Trucking Companies That Hire Felons

In this guide, we’ll give you a comprehensive list of trucking companies that hire felons and tell you how many years you’ll need to wait after your conviction before they’re willing to consider your application.

As a felon, you know how difficult it can be to secure a good job that pays a proper living wage. Whether you’re newly released from prison, several years on from release, or looking for work after receiving a non-custodial sentence, job searches are often frustrating.

Trucking is one industry where many companies don’t automatically discriminate against all felons. You’ll find many “Second Chance” trucking companies that hire convicted felons and pay good wages and benefits.

However, driving a truck is a highly skilled job. You can’t just walk into a trucking position off the street, you have to get trained and qualified first at a trucking school.

And if you’re still at the information-gathering stage and don’t have your commercial driver’s license yet, we’ll go over what you need to do to get your license, and list of trucking companies who hire convicted felons.

Are There Trucking Jobs For Ex-Felons?

Are There Trucking Jobs For Ex-Felons?

Are there trucking companies that hire with misdemeanors? Or do we have trucking companies that hire DUI offenders?

In America, the demand for truck drivers is already high, and that demand keeps on rising. In 2022, the trucking industry is short of 60,000 drivers. While that’s an improvement over the 80,000 shortfalls of 2021, there’s still an enormous need for more drivers.

Almost seventy-five percent of all freight in the United States is moved by truck. If you can get your commercial driver’s license (CDL), you should be able to find stable employment for as long as you want it.

While many companies are open to hiring felons, each trucking company has different hiring policies. The type of felony that you have on your record and how long ago it occurred will factor into their hiring decisions.

Some trucking companies hire felons on a case-by-case basis, while others will only give you a chance after 5 to 10 years have passed since your conviction or release from prison.

Whichever company you apply to after qualifying for your CDL, make sure that you’re upfront and honest about your past. There’s no point trying to hide your felony because all companies carry out a background check and your history will show up on your background report.

Which Felonies Disqualify You From Working As A Truck Driver?

Broadly speaking, the following convictions will prevent you from attending trucking school to train for a commercial driver’s license.

  • Arson
  • Assault with intent to murder
  • Bribery
  • Extorsion
  • Kidnapping
  • Operating a vehicle with a blood-alcohol level of 0.08% or higher (DUI)*
  • Reckless driving resulting in death
  • Serious traffic offenses involving misconduct with a motor vehicle, e.g., road rage
  • Smuggling
  • Trafficking in controlled substances or weapons
  • Treason
  • Using a commercial vehicle (CMV) to commit a felony
  • Vehicular manslaughter

*If you have a DUI on your driving record, you’ll need to wait for 1 year before you can apply for a CDL.

To drive for companies that deliver to and pick up from shipping ports, you will need a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC). This is a biometric identification card issued by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Department of Homeland Security.

Certain offenses permanently disqualify you from obtaining a TWIC. These are:

  • Espionage, treason, or sedition, including conspiracy to commit any of those offenses.
  • A crime involving a transportation security incident.
  • Making false bomb threats.
  • Crimes involving explosives or explosive devices.
  • Terrorism or conspiracy to commit terrorism.
  • Improper transportation of hazardous material.
  • RICO convictions involving any of the above.

How Long After A Felony Will A Trucking Company Hire You?

The time you’ll need to wait depends on the trucking company. Each company has its own hiring policy and safety requirements.

For the truck driver companies that hire felons on our list, some state they will hire felons on a case-by-case basis. Others require 5, 7, or 10 years to have passed since your conviction.

We detail the felony hiring policies for each company, along with other hiring requirements and any company-paid CDL training.

Local trucking refers to driving to short-distance destinations, usually around 200 miles away. You’ll work 8 – 10 hour days on average and get home at the end of each day.

Regional truckers move goods in a specific part of the country on routes that can take you 1000 miles away from home. Depending on your company, you should get home most weekends.

OTR stands for Over The Road. This is long-distance driving, often coast-to-coast, with up to 4 weeks on the road.

To apply to any of the companies on the list, visit their website and either fill in a form on their hiring page or call their number and speak to a recruiter.

