Felon in need of help

In this slow freight environment, I would strongly suggest you wait the few years it takes before that felony becomes less relevant. I'm thinking 5 years, but others will know for sure.

You can fight and search hard enough to find some trucking company to hire you as soon as you get your CDL, but finding that company doesn't mean it will be a place you should work. They will probably be a 1099 company instead of a W-2 employer. That means, in addition, to the bad treatment the trucking company gives you that they are also setting you up for a huge tax bill from the IRS. The IRS will find you and they will get all of the money you owe plus a lot more because the IRS will find you shortly before the customary 3 year deadline which just accidentally boost the interest and penalties. I underpaid $300 in income tax and felt grateful the IRS only charged me $3,000 a few years later.

Companies that hire people with recent/bad red flags know you have virtually no other place to work and they will treat you worse than most brand new truck drivers. "Don't ignore the warning signs, climb over 3 tall fences to get into the tiger cage because you want to pet the big kitty." Do any other form of honest work until your felony ages enough to give you GOOD or better options than the bad companies that hire the really desperate and make them more desperate. Good luck to you. 80-90% of new CDL drivers quit well before 1 year of experience and you would likely work for much worse than average companies if you "force" your way into the industry now.

 

Go to your local community college and see about applying for financial aid to go to trucking school. I am retired po po and believe it or not I hate seeing folks like you stuck in a bad cycle because you can't get hired due to one charge like this...I saw it all the time..it's not like you got a long record..if this is the case.
Some companies that will likely hire you are:
Western Express
May Trucking ( The better choice)
And check that list above that was mentioned about companies that hire felons
I went to community college for my CDL after I retired and two in ny class went for free on financial aid.

 

As others have stated, now is a particularly tough time to get your foot in the door but that doesn't mean it's impossible. Just know that you may have to take an unconventional path to get there. I have a few suggestions.

Ask your state's employment office if they have job training funds available that would pay for you to go to CDL school.

Because of your situation with the justice system you may be eligible for some type of job training or financial assistance through "community re-entry" programs (even though you didn't have to serve any time) or programs designed to prevent recidivism by helping people become gainfully employed. You may be able to get information through your PO or through a social worker type person.

Last, you may have to start out working on the docks. Some companies (like UPS and their competitors, I think) have "dock to driver" programs that take dockworkers and teach them to drive. It will get your foot in the door to the industry, get you a paycheck coming in, and get you on the path to earning your spot begind the wheel.

Good luck! You can do this.

 

I agree wholeheartedly. OP doing everything jn this post that I'm quoting. Some states provide funding through a career center. Try that too. Try any and every company. There's felons galore in this industry. All it takes is 1 yes. It was 2 ½ years ago and the minimum it may take you to get on with a company is 3 years. Meantime, while you're trying to get in the trucking industry, get any type of job that's available. You're gonna need some cash in your pocket once you get started. You may even have to consider relocating to a spot where you have more options. PNW can be tricky when trying to find a company

 

As a follow-up to post #15 above.....the "dock to driver" program is a viable option for someone like you, if you play your cards right.

Below are links to 3 current (as of this writing, anyway) jobs in Washington state -- with a carrier that hires felons.

Note that in the description for both driver jobs, it mentions the following:

"Don’t have your CDL-A yet?"

....and then it mentions their in-house CDL school.

XPO Logistics -- Dock worker -- Renton, WA

XPO Logistics -- Home daily driver -- Renton, WA

and

XPO Logistics -- Home daily driver -- Spokane, WA

-- L

 

With friends like that who needs enemies?

 

Don't talk too much about the felony; don't talk about anything that isn't in the formal charges; keep it simple.
You're ok as far as trucking goes.
Washington WIOA Program will pay for cdl school, free to you.
At graduation, Western Express and May Trucking Company will probably hire you.

 

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