Want to go to school/start a career, but afraid criminal history will make impossible
 

I am looking for a bit of advice. I would love to start a career in trucking, but my background haunts me everywhere I go. I am 28 years old, went to college, clean-cut, above average intelligence, etc etc. The problem is my criminal history is extensive. While I was in college, I took partying to the extreme, and suffered convictions for 2 DUI's (one as a felony), possession of marijuana (misdemeanor), possession of paraphernalia (misdemeanor), and Residential Entry (felony) when on the last day of school I was walking home drunk and entered the wrong apartment and passed out on the sofa. All of these offenses were between 2005 and 2007. I haven't smoked marijuana since college (5 years ago) and haven't drank for 4 years now and have no intention to after the havoc many years ago. Is there any possible hope? My driving record within the past few years has one violation for failure to come to complete stop at a stop sign. I have always held employment and been a reliable employee. I really want to make a new career in trucking, and am willing to live with low-pay in order to get my foot in the door. Is it possible? Or am I just wasting my time and everyone else's?

Yes, most definitely wasting your time, Vince. DUIs....felony DUI/felony Residential Entry?

Trucking companies aren't going to work with you. BOL

Just wait a min. Belpre.

There are some real fly by night out law companys you could work for. When i was dump trucking i know for a fact alot of dump truck companies would hire who ever would work for low pay. There is little hope but not much. You would have to rule out all the big companys for sure.

There's plenty of local work for drivers around here, but they can't find any locals that can pass a drug test or background check. Myself, I don't want to kill myself to make the same money I already do.

I stand corrected! Vince, perhaps I misspoke.

Your gonna have to wait a few years and then It'sstill gonna be a long hard road to find a OTR company that's willing to work with you.

There is no need to worries now.
we have provided a listing of CDL jobs around the country. These Jobs in truck driving can range from a need for a local transportation driver to a cross country truck driver cdl jobs.

Vinceb54, please do not waste your time and money trying to get into trucking with your past criminal record. I speak from experience that you would certainly be wasting your time. Trucking company hiring requirements tighten and loosen as the companies become more or less desperate for drivers, but generally, most companies will not touch you if you have had a felony conviction or DUI within the last ten years. Many even have a "No DUI / Felony Ever" policy. There might be a company or two out there that would hire you, but those will be nearly impossible to find and they will most likely pay you less than you could make waiting tables at a decent restaurant. Even seventeen years ago, before the safety culture of trucking reached the neurotic level it is at now, I had a very difficult time getting into trucking with a felony conviction. You have to think about it from the company's point of view. If you were in charge of hiring at a company, and you had 50 applicants to choose from, would you hire the guy with your criminal and substance abuse history, or the other 49 non-felons who are similarly or better qualified and who are statistically less likely to pose a safety and theft risk? If a recruiter hires you and you go out and have a serious accident or steal a load, that recruiter will most likely lose his or her job.

For the $4k - $8k CDL school will set you back, you could go to a junior or vocational school and become a certified welder or electrician and make as good or better money and not have your criminal background pose such a big problem. My son (not a felon) went to a Vo-tech a couple years ago, took 15 credit hours (one semester) for under a $1k and became a certified welder. They start out anywhere from $12 an hour in the low wage South to as much as $20 an hour in larger cities. Get into a diesel mechanic program. Certified diesel mechanics make way more than the average company truck driver and they are home every night.

I wish you the best of luck, just not in trucking because you'll be way better off in another industry.

I don't even think Prime would take you,

and they'll take about anybody !

But Good Luck.

the residential entry, will be seen about the same as braking and entering. the 2 dui's with one being a class d felony. so you are screwed on a career in trucking for atleast 20 years. so some good advice. you might want to get a job in construction. that industry is more use to workers with a criminal history. plus with your educational background. you will most likely advance a little quicker in that industry. I wouldn't waste my money on a driving school. to get a better idea on how little of a chance you have driving a truck. use the job post section of this website. call some of the trucking companies listed on here. and they will be able to to you. don't believe the driving school. they are only after your money..