Trucking Companies That Hire Felons 2024 – No Predetermined Felony Time Limit

Trucking Companies That Hire Felons

#1. Celadon Group:

  • Local, regional, and OTR.
  • Hires and operates nationwide.
  • Hires newly qualified drivers into their training program.
  • Felonies are considered on a case-by-case basis.
  • Clean license required – No DWI, DUI, careless, or reckless driving convictions in the past 5 years.
  • Disqualifying felonies are rape, murder, and offenses involving the sale, manufacture, or distribution of a controlled substance.
  • Registered sex offenders will not be considered.

#2. Don Hummer Trucking:

  • Regional and OTR.
  • Felonies are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
  • Drug convictions need to be at least 5 years old.
  • Hires new drivers if they’ve completed training locally in Iowa.
  • Guaranteed weekly pay (higher than average) and home every week.

#3. Eagle Express Lines:

  • Contract carrier for the United States Postal Service.
  • Covering eastern and midwestern states. Regional and OTR.
  • Will not hire with felonies involving drugs, alcohol, or other controlled substances.
  • A conviction for leaving the scene of an accident will disqualify you.
  • No DUI at all, no matter its age.
  • Need a clean driving license.

#4. JB Hunt:

  • One of the largest trucking companies in the nation.
  • Local, regional, and OTR.
  • Applications and offenses are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
  • No drug or alcohol offenses allowed in the last 5 years.

#5. Maverick:

  • Hires across eastern and midwestern states.
  • Regional and OTR.
  • Paid CDL training.
  • Criminal history is reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
  • Must not have any DUI or DWI convictions in the last 5 years.

#6. Navajo Express Inc:

  • Operates local, regional, and OTR routes and hires nationwide.
  • Felonies and misdemeanors are considered on a case-by-case basis.
  • Will not be hired with DUI or DWI in the past 5 years.
  • No controlled substance convictions or charges in the last 10 years.

#7. Roehl Transport:

  • Nationwide trucking company.
  • Regional and OTR.
  • Paid CDL training.
  • Applications from felons are considered on a case-by-case basis.
  • Will not hire felons with transportation-related criminal backgrounds.
  • No DUI, no matter its age.

#8. Trimac:

  • Major trucking company.
  • Hires nationwide for local, regional, and OTR trucking.
  • CDL tuition reimbursement program.
  • Criminal history is reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
  • Any DUI or DWI must be 10 years old.

#9. Schneider:

  • Hires nationwide for regional and OTR positions.
  • Paid CDL training.
  • All felony convictions are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
  • No drug or alcohol convictions over the last 5 years, and no more than 2 in your lifetime.

#10. Southern Refrigerated Transport:

  • Nationwide trucking company.
  • Regional and OTR.
  • Paid CDL training.
  • All felonies are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
  • You cannot have any misdemeanor convictions during the last 5 years.

#11. PAM Transport:

  • Hires nationwide.
  • OTR solo and team.
  • Paid CDL training program.
  • Felonies are reviewed based on the type, seriousness, and age of the offense.
  • Disqualified if you have had DUI or DWI in the last 5 years.

#12. Tennant Truck Lines:

  • All felony convictions will be reviewed.
  • Having 2 DUI or DWI convictions, no matter how old, will disqualify you.

#13. Watkins Shepard:

  • Operates nationally and hires nationwide.
  • Local, regional, and OTR.
  • Evaluates your entire history – Employment, driving, and criminal.
  • DUI convictions must be over 5 years old.

#14. Waggoners Trucking Company:

  • Nationwide transport company.
  • 5 years of stable post-incarceration employment is essential.
  • Felony offenses will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
  • No convictions for DUI, DWI drugs, or alcohol-related offenses in the past 5 years.

#15. XPO Logistics:

  • Covers all 48 states, but drivers must live within the XPO hiring area.
  • Paid CDL training.
  • Hazmat eligibility is required.
  • Criminal history is considered on a case-by-case basis.
  • Clean driving record over the last 5 years with no DUI, DWI, or moving violations.

#16. USA Truck:

  • One of the largest OTR trucking companies.
  • Evaluates felonies on a case-by-case basis.

