I've had it! To Fellow Felons....

[Truckergirl]

No more am I going to allow people to push me away because of something that I've done in my life 10yrs ago.

Despite the few laws we do have to protect persons convicted of a felony, our governments allows many companies to simply and blatantly tell us that they will not hire us because of our background. Don't feed me this liability crap about insurance rates increasing when as I write this some of the trucking companies are willing to hire workers from other countries to cross the border just to drive trucks here in the US. The government has in place tax benefits for companies who do hire individuals with felony records. The cost that an insurance company charges (which is illegal for them to do so as this is a form of discrimination) can be compensated for through tax benefits.

As a person who has many accomplishments since my conviction, I have been honored by the governor of my state with an award for services to the elderly and persons with disabilities, I have gone on to receive my Bachelors degree and I'm in school working on my Masters degree in Accounting and finance.

I've given up my dream of becoming an accountant. I'm going to start my own independent contractor/owner operator trucking company which only hires felons as a program that helps people like me to gain successful employment as professional truck drivers. Don't tell me it can't be done, it has been done. Look up The Delancey Street Project started by persons convicted of a felony for people convicted of a felony to find work. The only difference would be that my company would be catered towards those who want to become professional truck drivers.

In fact, I have taken the first step by gaining my CDL-A permit. The next step will be for me to attend a PTDI school within the next 2 months and obtain my CDL license. The details of my plan will not be disclosed here, but you can be assured that I'm in the process of speaking with officials (school and governmental) on how to make this plan work.

There will be some guidelines and there will be a strict policy in effect. The details I will think about as the time comes closer for me to form my company.

I'm going to make this happen. Trust me when I say this. I been working as an independent contractor for major clients and most of the companies that I work for never ask about my background. They could careless since I am not an employee of their company.

Since my time as an independent contractor, I've only had a few companies turn me away. These same companies that turned me away, I end working side by side their employees in the same market anyway. So, it never bothers me. The only reason I'm not still doing the work that I was doing before deciding to become a truck driver is salary. I simply can't live off of $10 and hour on work that is only part-time.

However, self-employment has given me the insight of the possibilities that exist for individuals like me. I love my freedom, I love being independent, I love to travel (No, I'm not talking about vacation travel), I love being on call and having to fly out the state on a moments notice to take care of a client, I love not punching a time clock and most all, I love being in control of my financial capabilities.

Thus, despite all those companies turning me away due to my past, someday I'm going to find a company who will say yes. I'm going to be one of the best dang educated professional female truck drivers out there. Then, I'm going to put my plan into action.

I'm going to make this work despite all the nay-sayers. All I need is one to say yes.