A) I know it doesn't "count" but it does translate, will make my training easier
B) where did you get the idea I was under 28? I WISH I was under 28 again!
A) a lot of companies don't give a squat about what previous experiance you have if it wasn't obtained through a company they recognise and is still in business, and you possesed a cdl at the time. Training is a cakewalk, satisfying insurance needs is another story. Although even unrelated military service helps quite a bit.
B) I started at 21, and that is what I learned. I didn't think you were that young, but I didn't know your age. I was just saying that under 28, it's not worth driving unless you have an in with a decent company. If you are over that age, it's a lot simpler to get on with decent companies.
I only did it as product testing, but if I had needed a good job I would have looked elsewhere. I had worked with a company that was in the warehouse next to my company, even did some heavy haul, but when their owner died and his family shut it down, I needed new testing grounds. I thought 100,000 miles (with logbooks to prove it) and a highway angel pin would mean something, but because they couldn't call them up and verify, I was treated as an outright newbie driver. It's an odd business where they would rather hire a known bad driver than risk anything on an unknown driver. And trying to get a product review through all the channels they wanted it to go through was a nightmare in itself...
