Does McKelvey Trucking Hire Felons in 2021?

At Relaunch Pad, we understand that there are many challenges when trying to find a job after prison. Does McKelvey Trucking hire felons? We asked them directly to find out. Does McKelvey Trucking hire people with misdemeanors? We’ll also cover that in this article.

McKelvey Trucking was founded in 1957 and is headquartered in Phoenix Arizona. They, along with their subsidiaries, operate in the United States and Mexico. McKelvey Trucking has a fleet of around 350 tractors and 900 trailers. If you want to drive truck, this article’s for you.

We’ll give you all the information you need on how to get hired at McKelvey Trucking with a record. We’ll walk you through the application process as well as their experience with hiring former felons, and we’ll even go over their background check policy and some tips on getting hired.

Relaunch Pad makes it a point to hire those who are striving for a second chance after prison. That’s why we put this content together. So, let’s talk about how to get a job at McKelvey Trucking with a felony.

Does McKelvey Trucking Hire Felons?

Official policy for hiring felons

We asked McKelvey Trucking directly if they hired those with a felony conviction. They gave us some great information about their hiring requirements:

You must be 23 years of age
Must have a minimum of 6 months current over the road experience
No more than 1 preventable accident in the last 36 months
No more than 2 moving violations in the last 36 months
6 week training program for recent truck driving school graduates
No DUI or DWI violations in the last 5 years
No felony convictions in the last 10 years

If your conviction is within the last 10 years, now may not be the time for you to apply. However, you can give them a shot after and work on your skills in the meantime. And, feel free to check out other trucking companies! Never hurts to spread out your applications.

Has McKelvey Trucking hired felons in the past?

McKelvey Trucking did not confirm or deny if they have hired felons in the past. Don’t worry, because we have information from other sources that say McKelvey Trucking has done so in the past.

Does McKelvey Trucking hire people with misdemeanors?

We could not find specific information on whether McKelvey Trucking hires those with a misdemeanor conviction. They do not mention misdemeanor charges in their hiring requirements. There is a good chance they will hire those with misdemeanor convictions.

Is McKelvey Trucking on the Ban the Box list?

Civil rights groups are pushing for the Ban the Box campaign. The goal is to remove from employment applications the question that asks if applicants have been convicted of a felony. The idea is to get people to the interview phase rather than excluded because of past mistakes. McKelvey Trucking has not signed this or the Fair Chance Business Pledge, an initiative to eliminate employment barriers for those with a criminal record.

That being said, always be truthful on your applications. Let employers know upfront that you have a record and that you have done everything you can to change your life.

Does McKelvey Trucking have any special programs for hiring felons?

We could not find any information about special programs McKelvey Trucking may offer for felons looking for work. Always check with local job placement agencies for special opportunities.

What are the odds someone with a felony will get hired?

High likelihood of being hired with a felony

We think there is a fairly high chance of getting hired by McKelvey Trucking if you have a prior conviction. There will certainly be a need for drivers. This Washington Post article talks about the massive shortage of truck drivers in the US right now. Many companies are offering signing bonuses for new drivers, something worth looking into when you apply to McKelvey Trucking.

What are some entry-level jobs?

What kind of jobs can you expect at McKelvey Trucking? Trucking companies need, aside from drivers (long-haul), diesel mechanics, payroll specialists, data entry personnel and account representatives. It’s not all about driving. It takes a team of people for a trucking company to operate.

Many prisons and jails have specialized classes, some of which even offer commercial driver’s license (CDL) training. If you’ve been through these classes, or can take them while incarcerated, you will have an advantage when applying.

Special skills

While we couldn’t find any specifics about special training required to work at McKelvey, if you want to be a driver, you will have to obtain your CDL. Many companies will offer to put employees through CDL training. To get a job at McKelvey Trucking, you should be willing to go through any training necessary, especially if they will pay for it. The more skills you have, the better you will be for future employment opportunities.

