Once you have a felony on your record, it becomes significantly more challenging to find a job.
One promising option for convicted felons is a delivery job.
While not every employer will hire someone with a felony conviction, plenty will.
However, you will need to work a little harder to explain your situation.
Keep reading to learn more about delivery jobs for felons to see if this position suits you.
Contents
What Are Delivery Jobs?
Delivery jobs are positions where you transport goods from a facility to a customer.
You could work for a food delivery service or a trucking company.
Many felons look to become drivers.
The delivery truck driver job outlook is 12% between 2020-2030, which is significantly faster than average.
Examples of Delivery Jobs
The two primary types of delivery jobs are package and food delivery.
Some examples include:
- Truck driver
- Food delivery courier
- Independent contractor delivery driver
- Newspaper carrier
- Restaurant delivery driver
- Florist delivery van driver
- Grocery delivery driver
- Package delivery driver
What Are the Requirements of Delivery Jobs?
Most delivery jobs require high school diplomas or GEDs.
You will need a standard driver’s license.
Some delivery jobs require a commercial driver’s license (CDL).
If you become a certified CDL truck driver, you can operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) like:
- Passenger vehicles
- Truck with 2-3 trailers
- Truck with hazardous materials
- Truck with a tank
Truck driver training usually occurs through a mentor who rides with them to monitor and assist their performance.
On these rides, you will learn about company policies regarding drop-offs, payments, damaged items, and returns.
Some qualities that can benefit you with this job are excellent vision, hand-eye coordination, patience, basic math skills, and strong communication abilities.
Not all jobs require a criminal background check, but many employers want to know your criminal history.
For instance, those convicted of a violent crime or sexual offense might not suit a rideshare driver position where you constantly interact with people.
Generally, food delivery driver jobs are more lenient regarding criminal offense charges.
Nonetheless, you will need to research the particular company to see if you qualify.
If you work as an independent contractor, you only need an acceptable vehicle, a clean driving record, and a driver’s license.
You are considered an independent contractor if you work for platforms like Amazon Flex, Uber Eats, DoorDash, Postmates, Instacart, Shipt, and GrubHub.
Delivery Job Details
If you want to get a delivery job in the United States, you will need to know some more information about the trucking industry.
Will Any Car Work?
Delivery jobs require swift transportation from the facility to the customer.
However, the requirements are far less strict than rideshare programs.
To become an Uber Eats driver, you only need a two- to four-door vehicle.
There are no further requirements than that.
You could also deliver food with a motorized scooter, a bicycle, or on foot.
DoorDash has similarly loose requirements.
You can use any car as long as you have a valid driver’s license, a clean driving record, and insurance.
Package delivery services like Amazon Flex generally requires mid-sized or larger automobiles.
While independent contractors welcome most cars, some restaurants and package delivery services will require you to use a company car or truck.
What About Insurance Costs?
A delivery driver might need business-use coverage on their car insurance.
This coverage costs more due to its higher risk, as delivery drivers have a greater likelihood of getting into accidents and filing claims.
If you get in an accident on the job, you will likely have your claim denied unless you acquire business-use coverage.
On average, commercial car insurance rates cost $100-$200 each month.
However, some states are encouraging insurance companies to reduce coverage costs for independent contractor jobs. These states include:
How Much Money Can You Earn Doing Food Delivery?
The amount you make with food delivery jobs depends on the platform you use.
According to USA Today, a delivery driver will earn approximately this much through these services:
- DoorDash: $10-$17.74/hour
- Grubhub: $11.02-$12/hour
- Postmates Couriers: $10-$13.64/hour
- Postmates Drivers: $11-$19.97/hour
- Uber Eats: $10-$15.57/hour
Pros and Cons of Being a Delivery Driver
Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of working as a delivery driver.
Pros of Being a Delivery Driver
- Choose your hours and assignments
- Option to boost earnings by working peak hours/traffic, earning bonuses, and getting tips
- May receive benefits
- Minimal requirements to start working
- Supervise yourself
- Meet new people
- Explore your city during work
Cons of Being a Delivery Driver
- Poor job security
- Little room for growth
- Frequently face challenging or dangerous situations
- Isolation on the job
- Need to pay for your car expenses yourself
Are Felons Eligible to Get a Job as a Delivery Driver?
While becoming a delivery driver isn’t the best job for someone with a felony, it is one of the most accessible options.
Most felons can get a job as delivery drivers.
Do Delivery Driver Jobs Require Background Checks?
