Can I become a trucker with a federal felony?

OK stop being a defeatist, you can find work but it is a challenge.

The problem is what many insurance companies may see as a problem, your felony may open the door for other issues that they would have to cover, which I have to tell you is BS --->>> insurance companies can lack a lot of common sense.

Look, here is a bit of advice that you can use right now. Go to UPS or FedEx and apply for work on the dock. UPS is the better of the two, union and they have dock-to-truck programs where you can get into the driver's seat. This will open the door for your CDL, give you experience, and best of all you will make good money. UPS isn't going anywhere. Because it is a union shop, there is a lot of latitude about someone's past.

 

Yes, you can get a CDL-A with a felony conviction. It won't be very easy, but there are jobs you can find. Your conviction date is the key date. If you have any restriction on leaving the state, that needs to be addressed. In your situation you may be free to go anywhere with nobody's permission needed. If so, that's good.

NOT EVERY company will hire a felon. Some companies have certain time periods since your conviction in which they will not hire. Some companies may not hire ANY felon. The companies that do hire with a felony background are usually case by case. It's unfortunate that your conviction has anything related to drugs. That may add some hesitation to an employer. I don't know.

I beg you. Please find the the trucking company that says they will hire you, specifically, once you have your CDL before you make any decision about CDL school. Don't just assume a company will hire some random newbie with a random felony. You need specific assurance by a specific company they will hire you once you have your CDL. This order of "find the job" THEN decide about CDL school is most important for anyone with anything serious in their background, like speeding tickets, poor work history, but especially with something as serious as a felony. You will be drug tested by the CDL school, pre-employment, and randomly, in addition to post incident/accident. So if drugs are anywhere near your life, don't waste your time with trucking. It's in everyone's interest for you to get a job and trucking has helped many people turn their life around. It helped me. It's also an industry where your bad habits and any bad attitude will mess you up quickly and or badly.

Here are a few posts of mine for newbies to read.
Money for CDL Training
Every new CDL driver needs Tanker endorsement.
Passing your CLP/CDL Endorsement Tests - HowTo
Check Company Score - SAFER WEB

 

Here are the list of disqualifying convictions for a HazMat endorsement. Some DQs are permanent and some are interim (7 years). I don't see your conviction listed so that's good news. Disqualifying Offenses and Other Factors | Transportation Security Administration

Disqualifying Offenses and Other Factors
See Parts A, B and C below for information on disqualifying criminal offenses. In addition to the disqualifying criminal offenses listed below, TSA may determine that an applicant is not eligible for the application program based on analyses of the following:

a) Interpol and other international information, as appropriate.
b) Terrorist watchlists, other government databases and related information.
c) Any other information relevant to determining applicant eligibility or an applicant’s identity.

TSA may also determine that an applicant is not eligible if the security threat assessment process reveals extensive foreign or domestic criminal convictions, a conviction for a serious crime not listed in Part A or B below (including some lesser included offenses of serious crimes; e.g. murder/voluntary manslaughter), or a period of foreign or domestic imprisonment that exceeds 365 consecutive days.

TSA may also determine that an applicant is not eligible based on analyses of records related to violations of transportation security regulatory requirements. These violations include security-related offenses at an airport, on board an aircraft (including assault, threat, intimidation, or interference with flight crew, physical or sexual assault or threat of physical or sexual assault of any individual on an aircraft), at a maritime port, in connection with air cargo, and other regulatory violations.

An applicant will also be disqualified if he or she has had a court, board, commission, or other government authority determine that he/she, as a result of mental illness, poses a danger to himself/herself or to others, or that he/she lacks the capacity to conduct or manage his/her own affairs, or if he/she has been found not competent to stand trial in a criminal case or found not guilty by reason of insanity by a court; or if he/she has been involuntarily committed to an inpatient facility for mental health or psychiatric reasons.


TSA PreCheck® applicants must be U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals or lawful permanent residents.