How to get hired at McKelvey Trucking with a felony

Let’s improve your chances of being hired. Start by contacting the company and asking about their requirements. Since there is such a shortage of truck drivers, they may be more flexible.

If you are located near the McKelvey Trucking headquarters, it would be a good first step to visit and ask for an application. By visiting in person, they will be able to put a face to you. You never know, they may need immediate help and discuss hiring you then.

That being said, first impressions are important. We know that the prison environment is different and you may have picked up on language that’s not suitable for a work environment. This includes body language. Be aware of any bad habits you may have picked up and work on getting rid of them.

Before an interview, it wouldn’t hurt to record yourself answering basic interview questions:

Why do you want to work here?
How have you worked to improve yourself?
What makes you qualified to work here?

By recording and watching yourself, you can pick up on areas where you can improve.

Dress well. If you have visible tattoos, cover the ones you can. Trucking companies may be more lenient with tattoo policies, but you won’t know for sure at first.

An interview is your chance to explain why you will be a good fit for the company. You also have a chance to explain your prior convictions. As with the application, be forthcoming. Many people are more than willing to give people with a felony conviction a second chance.

If you do not hear back from McKelvey Trucking within a week or two, it would be a good idea to call them. Ask to speak with the manager and thank them for considering you for employment.

They may not hire you, but be polite in any case. They might put your application to the side for consideration in the future.

Does McKelvey Trucking do background checks?

Does McKelvey Trucking do background checks? We could not find specific information about whether or not McKelvey Trucking performs a background check on applicants, but based on their hiring requirements, they probably do. Routine background checks are performed by most employers, especially for positions of high responsibility like driving a large truck.

Here’s what you need to know about background checks:

Some states don’t even consider information more than seven years old. These states are:

California
Colorado*
Kansas*
Maryland*
Massachusetts
Montana
Nevada
New Hampshire*
New York *
Texas *
Washington*

(* sometimes certain pay or salary bracket positions require one.)

In addition, these eight states don’t consider not guilty verdicts:

Alaska
California
Hawaii
Indiana
Kentucky
Massachusetts
Michigan
New York

However, there are still some states that will look at your whole record — including not guilty verdicts. These states are:

Alabama
Arizona
Arkansas
Connecticut
DC
Delaware
Florida
Idaho
Indiana
Iowa
Louisiana
Maine
Mississippi
Missouri
Nebraska
New Jersey
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oregon
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Company ratings

McKelvey Trucking does not have any reviews on glassdoor.com, but we did find some indeed.com reviews. Their overall rating, based on seven reviews, was a 4.0 out of 5. Most people said McKelvey Trucking is a good company to work for.

While seven reviews is not many, their responses are a good sign that you can find a good team at the company.

What felony convictions might have a difficult time getting a hired here?

The trucking industry has been on the forefront of hiring those with a record. With such a driver shortage, the chances of getting hired are even better. However, some felonies may get in your way. Here are a few examples:

If you have a sex crime conviction that requires you to register as a sex offender, you may have difficulty obtaining a job as a trucker. There are specific requirements that vary from state-to-state as to how long you can be in a jurisdiction before you have to register. Some states require you to register within a day or so of being there, while others want you to register even if you are going to be there overnight.
If your felony included charges that impact your ability to legally drive, you may have a harder time getting on with McKelvey Trucking. However, as previously stated, there are other positions available outside of driving truck.

Does McKelvey Trucking drug test?

We could not find concrete information about whether or not McKelvey Trucking require drug tests, but they probably do. Operating large trucks under the influence of any drugs is illegal.

Have you applied for a job or worked here? Share your experiences

Getting hired with a felony can seem like a tough task, but we want to hear from you if you have done it. If you have experience with McKelvey Trucking, please leave a comment about your experience. Does McKelvey Trucking hire felons? Does McKelvey Trucking perform background checks? We’d love to hear your experiences.

Thanks for stopping by and good luck with your job search!