Trucking: 2nd chance?, trucking school, fact act

Question
Hello,

My boyfriend (Izik) is, or rather, was a truck driver....he graduated from a trucking school called AIT in Tucson, AZ and from there went with the comany Werner. He was with them for appox. a month when he was terminated. He was let go due to 3 incidents he had while in training. In short: one incident was running over a snow covered rock in a blizzard in which the tire rim got bent. Another (which happened within an hour of the 1st incident) was as Izik was trying to back up and his trainer was "instructing" him to back up from the passenger seat (we later found out the trainer was supposed to be outside backing him up, but he was to lazy as he didn't want to go out in the snow); Izik was trying to back up slowly, he is a new student after all, he kept on pressing the break and slowly backing up, stating that he COULD NOT SEE....well, apparently this annoyed the instructor and he kept telling Izik to just back up and that he (the intructor) was WATCHING FOR HIM, well, it turns out that Izik should have not listened to the instructor because Izik ended up hitting another vehicle. The vehicle was not badly damaged (the mirror bracket of the other car got bent) and the cost was nothing, but all that counts is that it happened. And the last incident was something similar to the one I just mentioned only the instructor was not there when he was supposed to be.      My boyfriend has been out of work for streches of months since he graduated in Dec, of 04.                
The only thing preventing him from working again is his DAC, there is NOTHING on his MVD (it is completely clear of anything). And the cops were never called in any of these incidents. What is your take on this and do you know any companys that do NOT check DAC?  

Answer
Hello!

My very first suggestion would be to get a copy of his DAC.  You can do this by calling (800) 381-0645.  You are entitled to receive a free copy of your DAC reports once every twelve months under the FACT Act on file disclosure.  Your boyfriends DAC report will have two parts.  One part is your MVR and the other is your work record.  Look at it and make sure it's accurate.  Like a credit report, you can dispute it.  However, if the company confirms it, then it stays on your report.  You can ask the company to correct the report, but unless you have an attorney, the company has little incentive to change the report.  This is probably what's holding him back (the work record), so it doesn't matter if the police were not called in any of the incidents.  Companies don't have to get a DAC report, though, all big companies do.  The DOT does require a background check.  There are many smaller companies that would not use DAC.

Bottom line?

My advice would be to go to all the small companies that he can and fill out applications.  Don't sit and wait for a call, call back and show interest!  A couple of the best drivers I have probably wouldn't of been hired by a large carrier, but they stayed after me and kept calling! I'm glad they did.

Finally, when Izik gets an interview, unless asked, tell him to not go into great detail about the incidents (unless asked, of course). Don't put blame on the instructor, because nobody will care. Dress nicely for the interview, explain that you will make all pick-ups and deliveries on time, that you will take care of the equipment and that you would love to work for him/her!  After some experience, then he can look at the big companies again (if he wants). Sometimes you have to judge a man by where he's going and not where he's been.

Good luck!

Bob Stephens