & my pet a ride to the nearest truck stop (TA). This was on a tuesday, I didn't get paid til thursday. I didn't get a check anyway bc they took it, two BIG checks I was counting on. I did have my fuel card that had around 7000 points on it. I had not realized that you could use it to buy stuff in the TA I just thought it was for something else, so that helped out though.
I was at the TA trying to find a trucker that was going south took me until the next morning to find one. This guy from Prime i was talking to about the whole thing the night before gave me a ride the next morning, I finally got to my destination, thank god. I ended up giving up my dog to a shelter in GA. Bc at the time while I was driving otr my family moved to a place that didn't accept pets.
I called the safety manager asked him if it was possible to come back. I even told him I would take training classes and even take a pay cut. So he told me I could come back in one year and that I'd still be on rehire status. I even called six months after to check on that, it was still a go. I called them back June 17. They told me somebody went in the system in put *no rehire* or some sugar honey iced tea like that. I told them let me speak to the safety manager Gary. Gary said he would check on that, he never got back in touch with me. I left a million msg's then I finally got through. Gary's secretary answered & told me there qualifications changed since then and that I'd have to wait two more yrs. For that accident to clear.
Mean time I've been doin B.S. Jobs til then like Walmart & shuttle driving for a hospital. I'm currently enlisting in the National Guard to drive trucks for them part time In fact I'm taking my physical tomorrow@Fort Meade. Anyway it's just a shame that one accident can ruin your life. Damn that License is Definitely your lively hood.
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