Trucking Companies That Hire Felons With No Experience

Getting out of prison does not mean you lose all hope for life; it is instead a new chapter that you’ll start next. There is no doubt that re-entering society after living in prison for years is not easy at all. You’ll really encounter some up-and-down challenges, but that’s what you must deserve and live with.

One of the most challenging tasks for most felons is getting a job. Most companies do not hire felons since it’s too risky, but not all. Thankfully! Trucking companies still offer a chance for felons who want to improve their financial situation and turn their lives around.

Just like the companies’ recruitment process in general, each trucking company also imposes several requirements and policies that felons should meet. If you’re a felon and have a plan to apply for a job at a trucking company, here’s everything you can know about it!

Do Trucking Companies Really Hire Felons, and Why?

Initially, trucking industries do not permit anyone who has been involved in a crime, including those who have been sentenced to prison. However, hiring felons can pose some risks for trucking companies. Of course, some customers may not want to work with drivers who have criminal records.

Due to a lack of drivers, however, the trucking industry has relaxed its rules on hiring felons for truck driving jobs. Each company has its own set of rules and will review the candidates who are felons by considering several criteria. But most trucking companies usually determine that hiring will only occur 5, 7, or 10 years after release.

Well, there are several reasons why trucking companies hire felons, including:

• High demand for truck drivers

The most basic reason is that there’s a high demand for truck drivers in the United States. It is caused by not having enough qualified drivers to fill this position. Reportedly, the trucking industry is short of 60,000 drivers as of 2023. Well, employing felons can help reduce the driver shortage and meet the economy’s transportation needs.

• Providing a second opportunity for felons

Aside from the lack of drivers in the trucking industry, they also give second chances to anyone who has made mistakes in the past and wants to improve their lives. By getting a job as a truck driver, felons can get a salary, and if qualified, they will get a stable career, so they can reintegrate well into society. Sure, it can be a way to prevent recidivism.

Additionally, some trucking companies also offer training and support programs for felons who want to become truck drivers. If you really want to get a job at a trucking company, you can try to apply for it. Make sure to not give in to your weakness and the current difficult situation.

What Are the Rules and Requirements That Felons Should Meet to Apply for Truck Drivers?

Today, many trucking companies hire felons, with a few exceptions. Those who have criminal records regarding bank robberies and a history of domestic abuse are usually not accepted for work. In addition, companies that haul government loads or hazardous materials like ammonia nitrate will not hire felons.

Of course, each trucking company will have its own restrictions on hiring felons for certain types of routes or freight. Depending on the types and severity of the crime, some trucking companies may be more lenient and flexible in hiring felons; some may hire felons on a case-by-case basis, and others may only consider felons after several years of release from prison.

The two basic requirements to apply to be a truck driver are:

1. Having a valid Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)
2. Having driving skills

In trucking companies, you may get a job with minimal qualification; education is not the major requirement to become a truck driver. Usually, some companies will provide an online job application that candidates should meet.

As felons, of course, there are some documents you must prepare before going to fill them out, including:

• Your Social Security Number
• All your residential addresses before and after release from prison
• If your history of employment exists
• Your history of traffic accidents, violations, and/or convictions
• Your criminal history records
• If your military service history exists

Keep in mind that having a criminal record or a felony conviction will not disqualify you from getting hired, as long as you tell the truth and are honest when filling out the form. Never lie about your story, and always apply it with the positive thought that you’ll get hired.

Why Are Many Felons Not Hired at Trucking Companies?

You need to know that after applying for a trucking job, the employers will do a background check before hiring. So, if you provide the wrong information, you may not get hired, and your job application will be totally rejected.

That’s what probably happens to most felons who are not hired for work, i.e., they didn’t provide information about their criminal records in their application form. In addition, some felons may also have difficulty passing the background checks, physical exams, and drug tests that are required for getting a CDL or a job as a truck driver.

For your information, there are some crimes that will immediately disqualify you from CDL training. Here they are:

• You will not be able to take CDL training while your driver’s license is suspended.
• Driving under the influence
• Murder
• Smuggling, arson, bribery, treason, and kidnapping
• Driving a truck without a proper license
• assault, but it depends on several factors.
• Reckless driving
• If there is a warrant for your arrest in any state, It will be considered a serious crime and immediately disqualify you.

We need to know that the opportunity of getting a CDL will be greater if the offense is not related to driving a commercial vehicle. In most cases, you may be able to get a CDL in your home state.

To get a CDL, you’ll have to fulfill all requirements of the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Of course, the requirements may vary depending on states and regions. But the first thing you need to do is get training from a recognized driving training school. Then, you can fill out the application for CDL. Afterwards, you need to pass a test regarding the rules and regulations of vehicles and traffic rules. Last, you need to complete a driving test.

What is the Salary of a Truck Driver?

