Finished CDL school. Have legal baggage- what are my prospects?

Hi, everyone. Just joined this forum. So I just completed truck driver training in northern California and I'll be taking my CDL test soon. I can drive a 10-spd Freightliner (although I still grind some of my downshifts). Yay me!

I'm looking for honest, non-judgmental feedback on what my options are, and what the outlook is, for people who have, should I say, legal baggage- i.e. a felony conviction. And in my case, it's the type of felony that carries the most stigma- a dreaded sexual offense. But before anyone freaks out, and without belaboring my point going into details, it had nothing to do with rape or young kids, and the date of conviction was almost 10 years ago. I am aware that some or many employers won't touch me (I've already called May Trucking, and they have a company policy barring anyone w/ a violent or sexual offense- no exceptions), but I'm hoping a smaller employer would give me a chance to explain the situation and consider the fact that I'm in a lower tier category, which does not publicly disclose my employer or home address and I am NOT on probation. I'm clean-cut with no tattoos, I come from middle-class suburbia, I have a professional and mild-mannered demeanor, and I feel like these would be good points from an employer-customer/public standpoint. Basically I don't have the stereotypical "convict" look and I don't have that mindset.

Are there companies that would give me a chance, or do they have some sort of insurance policies that prohibit hiring anyone with this type of record? My record never became an issue during the ~5 years I drove as an airport shuttle driver since my release from Uncle Sam's custody, but obviously there's more at stake for larger companies from a PR standpoint if word ever got out that they hired me. I have all my endorsements and I've been approved for Haz-Mat, so I'd probably be able to get a TWIC as well, although I still couldn't get into Canada. I'd like to do OTR, even something like western states, since I am single and my living situation's in flux and I'm storing my stuff. Plus, I love to travel and I've driven across the country a number of times in my car and I'd love to be paid to see the country. Ever since my 1st taste of the open highway, I was hooked.

Is there hope for me yet?

 

Thankfully I have a good driving record.

 

I just added that because I figured it couldn't hurt. I need any little advantage I can get, no matter how slight.