When I was 19 I stole some meat from a convention center and was charged with a felony. When I was 25 I knocked over a book case and broke my daughters arm and was charged with a felony, with an ugly name. I deeply regret these things and have lived in shame all of my life. I have went through anger management and extensive therapy, I am not the same immature anger prone boy that I was then. I am a grown, mature, mentally healthy man with a good work history. I have completely turned my life around, except financially. I have not been in a lick of trouble for twenty five years, those who know and love me and many in my community will tell you that I am a good decent man.

I am attending a driving school very soon. If anyone deserves a second chance in life it's me. I did not beat or molest, I didn't intend to hurt, I knocked over a bookshelf in a temper tantrum and hurt an innocent child.

Must I disclose this, it was so long ago? This is not something I care to discuss with a recruiter. Will I be recruited? I expect some of you will respond to call me names and put me down and damn me to hell, I've lived in shame for 25 years over this. I'm just hoping that a couple of you will understand that unfortunate things happen when you're in a fight with a mate and that people age, mature, get better and live normal productive lives.

That depends on the compaines application. If it states "Please list any felonies ever", Then yes. If they only want to know about the last 10-15 years, then no, BUT I would still disclose this since they will show up in a background check. Keep in mind that if you apply to any compaines that run into Canada, they may not hire you since you can not enter Canada if you have ever been convicted of a felony. 25 years is a long time and if your record has been clean since then, you may not have much of a problem. The big question is: How does the MVR look?

As for name calling and that, the past is the past. You made the mistake and learned your lesson. Best of luck.

"attending a driving school very soon" You still have a chance to keep the horse ahead of the cart. Before you go to school, know who your first company will be. If necessary, have 'em guarantee you in writing, that after completing school and getting your CDL, you will be hired. Make sure they know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, your record and that you'll work for them.
There've been too many cons post on this board that a school assured them they'd get hired following training, but a school does NOT hire drivers, trucking companies do. BOL

25 years is a long time. I'd call a few recruiters and be upfront and honest with them and see where it takes you. You only need one company to give you a shot.

I lost a drivers license when I was 18 for tickets, I've been completely clean for 25 years and I've talked to recruiters who said no and others who laughed at me for even bringing it up.

You've got 25 years of good solid performance and a few skeletons, you sound like a whole lot of drivers I know.

Good luck.

but I do know that one of my N/A friends had a felony and swifty hired them because of a clean mvr and letters from longtimers who knew him from the meetings

werner will usually hire you If you appear to have a pulse and a clean mvr

neither company pays well or gives great miles

But I do know that crete will hire werner drivers

pay your apprentice dues for a year if swifty or werener will hire you

on the merit that you are paying your own way for your cdl

I know c r england told me the day I graduated I had a job waiting.

But then the recruiter made a slip of the tongue about me not being able to attend their school

If I failed my cdl test inmy state

that cut their throat for me.

PUT your aps in

be honest and straight forward

and have a verifiable work history for the past 10 years

You will be asked to account for every period of unemployment in between those jobs

good luck

and if your a friend of bill

check out the last page of keys to the kingdom

page 312 in the 3rd edition

I will echo part of what has already been said.

Before attending CDL school make some calls to various trucking companies and explain your situation, back ground, etc, and find out if you would be eligible for hire with them once you get your CDL.

Your first job will be the hardest to find, and as others said it may not be with the best of training companies, but once you get that first year or two in other doors will open up.

As far as the Canada thing goes, it may be possible for you to still enter Canada. What you have to do is contact the Canadian government and apply for what is called a Ministers Permit. It is my understanding that there is a fee to apply for this permit that is non refundable, and the permit is only good for a couple of years, but if you can get one it would help with your hiring prospects. I do not know the exact details of what the qualifications are to get this permit, so I can not tell you if you are likely to be granted one or not.

I don't come into this forum too often so PM me if you need more answers.

If you have been good for that period of time you can go to the clerk of courts and file a motion to get your past record sealed. I don't see any reason the judge won't do it. It's pretty simple. After your file is sealed, the only people who will be able to see it is a judge if your in trouble again. Not even the police will see your past record if they pull you over.

You will get a court date. Just show up, clean cut, shirt and tie and state your case to the judge that it effects your getting a job.

I have a friend who got a DWI over 25 years ago and he just had his file sealed.

I was beginning to think I was the only one here that knew that... :wink:

I had two potential felony arrests 40 years ago in another state. That's right, I'm an older guy. Probation before verdict on both. Servred probation sucessfully for both. Well, it did show up on my backround check. Well guess what. Entities such as trucking companies reguard that as a CONVICTION!!! So, when applying; On the 'have you been convicted of a felony' question; if there is no cut off time like "in last ten years"; you may as well wrap it up and move on. This was the case with me just this week with a company that paints their trucks an orange color.