Trucking Companies That Hire Felons‌ With Convictions At Least 5 Years Old

trucking work for felons

#1. A.D. Transport Express:

  • Regional and OTR trucking company covering all 48 states.
  • Felonies need to be at least 5 years old.
  • Must have at least 10 months of OTR driving experience.

#2. Bear Trucking:

  • Covers the area west of the Rocky Mountains.
  • Will review felonies older than 5 years and misdemeanor convictions older than 3 years.
  • Need 2 years of class A driving experience.
  • No more than 3 points on your driving record over the last 3 years and no DUI or negligent driving over the last 5 years.

#3. Boyd Brothers:

  • Local, regional, and OTR.
  • Flatbed trailer trucking company covering the midwestern and eastern states.
  • Felony convictions must be at least 5 years old and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

#4. Covenant Transport:

  • Mostly team trucking (2 drivers taking turns behind the wheel for efficiency). OTR.
  • Felony convictions will be reviewed and should be at least 5 years old – Exceptions may be made for debt-related felonies and non-violent domestic convictions.
  • Misdemeanors within 5 years will also be reviewed.
  • Applications while still on probation or parole will be reviewed.

#5. DeBoer Trucking:

  • Local, regional, and OTR.
  • Hires newly qualified drivers into their training program.
  • Felonies must be over 5 years old.
  • No DUI or DWI on your record in the last 5 years.
  • No more than 2 moving violations or preventable accidents in the last 2 years.

#6. E.L Hollingsworth:

  • Felonies need to be 5 years or older and are reviewed.

#7. Groendyke Transport:

  • Liquid bulk trucking.
  • Hires throughout Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Operates nationwide.
  • Felonies 5-7 years old are considered and candidates must pass a background check based on TSA criteria.
  • No DUI or DWI in the last 5 years or moving violations in the last 3 years.

#8. Koch Trucking:

  • Hires throughout the eastern and southwestern states. Operates nationwide.
  • Solo and team drivers for dry van freight trucking
  • Regional and OTR.
  • Felony must be at least 5 years since the conviction and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
  • No DUI or DWI in the last 5 years and only 1 allowed in total.

#9. Melton Truck Lines:

  • Flatbed OTR trucking.
  • Hires and operates nationwide.
  • Felony must be 5 years or older.
  • No DUI or DWI on your record during the last 5 years.

#10. Mesilla valley Transportation:

  • Dry van trucking OTR.
  • Hires and operates nationwide.
  • No violent crimes, no felony or other convictions in the past 5 years.
  • No DUI or DWI on your record in the last 3 years.
  • No controlled substance convictions.
  • Hires newly qualified drivers in their training program.

#11. U.S. Xpress Inc:

  • 3rd largest privately owned trucking company in the nation.
  • Regional and OTR.
  • Hires and operates nationwide.
  • DUI felony must be 5 years old.
  • Felony theft must be 10 years old.
  • All other convictions are considered on a case-by-case basis.

#12. WEL Companies:

  • Local, regional, and OTR. Team or solo driving.
  • Training program for newly qualified drivers.
  • CDL tuition reimbursement (select schools).
  • Applicants with a criminal history are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
  • For new drivers, the requirement is no felony or misdemeanor in the last 5 years.
  • Experienced drivers must have no felonies during the last 4 years, or misdemeanors over the last 3 years.

#13. Paschall Truck Lines:

  • Dry van freight carrier covering southern and eastern states – Hires in eastern states.
  • Regional and OTR.
  • No felonies or DUIs over the last 5 years.
  • Need at least 6 months of OTR experience.
  • Less than 3 moving violations over the last 3 years.
  • Weekly home time.

#14. Salmon Companies:

  • The largest trucking supplier to the United States Postal Service.
  • Solo and team drivers. Dry van local, regional, and OTR.
  • No felonies, DWI, or DUI over the last 5 years.
  • No drug-related convictions or positive blood alcohol count in the last 10 years.
  • No positive drug test in the last 15 years.
  • Must pass a federal background screening.
  • No license suspensions or moving violations in the last 3 years.
  • Need tractor-trailer experience.

Truck Companies That Hire Felons‌ With Convictions Over 7 Years Old

#1. Bennett Motor Express:

  • Local, regional, and OTR.
  • Felony needs to be more than 7 years old.
  • No alcohol-related offenses in the past 5 years or more than 2 moving violations during the past 3 years on your driving record.

