Trucking Companies are known to be felon friendly and are willing to give second chances to felons. Nearly every trucking company has different policy for hiring felons.
Averitt Express is a transportation and logistics solutions company that hires truck drivers. But do they hire someone with a felony record? Let’s find the answer.
Does Averitt Express Hire Felons?
Short Answer: Yes, Averitt Express does hire felons on a case-by-case basis. A felony conviction will not automatically disqualify any applicant from employment. They consider multiple factors like the nature of the felony and the amount of time that has passed since the felony.
Most trucking companies will not disqualify you just because you have a criminal record or a felony conviction. However, you will still have to pass a pre-employment criminal background check.
It is important to be completely honest about your past while filling out the application. Companies conduct background checks on all job applicants before making a hiring decision.They will most likely discover everything related to your driving history or your felony convictions.
There are multiple factors that could affect your chances of getting hired like work experience, driving record, the nature and relevancy of the offense, length of the time since you had that felony, etc.
Nature & Relevancy of the felony – The seriousness and relevancy of the crime is one of the most important factors that are considered when the application is reviewed.
If you have committed offenses that are driving related like DUI, reckless driving, driving with a suspended/revoked license, etc. finding a truck driving job will be tough.
Whereas if the felony is not driving related and not very serious in nature it won’t be a huge roadblock as the crime is not relevant to the job position.
Amount of time passed since the felony – To hire a felon, most trucking companies require a certain amount of time to have passed since the conviction.
While there is no specific policy, if your felony conviction is over 7-10 years old followed by a clean record, you’ll be fine. Recent convictions (usually within the last 5 years) will probably lower your chances of getting hired.
Does Averitt Express Hire Misdemeanors?
Yes, Averitt Express does hire people with misdemeanors on a case-by-case basis and depending on the offense.
Does Averitt Express do Background Checks?
Yes, Averitt Express does conduct background checks for all potential hires. Every trucking company is required by law to conduct a pre-employment background check.
What information does the background check consist of will depend on the type of background check, the job position, state and federal laws, etc. Applicants must consent to a background check to complete the hiring process.
Generally, a pre-employment background check may include criminal records, educational records, employment history, credit history, driving records, identity verification, etc.
It is important to be absolutely honest about your past on the application. Anything that you may want to hide will most likely show up on background check which can lead to disqualification.
If the application asks about felony convictions, it is a good idea to mention your record. This also allows you to be upfront and discuss about it during the interview. Explain your case to the interviewer and highlight the positive steps you have taken to better your life since the release.
In most states, most non-violent and charges that are not very serious can be expunged or sealed after a certain time period. What constitutes as serious crime will depend on the state laws.
Expunged records don’t show up on background checks which can boost the chances of getting employment. Also, it can help in other things where background checks are conducted like renting an apartment.
About Averitt Express
Averitt Express is a freight transportation and logistics solutions company headquartered in Cookeville, Tennessee. Founded in 1958, it was incorporated as Averitt Express in 1969. Today, it operates in 18 states across the country and has over 5,000 employees.
They have job opportunities for experienced CDL truck drivers as well as for people who are just starting their driving career. In case, you don’t fully meet their requirements, they also have paid driver training program tailored to your experience level.
To apply with Averitt Express simply head to the careers page on their website (www.averittcareers.com) to find all the available jobs.
Conclusion
A felony on your record is not an instant disqualifier. Most trucking companies are felon-friendly and review felony convictions on a case-by-case basis. So, even if you get rejected don’t be disheartened and keep applying with other trucking companies.