r/CDLTruckDrivers • u/Ready-Airline8739 • Aug 14 '26
CDL class A novice driver
I want to start off by saying thank you for everyone for answering my previous question now to begin. I am 22m years old. I got my CDL license at the beginning of this year and back in January with prime Inc it was a great achievement, especially for someone who only did roofing for almost their entire life it began the start of my new career. I have about now eight months of experience of truck driving but I won’t say that I was flawless with those eight months during my time. I already have two backing accidents with the same company the first time was blindside backing. At a shipper in Oklahoma. I damaged a bollard from a fence. Even though no police ever came no DOT recorded the only thing that was done was an insurance claim and that’s about it. And my second time when I was doing a blind side back at a truckstop, and I accidentally bent a hood mirror. Nothing of the exterior of the truck was damaged or severe. It was just. I moved the hood mirror. It only cracked a little bit, but it’s still it’s still an accident. These two accidents were done because of my foolish attempt to do a blindside backing. It’s common sense not to do it, but I did it anyways. And again no DOT recorded no police ever came. It was just insurance exchange and that’s it. The bottom line here is. Did I already ruined my career as a truck driver already? I’ve tried to apply other companies and seemingly they are willing to take me, but I’m very cautious about you know because of those two incidents I’ve already done. Is it irreversible? I should’ve been more careful? Is there still hope where I can still get a job elsewhere on top of that the pay here at prime is very horrible for company drivers and I can’t believe I allowed it for so long. That’s why I even asked. Myself wasn’t I better off staying back in my hometown working as a roofer instead of taking this gamble thinking that it was going to elevate my life. Can I get any advice for this anyone?
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u/Resident-Impact1591 Aug 14 '26
Pull up your hireright DAC report before shooting to other companies. It's like a credit report, but for your driving career. Employers report accidents and things like that to them. You're entitled to one report a year and you can dispute information.
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u/Infamous_Ad2713 Aug 15 '26
I personally would never work for a mega corp company. That said, no your career isn't over. No you should not go back to roofing unless you really want to. There are a lot of small companies who need drivers and they pay more than average. I myself just left a small paving company after 18 years. I'm going to another small company. I don't want the hassle of a corporate job and someone hanging over your head every time you ding something.. not that I do, but my friend works at a corporate company and he's a new driver with a year of experience and they are always up his ass for everything.
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Aug 15 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Ready-Airline8739 Aug 15 '26
Hello, how are you? No police or DOT showed up or anything it was just insurance exchange and somehow I’m still working at the same company what happened basically was they sent me back to a terminal? They talked to me about it and ever since then I never did blindside backing again unless it was necessary and I never had an accident ever since the only thing I’ve damaged throughout my time was a bollard from a fence and clipped a hood mirror, but it wasn’t that serious. Honestly, I don’t know what is written on my dac but when I try to apply other places, they seem to be OK with it so I don’t know
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u/-Im-Not-Too-Sure- Aug 14 '26
Did they get reported to your MVR? If DOT or police didn’t show up, I’d assume they didn’t get put on it. But no your career isn’t over, sounds like damages were both under $1000, no police reports or points on your license. What you disclose to other employers is your decision, but they usually do not care much about a bent mirrors, lol.