I've been working for myself as a landscaping contractor for the past 3 years and decided to get my CDL and start a career in the driving industry. I'm single and have no kids, so OTR would not be a problem at all. I studied on my own and passed my written tests, then rented a truck in Tulsa, Oklahoma and passed my driving test yesterday morning. I have a class A cdl now with double/triple endorsement. However, I have no experience to put on an application. I have some felonies that were back in 2002 (almost 7 years old now). They are burglary II, concealing stolen property, and false declaration to a pawn broker. I was 19 at the time and am 26 now. What do I do and where do I go to get a job driving a semi? I've beat the doors down all day at every trucking outfit in my city. Everyone keeps turning me around because their insurance requires 2 years experience. Can someone please tell me what I need to do in order to get on somewhere? I live 90 miles from Oklahoma City and about the same distance from Tulsa. I will go wherever I need to go to get a job. Thanks.

Keep beating down the doors, someone will hire you but it will take some trying. You have a couple of big strikes against you. The insurance companies don't like a newbie that took the intuitive to study and learn on his own. So the big companies will require either an accredited driving school or experience. Also, trucking companies don't like theft convictions, not when they are putting you in charge of a million dollars or so, give or take depending on your load and truck. Your better bet is probably with a small company or O/O who is willing to give you a chance.

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Thanks! I'll keep trying? Could driving a semi as a farm hand without a CDL be considered experience, or would they see through that?

They would not accept that. Your experience has to be verifiable and besides they want OTR experience. But you have the right idea by going out to these companies. You might want to stay local and try the dirt haulers or even livestock hauling. You'll find something sooner or later. Let us know what happens ok??

Ok. I landed a job at a local concrete plant this evening. They have 5 mixers and 3 semis. The semis pull 40' end dumps (sand and gravel loads). Right now they're mainly needing a mixer driver they said. However, the guy told me that since I have a class A there may be times when they have me doing sand runs in one of the semis and when the weather shuts them down I could get hours in by doing greasing trucks in the shop and stuff like that. $12 an hour is what they're starting me out at. Does this sound like a good thing? Here are my thoughts...I stay with them for 6 months or so, get some experience in the mixer, then maybe they'll put me in one of the semis full-time where that's all ill do. If they don't, then ill go out searching for a different job where I can get in a semi full-time. Will the concrete plant be a good reference/worthy enough experience? Or will other trucking companies not recognize it as experience because it's mixer experience, not semi experience?

Local experince and otr experince are two different things. It will not hurt you for going with them as it is still driving experince but most companies will want 2 years otr.
12 bucks an hour is not bad either I wish that I could find a job like that.

A job will get you experience. Work hard and keep your driving record clean and within a few years you will be doing what you want.

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I did that, but when I tried to go back OTR that is not considered OTR. Same as no exp. No recent OTR.

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My childhood dream of becoming a truck driver turned into a nightmare!

stay there and get some experience. you might try later on looking for companies on okc area. go to a local big truckstop a pick up trucker job books! they are plentiful!! and dont forget to try the internet!!

Will do guys! Thanks for all the replies!