PART A
PERMANENT DISQUALIFYING CRIMINAL OFFENSES

An applicant will be disqualified if he or she was convicted, pled guilty (including ‘no contest’), or found not guilty by reason of insanity for any of the following felonies regardless of when they occurred:

• Espionage or conspiracy to commit espionage.
• Sedition or conspiracy to commit sedition.
• Treason or conspiracy to commit treason.
• A federal crime of terrorism as defined in 18 U.S.C. 2332b(g), or comparable State law, or conspiracy to commit such crime.
• A crime involving a TSI (transportation security incident). Note: A transportation security incident is a security incident resulting in a significant loss of life, environmental damage, transportation system disruption, or economic disruption in a particular area, as defined in 46 U.S.C. 70101. The term “economic disruption” does not include a work stoppage or other employee-related action not related to terrorism and resulting from an employer-employee dispute.
• Improper transportation of a hazardous material under 49 U.S.C. 5124 or a comparable state law.
• Unlawful possession, use, sale, distribution, manufacture, purchase, receipt, transfer, shipping, transporting, import, export, storage of, or dealing in an explosive or explosive device. An explosive or explosive device includes an explosive or explosive material as defined in 18 U.S.C. 232(5), 841(c) through 841(f), and 844(j); and a destructive device, as defined in 18 U.S.C. 921(a)(4) and 26 U.S.C. 5845(f).
• Murder.
• Threat or maliciously conveying false information knowing the same to be false, concerning the deliverance, placement, or detonation of an explosive or other lethal device in or against a place of public use, a state or government facility, a public transportations system, or an infrastructure facility.
• Violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, 18 U.S.C. 1961, et seq., or a comparable State law, where one of the predicate acts found by a jury or admitted by the defendant, consists of one of the permanently disqualifying crimes.
• Attempt to commit the crimes in items (1)-(4) of this section.
• Conspiracy or attempt to commit the crimes in items (5)-(10) of this section.

PART B
INTERIM DISQUALIFYING CRIMINAL OFFENSES

Conviction for one of the following felonies is disqualifying if the applicant was convicted, pled guilty (including ‘no contest’), found not competent to stand trial, or found not guilty by reason of insanity within seven years of the date of the application; OR if the applicant was released from incarceration after conviction within five years of the date of the application.

• Unlawful possession, use, sale, manufacture, purchase, distribution, receipt, transfer, shipping, transporting, delivery, import, export of, or dealing in a firearm or other weapon. A firearm or other weapon includes, but is not limited to, firearms as defined in 18 U.S.C. 921(a)(3) or 26 U.S.C. 5 845(a), or items contained on the U.S. Munitions Import List at 27 CFR 447.21.
• Extortion.
• Dishonesty, fraud, or misrepresentation, including identity fraud and money laundering, where the money laundering is related to a crime listed in Parts A or B (except welfare fraud and passing bad checks).
• Bribery.
• Smuggling.
• Immigration violations.
• Distribution, possession w/ intent to distribute, or importation of a controlled substance.
• Arson.
• Kidnapping or hostage taking.
• Rape or aggravated sexual abuse.
• Assault with intent to kill.
• Robbery.
• Fraudulent entry into a seaport as described in 18 U.S.C. 1036, or a comparable State law.
• Violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act under 18 U.S.C. 1961, et seq., or a comparable state law, other than any permanently disqualifying offenses.
• Voluntary manslaughter.
• Conspiracy or attempt to commit crimes in this section.

PART C
UNDER WANT, WARRANT OR INDICTMENT

A person will be disqualified if he or she is wanted or under indictment in any civilian or military jurisdiction for a felony listed under Part A or Part B until the want or warrant is released or the indictment is dismissed.

 

@Chinatown

 

You dont need any experience to get a long haul job. Most people start with that. Its just a matter of you finding a place that will hire someone with a criminal record.

 

Western express here like...