Job Verification problems

May 2009 I stopped driving big rigs n had 3 years OTR at the time and went to work as a mechanic to try n help a friend get his business goingbut economy wasn't all that good then n took the nose dive it did not all the lnog after. Up until April this year we did all we could to keep it going but had to finally close it and was looking into getting back into driving big rigs and have hit nothing but dead ends. I know I'll have to take a refresher course but the problem I am having is that the trucking company's I have talked to all want W2's to verify employment where as last time I was applying for a big rig job they called to verify any employment not having to do with drivng a big rig " safety sensitive job " and any jobs you list for driving a big rig if not on your dac report you had to show W2's. When my friend started the shop he wasn't paying taxes but was going once it was up and going decent which never happend because the economy took the dive it did which also meant I was only paid in cash so no W2's, I can verify that I worked just not with W2's so my ? is do ALL company's now require W2's to show work history even if the job was not driving big rigs because if that is the case I won't be getting back into driving big rigs after all. Thanx for any reply's on this or any leads about company's I should contact if there are any.