Trucking companies that hire sex offenders tend to be smaller, local outfits, but larger companies may hire you – it all depends on the nature of your offense.
Your ability to get a truck driving job will depend on the type of sex offense on your record, how long it’s been since your conviction, whether you’re on probation/parole, and whether you’re a resisted sex offender.
Trucking Companies That Hire Sex Offenders
Trucking companies don’t share much information about their policies on hiring SO.
In general, the large trucking companies (Schneider, Swift, Maverick, Western Express, etc.) specify that misdemeanor or felony convictions for any crime will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
A misdemeanor for voyeurism or indecent exposure may not be an issue for trucking companies, while a felony sex offense is more likely to be disqualifying.
Some trucking companies require at least 5, 7, or 10 years to have passed since a felony conviction regardless of the nature of the offense. After that point, your offense will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
The only way to know if your sex offender background disqualifies you is to call trucking company recruiters or fill out initial screening applications.
Be honest when asked about your criminal history because all trucking companies carry out full background checks on potential employees before confirming a job offer.
Can A Sex Offender Be A Truck Driver?
As a sex offender, you can be a truck driver if you find an employer willing to hire you, or you decide to become an owner-operator.
Getting hired as a truck driver with a sex offense on your record isn’t easy, and becoming an owner-operator has its own challenges, with a major barrier being the cost of buying or leasing a rig.
Becoming a truck driver requires an investment of several thousand dollars to obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL) unless you’re eligible for free training or can get training costs covered by a Workforce grant.
Because of the costs involved, it’s essential to find out if you’ve got realistic employment prospects before you spend money on a CDL training program.
See Also: List Of Jobs That Hire Sex Offenders
Can A Sex Offender Get A CDL License?
There’s no law stopping a sex offender from getting a CDL, although you won’t be able to get the endorsements on your license that allow you to drive a school bus or vehicle carrying 16 or more passengers.
Sex offenders with a conviction for rape or aggravated sexual abuse within the last 7 years (or released from prison within the last 5 years) are also temporarily disqualified from obtaining a Hazmat endorsement.
If you held a CDL in the past and used a commercial motor vehicle to commit a felony sex offense, you could face a lifetime CDL ban.
With a sex offense on your record, you may not be eligible to get your CDL through the truck driving schools operated or sponsored by trucking companies.
These free CDL programs that train you in exchange for a 12-month commitment to drive for the company after graduation are the most common route into a truck-driving career.
Truck Driving Schools That Accept Sex Offenders
The best way to find truck driving schools that accept SO is to call or email the schools and ask.
The free truck driving schools connected with large trucking companies may not be able to take you if your sex offense disqualifies you from employment with the carrier at the end of the CDL program.
Sex offenses are an extremely broad category and ultimately whether you can get a place at a free CDL school depends on the type of sex offense on your record.
Other factors the CDL school will look at are whether you’re on probation or parole and whether you’re on the sex offender registry.
One large carrier with a trucking school that accepts sex offenders is CRST. Their CDL- Class A program lasts for 3 weeks. Visit CRST for more information.
Many independent (fee-charging) truck-driving schools will take you without asking any questions about your background.
However, the most reputable schools will ask about your criminal history so they can offer honest advice about your employability.
Funding for your CDL at these schools may be available through a Workforce grant (WIOA) or your local community college.
Call trucking companies to get an idea of how employable you are before you pay the fees for a CDL school.
Truck Driving Jobs For Sex Offenders
The following trucking companies may hire sex offenders on a case-by-case basis. Your employability will depend on the nature of your offense, how long ago it occurred, and your record since conviction.
Sex offenders on parole or probation will have fewer opportunities.
No Minimum Period Since Conviction
- Averitt Express
- Butler Transport (has hired sex offenders in the past – probation OK)
- Carolina Cargo (has hired sex offenders in the past)
- CFI (has hired sex offenders in the past)
- Covenant Transport
- CRST (has hired sex offenders in the past)
- Don Hummer Trucking
- Eagle Express Lines
- JB Hunt
- Maverick (has hired sex offenders in the past)
- Navajo Express Inc
- PAM Transport
- Roehl Transport (has hired sex offenders in the past)
- Tennant Truck Lines
- Trimac
- Schneider (has hired sex offenders in the past)
- Southern Refrigerated Transport
- Sysco (has hired sex offenders in the past)
- Watkins Shepard
- WEL Companies
- Western Express (has hired sex offenders in the past)
- WM (Waste Management) (has hired sex offenders in the past)
- XPO Logistics
- USA Truck
- S. Xpress Inc
At Least 5 Years Since Felony Conviction
- D. Transport Express
- Bear Trucking
- Boyd Brothers
- DeBoer Trucking (unlikely to hire RSO)
- L Hollingsworth
- Groendyke Transport
- Koch Trucking
- Melton Truck Lines
- Mesilla Valley Transportation
- Paschall Truck Lines
- Salmon Companies
- Waggoners Trucking Company
At Least 7 Years Since Felony Conviction
- Barr-Nunn Transportation
- Bennett Motor Express
- Estenson Logistics
- First Fleet Inc
- Hornady Transportation
- HVH Transportation
At Least 10 Years Since Felony Conviction
- CT Transportation (misdemeanor must be over 5 years old)
- CTL Transportation (misdemeanor must be over 5 years old)
- R. England – Class A felony must be at least 10 years old. At least 4 years since incarceration ended. No rape convictions.
- Dick Lavy Trucking
- G & P Trucking Company
- Hunt Transportation
- Ozark Motor Lines (must be 10 years since end of probation or release date)
- Swift Transportation
- TMC Transportation
Don’t limit your job search to freight carriers. Sex offenders can find truck driving jobs with garbage companies, concrete companies, animal haulers, and construction companies to name just a few options.
You can also investigate “driver-touch” freight jobs. Unlike “no-touch” freight, these are jobs where the driver has to load and unload the vehicle.
Because of the physical work involved these positions aren’t as popular with CDL drivers, and the companies often have more accommodating hiring policies.
Local Trucking Companies That Hire SO
So, what truck driving companies hire sex offenders? Search the Fleet Directory database to find trucking operators in your area. These smaller companies are often more open to hiring people with criminal backgrounds, including sex offenders.
- Go Here.
- Click the link for your state (state abbreviation in the red section)
- Call each company on the list
Next Steps
- Find out if you’re eligible for any free CDL schools
- Investigate Workforce grants and community college funding for CDL training programs so you have a wider pool of CDL schools to choose from
- Call company recruiters, disclose your offense, and ask about your prospects of getting hired.
Recent News: Trucking Companies That Hire Felons With No Experience.
Charles Greg is the Co-Founder, Author, & Head Developer behind RentingtoFelons.org
With a lifelong passion for humanity.