Question:
I have a marijuana charge that I was convicted of in May 1993. Most of the companies I've looked at will not hire someone with a felony. I know I CANNOT get a hazmat endorsement (d*mn patriot act) and probably can't enter Canada. That cuts out a bunch of companies right off the bat. I have been at the same job (non-driving) now for six years and I'm pretty sick of it. I would appreciate it if anyone could point me in the direction of someone who may be willing to give me a chance. By the way, I do need training. Thank for you replies.

Answer:
wishicould,
Yes, there are companies that will consider you. It thins the field quite a bit, but they do exist. If you've been straight and clean since, and present yourself well, you should be able to drive for somebody. The nature of the felony also matters... assault, theft, etc. is tough to sell, a possession-type drug charge (if that's what it was) should be easier. BOL.
DD

Answer:
is get your CDL yourself through a private school. There are not that many companies that sponsor training and all of the ones I know of that do require haz mat and the ability to enter Canada. Though I would find a company or two first before attending school.
You may also need to relocate to an area that a company hires from. For example Trans AM does hire recent school grads, No Haz Mat required, but does not hire out of LA. (Though I do not know about feloney policy with this company).
I suggest you concentrate your search on flatbed companies and reefer companies.
I will always be a mutter trucker at heart.
Answer:
Try Action Carrier, Inc....They are Based out of Sioux Falls,SD.(Not the Dry Van, Action that is based out of Missippi.)
They are a Reefer carrier & they Used to accept students/newbies.
You will have to go to school on your own & Pay for it Out of Your Own Pocket.(to My Knowledge they do Not have a Reimbursment program...Unless, they have changed since I was there.)

Answer:
Thanks, but looks like they no longer take newbies according to their site. Surely somebody out there has had someone they know who did time and was able to hire on. C'mon y'all, help me out here! Thanks!

Answer:
Go to sites like 1800drivers, classadrivers, everytruckjob.com, and go to you favorite search engine and type in trucking jobs and find companies that hire students out of your area and then fully research those companies to see which ones may hire people with your "special" problems. In addition to this get some Sunday newspapers from your area and check the help wanted section.
The problem here is that the rules have hanged with the Patroit Act and the implementation of the new Haz Mat endorsement rules. Up until this time it was not hard to know of companies that would hire drivers with a felony but many of those companies also required the haz mat endorsement which a felon used to be able to get. Now that the rules have changed no one is really certain (including companies themselves) what this is going to mean.
In addition to this trucking companies do not hire out of all areas, as I pointed out ealrier. So the best we can probably do is point you in a general direction and you are going to have to do the leg work yourself.
I will always be a mutter trucker at heart.
Answer:
Thanks Uturn.....I appreciate it. Any other suggestions from others would also be appreciated, thanks!

Answer:
in school today we had a recruiter from covenant transport talk to our class and one of the guys was telling me that they were very interested in hiring him even tho he had a felony from like ten years ago for some kind of fraudulent check writing charge and the recruiter was telling him how to have it expunged from his record. i don't know if it would be the same for a drug charge but i do know that if you have any kind of drug charge on your record you cannot go into canada so it may be different. Good luck hope everything works out for you.

Answer:
A felony on your record from 10 years ago will probably not hurt you too much if you've been a good boy since then. It seems most of the ads I've seen say no felonies for 5-7 years. When you do apply, be honest and upfront about it. If you lie on your app, the carrier WILL find out about it and report you to DAC services as having falsified your app. Then nobody will hire you.
As far as the new Hazmat regs go, they only go back 7 years, so it shouldn't hurt you.
Good luck.
I've always been crazy, but it's kept me from going insane.
Waylon Jennings

Answer:
Is that seven year limitation in the regs? I hope so, that would definitely help me out. Now, would that be seven years since conviction or sentence completion?

Answer:
I think it gose from conviction but just a wild guess on my part, you might go ahead and spend the $9.00 and get a DAC report and see what comes up

Answer:
I have a pot charges also. I also have a meth charge when I was a kid. No major carrie rhas held them agains me. My pot charge was about 7 years ago. Canada Did a back ground check on my about 2 years ago. My meht charge was before I was 18. They showed it. Canada is nto the US. There is no "happened when I was under 18". I was questioned and asked if I was bringing in any pot or meth (I guess they were letting me know that they knew). I told them no. They did a quick search and I have never had a problem since. I fly through the checks. I guess they must show that back ground check on the screen or something.
Check with Swift. They used to specilize in hiring drivers with BAD criminal back grounds and DUI's. I do not know it they still do. You should go to the local coutry house and have a criminal back greound check pulled. This way you can see how it is listed. With that info you can inform you employer. If it comes up that you were chraged, and guilty of say transporting 3.5 onces of pot. You can tell you employeer that you had a pot charge when you were younger. They will ask how long agao. 10 years. Not to bad. If all else is clear.202 N Main Street
Summerfield Il 62289
TRUCK PARKING AVAILABLE!

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Sorry for the last post. Way to much transposing and spelling errors. Dang drungs.202 N Main Street
Summerfield Il 62289
TRUCK PARKING AVAILABLE!

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Thanks Daytrader, don't worry about the errors, I can decipher havindifficultytypingese, I'm an insurance agent! Seriously, things are beginning to look better for me according to my research. I may be able to break the chain that has me bound to this freakin desk after all. Thanks to all, it is appreciated .

Answer:
www.classadrivers.com/truckingcompanies.php is where some companies list their company policy on felony convictions, DUI, DWI, moving violations, preventable accidents, age requirements and much more.
.
Because you need training, your options are limited. With a felony conviction also, you are badly handicapped before you even start. I hate to say it but trucking may not be in your future. I wish you good luck no matter how it turns out.