#2. Barr-Nunn Transportation:

  • Felonies must be over 7 years old.

#3. Estenson Logistics:

  • Local, regional, and OTR.
  • Flatbed, dry van, and refrigerated trucks. Routes cover the majority of the country.
  • Felony convictions must be older than 7 years.
  • No convictions for DUI ever.
  • Must not have tested positive at any time for drugs or alcohol.
  • No more than 2 moving violations on the motor vehicle report.

#4. First Fleet Inc:

  • Local and regional routes and nationwide OTR.
  • No felony convictions within the past 7 years or reckless driving convictions, DUI, DWI, drug or alcohol convictions in the past 5 years.
  • Need to have 1 year of tractor/trailer experience.

#5. HVH Transportation:

  • The felony must be 7 years or older.
  • Need Haz-Mat endorsement eligibility.

#6. Hornady Transportation:

  • The felony must be over 7 years old.
  • Must be eligible for hazmat endorsement.

#7. Super Service:

  • Covers regions east of the Mississippi river on local, regional, and OTR routes.
  • Solo and team driving.
  • Newly qualified drivers are eligible for hire into the training program.
  • No felony convictions over the last 7 years, but no felony drug or sexual offenses ever.
  • No drug or alcohol convictions during the last 5 years.
  • Misdemeanors are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Trucking Jobs That Hire Felons With Convictions Over 10 years old

#1. CT Transportation:

  • Flatbed trucking operation covers the entire nation, but only hires in the southeast.
  • Local, regional, and OTR.
  • Offers tuition reimbursement up to $6000.
  • No felonies on your record in the last 10 years.
  • No DUI or careless/reckless driving convictions in the last 5 years.
  • No misdemeanors in the last 5 years.
  • No traffic tickets on motor vehicle report in the last 3 years.

#2. CTL Transportation:

  • Chemical tanker trucks on local, regional, and OTR routes.
  • Operates across the country but only hires in some eastern and southeastern states.
  • Offers up to $6000 CDL training reimbursement over 25 months.
  • No felonies within the last 10 years.
  • No misdemeanor, careless/reckless driving, or DUI convictions in the last 5 years.

#3. C.R. England:

  • Nationwide
  • Offers paid CDL training.
  • No DUI convictions will be considered.
  • Felony conviction must be 10 years old for class A convictions.
  • Other felony convictions must be older than 15 years for GTA, armed robbery, carjacking, and assault with a deadly weapon.
  • Disqualifying convictions – murder, rape, and kidnapping.
  • Must be at least 4 years since the release date.

#4. Dick Lavy Trucking:

  • Dry van trucking serving the eastern United States.
  • Sign-on bonus.
  • Regional routes. Home at weekends.
  • Felonies must be at least 10 years old

#5. Ozark Motor Lines:

  • Nationwide routes. Hires in the southeast.
  • Local and regional routes.
  • Hires newly qualified drivers into their training program.
  • You must be at least 10 years on from your prison release date or end of probation.
  • No DUI or DWI on your record in the last 7 years.
  • No reckless or careless driving.

#6. Hunt Transportation:

  • Flatbed trucking company operating local and regional routes.
  • Hires and operates across the nation.
  • Felonies must be at least 10 years old.
  • No DUI/DWI or positive drug tests in the last 5 years.

#7. G & P Trucking Company:

  • Hires and operates nationwide.
  • Dry van freight on local, regional, and OTR routes.
  • No felonies within the last ten years.
  • No criminal convictions in the last 3 years.
  • No drug convictions during the last 5 years.
  • No DUI in the last 10 years (only 1 in a lifetime allowed).
  • No felony, theft, or larceny resulted in a prison sentence.

#8. Swift Transportation:

  • Operates nationwide on local, regional, and OTR routes.
  • The felony must be over 10 years old.
  • No DUI or DWI during the last 5 years.

#9. TMC Transportation:

  • Nationwide flatbed trucking with local, regional, and OTR routes.
  • Tuition reimbursement up to $6000.
  • No felony, drug, or DUI convictions in the past 10 years.
  • No careless/reckless driving convictions in the last 5 years.

