Second chance trucking companies provide a crucial lifeline to criminals looking for reliable employment with competitive compensation.
Even though there is a national scarcity of truck drivers and a great demand for those with CDLs, there are still impediments to employment for ex-felons with many trucking companies.
For the majority of individuals, finding work is challenging, but for those with a criminal record, it can be downright impossible. The US Department of Justice’s statistics shows that each year, some 600,000 inmates are released.
The number continues to rise yearly as more people join them in the job search. Many businesses avoid hiring ex-felons, depriving them of a second opportunity in life.
Even though second chance trucking businesses don’t always reject applications from convicted felons, there are still requirements you must complete.
And regrettably, some offenses mean you won’t be able to follow this career since you won’t be able to get a commercial driver’s license if you commit those offenses.
Please keep reading to learn more about the best second-chance trucking firms we’ve identified to assist you in your employment quest.
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Article Road Map
Second Chance Trucking Companies/ What is Second Chance?
The Second Chance Act has a program called Second Chance. It assists non-governmental, local, state, tribal, and all other tiers of government in their efforts to reduce recidivism.
These groups also make it simpler for inmates to leave prisons, juvenile facilities, and jails and rejoin society.
The US Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs manages the grants used by the Second Chance Act. By securing employment placements, the Second Chance Act’s primary goal is to raise awareness of the predicament of ex-offenders.
The transport sector, and trucking, in particular, is one of the sectors open to Second Chance.
What is a second chance trucking company?
Second chance trucking firms understand that having committed a crime in the past shouldn’t be a permanent impediment to work.
They have firsthand knowledge of the loyalty ex-felons can bring to a company, and over the years, several carriers have built a reputation for recruiting ex-offenders.
Employers who offer second chances evaluate applicants on an individual basis. If you’re someone they can hire, they’ll consider your personality, work experience, and skills. They will then review your felony to determine whether it is an offense they can work with.
Others don’t have a set policy on timeframes, while certain second chance trucking businesses demand a minimum amount of time to have passed since the crime.
How Does Your Driving Record Affect Chances to Get a CDL or a Job?
You might still be able to obtain a CDL despite having your specific crime. However, consider that additional traffic infraction may harm your prospects of receiving your CDL.
You are entering the transportation industry. Thus, the hiring businesses are particularly interested in breaking traffic laws and engaging in vehicle-related offenses.
Since your state issues the CDL, you must research the CDL regulations for the state for which you apply. There is a potential that you won’t be granted a commercial driving license if you frequently break traffic laws. You can be viewed as a risk to both you and other drivers on the road.
For DUI, many states and trucking firms only allow one offense. Even if you have a valid CDL, going above that limit could prevent you from getting hired. If the DUI is more than two years old, most trucking businesses will only hire you.
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Who Gets Hired?
To qualify for employment with second Chance trucking firms, you must meet these requirements.
You ought to:
1. Possess a current CDL license.
2 Be literate and possess basic math skills.
3. Within three years of your application, you cannot have more than three moving violations.
4. Have a minimum age of 21.
5. Be not on probation.
6. Have not received a DUI conviction in the previous two years.
7. Avoid having more than two accidents that could have been avoided within a year after applying.
8. Have not engaged in dangerous driving within three years of applying
9. Have no more than one accident that could have been avoided six months before your application.
Note:
A Department of Transport (DOT) drug test that checks for the following will also be required of you.
Marijuana THC levels;
- amphetamines
- Cocaine\ Phencyclidine(PCP)
- Opioids
You’ll have to get clean on a drug test
Any second chance trucking firms you apply to will require you to undergo regular drug testing. It is impossible to change this Department of Transportation (DOT) requirement.
When you are chosen for a random drug test if you are suspected of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and after an accident, you will need to pass a drug test as part of your pre-hire background clearance.
You should be aware that, even when you’re off work, you can be chosen for a random drug test.
The following drugs are detected in a urine sample by the DOT drug test:
- Cannabis is still classified as a schedule 1 substance under the Controlled Substances Act, even in states where possessing marijuana is no longer a crime. This category includes marijuana, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines, methamphetamine, and MDMA.
A state-issued medical marijuana card will not allow you to pass a DOT drug test while having marijuana in your system because there is no recognized medical purpose for marijuana under this federal statute.
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Types of second-hand tracking companies
1. Cardinal Logistics
This is one of the broadest logistics firms; it recruits prisoners on a case-by-case basis. Before hiring, they perform extensive background investigations. It’s because they only employ drivers who they think will provide consumers with the most excellent services.
Along with other requirements set forth by the Department of Transportation, you must pass drug testing. Along with incentives and other incentives. The pay is fair and competitive.
2. C.R. England
Truckload and LTL services are the critical areas of focus for this transportation company. They employ offenders with criminal records older than ten years. In addition to meeting all other requirements for truck driving, you must pass a drug test.
They train new drivers at their living schools. They have competitive wages and extra perks.
3. Western Express
One of the second-chance transportation firms that take offenders with a criminal record dating back at least five years is Western Express. They also provide benefits and salaries that are competitive.
You must meet all requirements set forth by their standards and the transport department inequality as a truck driver.
4. Roehl Transport
They hire offenders with a seven-year or older criminal history for Roehl Transport and provide driver training. You must have a spotless driving record for recruits interested in vehicle offenses.
They provide competitive salaries in addition to other perks, like the majority of trucking companies.
5. Maverick Transportation
Maverick accepts applications and considers each one individually. Most of its operations are in the southern, eastern, and midwestern US states. The business keeps to a schedule to guarantee that drivers have enough downtime.
Because the business will pay for DCL training and provide salary during orientation, you don’t need to have experience.
6. P & S Transportation
A second chance corporation called P & S Transportation reviewed each application from a convict separately. You must be at least 23 years old, and the criminal record must be older than ten years. However, as of the date of your application, you must not have received a DUI or DWI conviction within the previous ten years.
The salary is fair, and every weekend, drivers are given time off for rest. Because they do not provide CDL training, you need at least two years of experience. The business offers referral and sign-up benefits.
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Training as a Truck Driver
Not every second chance business provides training. Depending on their policies, some may demand that you have the necessary training and experience. To obtain a CDL, training is required. The tight criteria are due to the need for verified, qualified drivers in the trucking business.
To enroll in a truck driving school, you must:
- Possess a social security number as evidence of residency in the US.
- You have to pass a DOT drug test and the DOT physical examination.
- You must possess a current driver’s license.
- Graduated from high school.
- No felonies relating to using illicit drugs in a commercial vehicle may have been previously convicted.
- Within five years of applying to truck driving school, you cannot have a DUI.
- Satisfies all state criteria.
- It would help if you were not addicted to drugs also.
Conclusion
According to Bureau of Labor Statistics research, 83% of prisoners released after serving their sentence were jailed again within nine years. Lack of necessities and a lack of a job cause hopelessness, which fuels criminal behavior.
Do not let the criminal record you are working so hard to leave behind prevent you from landing a job. We’ve talked at length about the process, and who might hire you. Now it’s your turn to shoulder the responsibility of locating a suitable trucking job.