Am I Unhireable? DUI/Revocation, Anyone Have Info?

Hello, I need some advice and I will try and keep this short. I got a DUI back in 2007, Which caused a suspension and revocation of my normal drivers license back then at the same time. I was finally able to start the process to reinstatement in 2020, I drove on a restricted drivers permit for a year with no traffic violations and was granted full reinstatement in FEB of 2022. Some one suggested to me now that I am over that hurdle I should get my CDL , which I went to a trucking school and got. No problem. Now I cant find a company that will hire me, when I explain this to them they talk with "safety" and send me back a "we choose not to hire you at this time" email. I will get back the MVR background check email showing what I have explained to them (which I mentioned above), but they never say what was the disqualifying factor of it is. Is it the DUI? it is from 07'-08'. Is it the suspension being recently lifted? I've tried contacting them back asking them if they can explain why they chose not to and never hear from them again.

I am just learning that most companies will not have anything to do with you if your suspension is less than a year old which mine is. I am assuming that this is why I am being handled this way? I wish they would tell me that so I know what to do next. I see that these companies will hire if your DUI is 3, 5, 7 even 10 years old, but nothing about how long after a suspension/revocation before you can apply. Is there any way into this career for me or am I screwed? Does anyone know what I should do? I don't want to apply to every trucking company out there and burn a bridge for ever how long before I can apply again. If all I need was to wait a year FEB 2023 is like 2 months away, should I just wait then try every company then? How long should I wait? If anyone knows some companies that would take a chance on me too I would be grateful for the info.

Not entirely 100% on this, but I think most companies require a valid DL for 3 years. The tricky part is that yours was suspended. Not sure if the same 3 year rule applies after a suspension. Hopefully another member can offer a more definitive answer for you. I hope you get an affirmative response on the 1 year question.

Is there any way into this career for me or am I screwed?

First, the good news. There are only a handful of companies that won't hire you because of your DUI:

Eagle Express Lines

Estenson Logistics

J & R Schugel

K & B Transportation

R.E. Garrison

Raider Express

Wiley Sanders Truck Lines

United Road

You can read more about specific company hiring policies for drivers with DUI's here:

Trucking Companies That Hire Drivers With DUI

Now some less good news. Companies want you to have at least one year of recent driving experience on your Class C before they will hire you. You don't have that. That's why no one is talking to you right now.

Now the bad news. A CDL isn't a twinkie that you can leave on a shelf and come back to years later. You don't mention how long ago you earned your CDL but having a, "stale" CDL with no driving experience may limit your hiring options to companies that offer retraining. That's one of the reasons we recommend company sponsored training - no surprises, you finish the training you know you have a job.

Now the really bad news. Freight volumes are declining - which is real unusual for this time of year being year end and Christmas. A lot of people are trying to get started in trucking at a time when there is less freight and more experienced drivers available so companies are being pickier than usual who they'll hire.

FedEx to furlough drivers just as Christmas season begins

Amazon layoffs now expected to mount to 20,000, including top managers

Bezos: Don't Buy Cars, TVs During 'Slowing' Economy

Wait until you get your year in then apply everywhere. You may have to retrain. Take whatever is offered. You'll have plenty of options after you get your first year under your belt.

I’m confused, if the dui is from 2007 why is the suspension only a year old?

Also your license was suspended for 15 years for 1 dui?

Something isn’t adding up.

I’m confused, if the dui is from 2007 why is the suspension only a year old?

Also your license was suspended for 15 years for 1 dui?

Something isn’t adding up.

No. He did not go through the process of getting his license again for a lengthy period. Not because of a DUI restriction or suspension length.

I used to be a construction worker, when I lost my DL back in 07' it cost me my job. At that time no one would hire me with out the DL. I've had to work some real remedial under paid jobs to get by for the last 15 years to scrape up enough cash to shovel to an attorney, fines, fees and courts to get to this point. Thankfully I got the CDL school under a grant to pay for it but no one told me that I should wait or that this was gonna set me back, even the DMV said "yea, why wait, your clear now to get a CDL". I'm not upset tho, because I still went thru and got it, its just gonna be a challenge to break into this industry now I see.

Also thank you for the help, I guess I will wait till I get a full year of driving in and try again this coming February, I hope that works. I am very eager to start. I completed my 160 hours ELDT and got my CDL in October this year, the only company that told me they had to be with in 60 or 90 days of graduation was CFI other wise I would have to have a "refresher" and be forced to a 6 month contract. Don't remember for how much I would be in debt to them but after the 20 or so companies I talked with they have no contract/refresher needed, some even said 6 months to a year from graduation. Hope that stays true, I've already heard the stories of what recruiters say then when you get there you find out it was lie. I'm just gonna keep my head up, not expect what they tell me and get the experience I need to drive and find greener fields when the time comes.

I can tell you from personal experience that many companies don't require a refresher.

Just as a for instance, four such companies are

Butler Transport

PAM Transport

May Trucking Company

Dutch Maid Logistics

I used to be a construction worker, when I lost my DL back in 07' it cost me my job. At that time no one would hire me with out the DL. I've had to work some real remedial under paid jobs to get by for the last 15 years to scrape up enough cash to shovel to an attorney, fines, fees and courts to get to this point. Thankfully I got the CDL school under a grant to pay for it but no one told me that I should wait or that this was gonna set me back, even the DMV said "yea, why wait, your clear now to get a CDL". I'm not upset tho, because I still went thru and got it, its just gonna be a challenge to break into this industry now I see.

Also thank you for the help, I guess I will wait till I get a full year of driving in and try again this coming February, I hope that works. I am very eager to start. I completed my 160 hours ELDT and got my CDL in October this year, the only company that told me they had to be with in 60 or 90 days of graduation was CFI other wise I would have to have a "refresher" and be forced to a 6 month contract. Don't remember for how much I would be in debt to them but after the 20 or so companies I talked with they have no contract/refresher needed, some even said 6 months to a year from graduation. Hope that stays true, I've already heard the stories of what recruiters say then when you get there you find out it was lie. I'm just gonna keep my head up, not expect what they tell me and get the experience I need to drive and find greener fields when the time comes.

Please don’t give up on your dreams. Pause maybe or take a different path to achieve the same end but…I wasted lots of $$ hiring an idiot to build a crappy fence. When it fell in less than a year, I hired the best fence builder in the area. Here’s the kicker, this guy had just been released after 10 years in prison for DUI (his girlfriend was killed in the accident and her parents pressed charges).

This is what quality looks like, from a guy most wouldn’t hire.

Oh, so your license wasn’t suspended that long you just waited that long to get it back? Man, I’d be jumping at the first chance to get rolling again.

Anyway, keep in mind LTL companies have dock to driver programs. They won’t hire you to drive off the bat, you’ll have to work dock for a while then go through the company training but you already have the cdl so the hard parts taken care of. They tend to have higher standards though so you’ll have to get that dui charge taken care of. Look into expungement laws in your state.

Also Penske and Ryder hire new drivers.

Look into expungement laws in your state.

Many states have a set period of time before you can apply for expungement (I've seen 10 years with several). Keep in mind, be honest on any job application, carefully reading the question and offering an answer that only addresses specifics of the question, nothing more.