What’s the Pay Like For Truck Drivers?

Industry experts report that truck drivers earn an average income of around $50,000 per year, though the actual figure depends on the company you drive for, how many miles you drive, and any bonuses you’re eligible for.

Many companies offer sign-on bonuses of several thousand dollars, and some offer tuition reimbursement, which can cover the entire cost of attending trucking school and obtaining your CDL.

Pros Of Truck Driving Jobs For Felons

When you drive a truck, you get to work independently, with no supervisors or managers watching over you all day.

You can start work straight out of trucking school, and you don’t need lots of experience before you can earn a decent wage. Some companies will hire you into their training program to get you the driving miles you need before you can go on the road without a co-driver.

With truckers in high demand, you’ll have plenty of opportunities for work and good job security.

Driving a truck is one career where you can make a good income without a college degree. The average income for truck drivers is reported to be in the region of $50,000 and over.

Benefits packages for truckers include paid vacations, paid sick leave, retirement plans, and health insurance.

Felons who find good-paying stable jobs have a low risk of recidivism. A trucking job can keep you out of jail.

Cons Of Truck Driving Jobs For Felons

Truck driving is a job that comes with long hours. While actual driving hours are usually around 7 hours a day, you’ll face extra hours waiting in traffic jams, making vehicle inspections, and spending time loading and unloading. This means that 11 – 12 hour days aren’t uncommon.

You’ll often be traveling away from home and your loved ones. Some local jobs can get you back home at the end of the day, but more often this will be at the weekend. Regional jobs give you the chance to get home every 1 to 2 weeks. And with Over The Road (OTR) jobs, you can be on the road, coast-to-coast, for weeks or months.

You’ll have tight deadlines to meet which can be stressful.

Truck driving is solitary work. If you don’t enjoy your own company, you might get lonely sitting in your truck all day. Team driving is something to look at if this could be a problem for you.

Driving a truck can be dangerous work. You’re driving an enormous rig, pulling heavy loads, and roads are dangerous places to be. Risks increase if you’re hauling chemicals or other dangerous materials. No matter how safely you drive, you can’t control the behavior of other road users.

Steps You Need To Take To Get Your Commercial Driver’s License

Before you can apply for truck driving jobs, you need that all-important CDL.

You’ll need to:

  • Be in good physical shape and pass a DOT physical.
  • Be at least 18.
  • Hold a passenger vehicle driver’s license.
  • In most cases, have a high school diploma or GED.
  • Read and speak English.

To get your CDL, you have to attend a truck driving school, complete a course and pass a written exam and driving test.

In your course you’ll learn:

  • Road safety rules are applicable to truck drivers.
  • How to carry out pre-trip vehicle inspections.
  • Driving skills are necessary to operate a big rig.
  • How to manage your logbook and other paperwork

Courses last several weeks and are usually residential. You’ll have a lot of new information to take in, much of it technical, and new skills to master.

It’s an intense study course, but if you can put all of your focus on your training, you’ll do fine. The instructors have one goal and that’s to pass you and get you working. They know how to teach, train, and pass students.

Recommended: Can You Get a CDL with a Felony?

How Much Does Trucking School Cost?

The cost of the tuition that you need to pass the requirements for obtaining a CDL range from roughly $4,000 to $6,000.

Some of the bigger trucking companies will actually cover the cost of your training. In some cases, they own the trucking schools and in others, they pay the fees to a private trucking school.

In return, the company that covered your costs expects you to sign a contract for a minimum period of work, which is usually at least 8 months to 1 year.

This is good news if you don’t have a lot of money on hand. And it also means that once you pass, you’ve got a job already lined up.

Although many trucking companies will cover the cost of your training, you usually have to cover the licensing fees for your CDL. The various aspects combined cost several hundred dollars.

Summary

Obtaining your CDL and getting work driving a truck is a solid career choice for a felon. Many trucking companies are more than willing to give you that all-important second chance and they won’t hold your past against you.

You don’t need any special academic qualifications to get your CDL, and once you have it, you’ll be able to find full-time work with sign-on bonuses and competitive benefits packages.

As long as you go in with the right attitude, work hard, and prove your worth, truck driving is a lucrative and respectable way to earn a living.

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