Saia and Estes in Springfield, MO

This might be a little long.

A little more on my background. I’m from Canada. Been here in the U.S. since 2003. Since a little bitty kid, I’ve always liked trucks (tractor-trailers). 1994 and 1995 was when I worked on a farm hauling grain during the harvest seasons (I took time off from my regular job as an Architectural Draftsman). The trucks I drove were converted tractors that had the fifth-wheel removed and then a grain box and hoist were added. If I remember correctly the trucks I drove regular were a Freightliner FLD 112(?) (9 speed) and an International Eagle (10 speed). I also drove an old Mack (15 speed) for a few days.

Working on the farm, I didn’t need a CDL, but in 1996, I decided to get my Canadian Class 1 license (equivalent/similar to a CDL-A). My regular job was very slow, so I thought I’d find a driving job. I went to a driving school, did the classroom portion, and since I had some experience driving, I did a shorter version of the driving portion. I remember passing my Class 1 driving test and getting my license on a Friday and then going back to my regular job the following Monday. From that Monday, it got busy at work and I was busy from then on to now/present. I know it sounds weird, but it’s the truth. My regular job slowed down enough for me to get my Class 1 license, then the next business day, it gets busy with the regular job. Why didn’t I still try getting a driving job? I just ‘felt led’ to stay drafting back then till recently.

About a year or 2 later, I took time off again to ‘work’ on the same farm, this time for only about a week. I say ‘work’ because I wasn’t on the payroll, I just enjoyed doing it. But, the man I ‘worked’ for was also a good friend and he would not let me leave without giving me some money. This time they let me run a combine harvester, but also had me drive a truck pulling a B-train hopper bottom grain trailer for a few loads. For the life of me, I can’t remember what truck I drove then.

In 1999, I drove team OTR with a friend of mine on a trip to pickup a combine harvester at Gleaner (at that time was in Independence, MO)(from Saskatchewan, Canada). It was in a Freightliner Century Class (13 speed). He let me do most of the driving. I believe it was the next year, that I took another trip with the same friend to pick up another combine harvester. Again he let me do most of the driving.

I met my American wife a few years later, and decided to move across the line in 2003 to AR. When I went to get a U.S. license at the AR DMV office, I showed them my Canadian Class 1 license. They made a phone call to the DMV in Canada where I had got my license to see what the Class 1 license was about, and determined that it was the same/equivalent to a U.S. CDL-A. I paid the fee, got my pic taken, had the card printed, and was out the door with my CDL-A.

On a few trips back home to Canada over the years, I’ve visited that same farm and if there’s a load of grain to be taken to the elevator, a buddy of mine would let me drive the load to the elevator.

So that is why I’m thinking that any company will see me as not having any verifiable driving experience.

There’s a few reasons, that I won’t get into the details, why I’m wanting to eventually get into driving full-time and out of my current work of Architectural Drafting (self-employed since moving to the U.S.). The dock to driver programs interest me because I’d like to keep Drafting for a little while longer and work part-time on a dock, and then go through as much of a dock to driver program as needed. I want/need to earn some extra money to knock down some debt before full-time driving…if possible. Working 4/5pm to 10/11pm dock shift after Drafting during the day for few months would work for me I’m thinking. I will be telling which ever company(s) I apply for up front that I do have a CDL-A and if I get to an interview, I'll explain my situation.

 

I stand corrected. I thought it didn't say, but there was some small print. Thanks.