I guess I'm waiting until January... Some info for anyone with a criminal history

Well if anyone has been following my progress you know I was supposed to start C1 in Fort Wayne on 9/28, but I don't think I'm going to do that now. They said they had me pre-hired through PAM since USA wouldn't take me with a record, but I've been doing some of my own recruiting. I called ~20 trucking companies and they all told me the same thing.... I told them "I have an assault in 1998 and a providing alcohol to minors in January 2005, both misdemeanors" They all responded pretty much the same way "the assault isn't going to hurt you at all, but the other one needs to be 5 years old" (1 company even told me 7 years on felonies and misdemeanors alike). they told me to fill out an application and call them back, so I did (most of them anyhow). Now, keep in mind that I've been working with the same company for 4 1/2 years and have nothing on my MVR in over 5 years (not even a parking ticket). With that being said, every recruiter I talked to after submitting my applications said they would have no problem hiring me in January, but I could not be accepted right now that the charges had to be 5 years old.

So, needless to say I'm waiting until January and I'll make the same calls and fill out the same applications again. I just couldn't see myself going to school based on one "yes" from a company I hadn't even talked to and boy am I glad I didn't!! Anyhow, since I still have my job, I'm going to continue working there until January, but I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing as far as research until then as well.

For anyone with a record, I would not believe a recruiter when he tells you he can get you into a company after school! Do your own research and make some phone calls and find out for yourself so you don't end up paying back thousands in debt and not being able to find a job. If I had went now, I would have had to pay back the money and still go back AGAIN to trucking school in January to be hire able as a student.

Ok, enough about that. As I said in the meantime I'm still going to be doing research, so I'm asking for help for myself and others in my situation. I applied to so many companies that I can't even remember them all or who said what. I've read alot of the company DAC reports on here and know there are a handful of good companies to start with out there. I understand I'm not going to be home much for the first year and I know the pay isn't going to be that of a 10 year veteran trucker, so with that in mind, I've narrowed it down to Roehl, Werner (who is doing lifetime background checks right now, so they may be out of the question anyhow), TMC, and Prime as my top choices. Is there any other companies out there that any of you would refer? If they offer their own training school, that is fine and if they don't, that is fine too. As I said, I will get my own pre-hires before attending school anyhow, so either way that is not a problem. I understand that everyone is going to have different opinions and experiences with different companies as well so please don't say "I hate the company, they suck!" lol I'm asking for opinions from drivers who either currently or had recently worked for the company and their insight to help fellow newbies out there like myself so that we don't get jammed into a company that we can't stand for a year and end up having to pay back thousands of dollars for nothing but a bad experience. Thank you to all who respond and sorry this was a bit lengthy!

 

from all the companies i called, no one will even deal with a record at all unless it is 5 years old.. as stated, the insurance companies have alot to do with this. I'm sure back in 97, it was probably a little different. When I went through school the first time in 01, I had no problem getting job offers then either (misdemeanor was only 3 years old at that time). Apparently things have changed over the years.

 

I just hope this post can help someone else from making the mistake i almost made.. I'm not going to give up.. i'll be back on the phone on January

 

possibly and I have friends that would do that, but I will not lie on an application. All that could spell is trouble in the long run. Plus, I have my criminal justice degree and that could majorly screw that up and I really don't want that.