We must first say that there’s no exact number for a truck driver’s salary since it will depend on some factors, such as location, position, companies, etc. For a good example, we take a local truck driving job for UPS or FedEx.

Typical hourly rates in the United States are between $12 and $29 per hour. Of course, there’s a huge difference, but the average is around $19 per hour. But if you’re a felon and have no experience before, you may start earning between $12 and $14 per hour.

When it comes to over-the-road (OTR) jobs, you may go on the trip for 2-3 weeks at a time and get paid per mile, anywhere from $0.40 to $0.60, sometimes less or more. As a felon who has no experience, you may start at around $0.38–0.40 per mile.

Across the United States, the annual salary of a truck driver is approximately $39,000–$40,000. This number is usually for a commercial truck driver with a Class A CDL license. As a truck driver, you may also be earning at least $10,000 more, considering the fact that the median individual salary of truck drivers across the United States is only around $30,000.

What Are Trucking Companies That Hire Felons Without Experience?

As we’ve mentioned earlier, there are dozens of trucking companies that hire felons with no experience, but each has their own set of rules. Some may hire felons who have been released for five years; others may hire felons 15 years after release.

To make it easier for you to get a job as a truck driver, we’ll show you a list of trucking companies that will hire you. Let’s see below!

Here’s a list of the best trucking companies that always offer driving jobs for felons!

Swift Transportation	Swift Transportation is an American based company that operates over 16000 trucks. This is among the largest transportation companies in the United States that have more than 50 years of experience in transportation. Swift Transportation is situated in Phoenix, Arizona. The felons who will be hired by them are those who have been released from prison after 10 years.
Crete Carriers	Crete Carriers is one company under the largest Shaffer Trucking, Crete Carriers & Hunt Transportation in the United States. This company was founded in 1966 and is situated in Lincoln, Nebraska. It hires felons who have been released after 10 years.
C.R. England Inc.,	This trucking company founded in 1920 and is situated in Salt Lake City, Utah that offers a job for felons who have been released after 10 years. It is one of the largest transportation companies that provide temperature controlled transportation.
J.B. Hunt	J.B. Hunt is an American based company which is situated in Lowell, Arkansas. This company was founded by Johnie Bryan Hunt and is also one of the largest transportation companies in the United States. Currently, it employs more than 19,300 workers.
Dick Lavy Trucking	This trucking company has grown one 10-year-old Mack truck with a million miles. It is situated in Bradford, Ohio and was honored among the community for the 9th year in a row as the first rank trucking company in Darke County.
TMC Transport	TMC Transport is a leading open deck carrier company that serves a wide range of customer requirements. This company offers a job for felons to be a driver, but the candidates should be released after 10 years. They will hire all types of drivers, both new drivers, experienced drivers and recently graduates.
Roehl Transport	This is an American transportation company which is situated in Marshfield, Wisconsin. Everett Roehl founded this company in 1962. They provide national transportation and logistic services. It will hire a felon who has been released after 5 years from prison.
Werner Enterprises	Werner Enterprise is situated in Omaha, Nebraska. This is an American transportation company which was founded in 1956 by Clarence L. It will hire felons based on a case-by-case basis.
Prime Inc.	Prime Inc., is one of North America’s largest freight carriers. It was founded in 1970 and is headquartered in Springfield, Missouri. This is an Over the Road (OTR) trucking company that will pay you per mile and will hire you based on a case-by-case basis.
Groendyke Transport	Groendyke Transport is an elite tank truck carrier that currently employs more than 1,200 workers including drivers. It was founded in 1932 and is situated in Enid, Oklahoma. This company will hire a felon who has been released from prison after 7 years.

The following are trucking companies that will hire recent felons:

• Roadtex Transportation
• Paschall Truck Lines
• Britton Transport
• Carolina Cargo
• Covenant Transport
• Freymiller Inc.
• Hirschbach Motor Lines
• J&R Schugel Inc
• Maverick Transportation
• Millis Transfer
• Navajo Express
• Schneider National
• Tyson Foods
• U.S. Xpress

The following are trucking companies that will hire felons 5 years after release:

• Barr-Nunn Transportation
• Melton Truck Lines
• P.G.T. Trucking
• Stevens Transport
• Tango Transport

The following are trucking companies that will hire felons 7 years after release:

• Melton Truck Lines
• Falcon Transport
• Knight Transportation
• Interstate Distributor Co.

The following are trucking companies that will hire felons 10 year after release:

• Shaffer Trucking
• Celadon
• Dutch Maid Logistics
• Hunt Transportation
• JBS Carriers
• Boyd Bros Transportation

The following are trucking companies that will hire felons on a case-by-case basis:

• US Express
• Covenant Transport
• Carolina Cargo
• Schneider National
• USA Truck
• Freymiller

Okay, that’s a list of trucking companies that may give you a chance to apply for a driver. We hope you will really get your dream job in the trucking industry. Good Luck!!!