Almost all delivery jobs require criminal background checks.
Regardless, most companies use a case-by-case basis when observing criminal convictions.
However, most will exclude offenders of violent, sexual, or traffic crimes.
Some companies, like UPS, have dedicated programs to hire felons.
Even with a felony conviction, you could get a full-time job as a food or package delivery driver.
Why Don’t Some Jobs Require Background Checks?
The employer can choose if they want to perform a background check.
Some companies care more about how you behave presently rather than your past mistakes.
Others have programs to hire criminals, which are a major benefit for anyone convicted of a felony.
What Does the Background Check Look For?
Many food delivery platforms and trucking companies use Checkr to run criminal background checks.
This platform searches national, county, state, and federal criminal record databases.
It will see if you are on the sex offender registry or a global watchlist.
Checkr verifies your SSN and checks your motor vehicle records.
These searches will show misdemeanor and felony criminal convictions and pending cases.
They will also display your adult incarceration history.
These states do not disclose convictions that happened over seven years ago:
- Montana
- Kansas
- California
- New York
- Massachusetts
- Washington
- Maryland
Hawaii will not disclose felonies after seven years and misdemeanors after five.
What Will Disqualify You From Driving?
Most delivery jobs consider employment on a case-by-case basis after running a background check.
If you have had any felony charges during the past seven years, you are unlikely to receive employment from a USA truck or food delivery company.
Some examples include:
- Violent crime
- Drug conviction
- Sexual assault
- DUI
- Hit and run
- Driving with a suspended or expired license
- Name on the National Sex Offender Registry
There are instances of people getting hired with felony charges.
Sometimes, a convicted felon will get fired even if their conviction occurred over seven years ago.
Checkr monitors your present behavior, so you may get fired for any suspicious activity.
If you want a truck driving job, you can get your commercial driver’s license as a convicted felon.
However, a felony where you used a CMV during working hours at your company will usually disqualify you from getting your CDL reinstated.
Furthermore, any case where you have a suspended driver’s license prevents you from getting a truck driving job.
While a company may hire you for a felony, any traffic- or driving-related offenses will reduce your chances further.
These could indicate that you are an untrustworthy delivery driver.
Delivery Jobs for Felons
Plenty of delivery jobs will hire felons.
Here are some food delivery and trucking companies you can try.
Companies Hiring Felons
If you are a convicted felon, you can work for many delivery companies, including:
- UPS
- UberEats
- Instacart
- RR Transportation
- DoorDash
- GrubHub
- Postmates
- Amazon
- Shipt
Many trucking companies hire felons as well.
Keep in mind that you have a slimmer chance of getting a job with conviction.
While you might get a job at GrubHub or Postmates as a felon, it is more difficult than the other options.
The National Employment Law Project is working to expand job access for people with criminal records so that nobody gets unfairly fired or loses their chance at getting hired over an outdated conviction.
What Is the Best Food Delivery Service to Work For?
If you are a felon, UberEats has a Fresh Chances program to hire people with criminal convictions.
They consider the time from your last conviction, your entire criminal history, and what you have done since the felony.
Does Amazon Hire Felons?
Amazon hires felons for delivery positions.
You will need to explain your felony and how you have improved since the crime.
The recruiter will consider this information when making their hiring decision.
Additional Driving Job Opportunities for Felons
Whether you live in South Carolina or Idaho, you can get a trucking job.
A company may hire you because of the federal bonding program for a business grant or to avoid claims of discrimination under Title VII.
No matter the reason, you can find a food delivery driving job as a felon.
Entry-Level Delivery Driver Jobs
There are plenty of transferable skills that can apply to a delivery driver position.
You need to prove that you are hardworking, sociable, and patient.
It also helps to have excellent vision and hand-eye coordination.
If you earn your CDL and high school diploma, you can readily get a trucking job.
High-Paying Delivery Driving Jobs
The highest-paying delivery driver jobs are:
- Instacart
- DoorDash
- Postmates
- Shipt
- GrubHub
- Amazon Flex
Furthermore, you can choose your schedule and assignments with these platforms.
They tend to have a higher base pay, so you will not rely on tips as much.
You could increase your earning potential by working directly for a restaurant or a parcel delivery service.
However, these may have stricter requirements than working as an independent contractor.
Delivery Driver Jobs That Do Not Require a Driver’s License
You do not need a driver’s license to deliver through UberEats.
You can ride your bicycle or travel on foot.
This option is valuable for individuals who have recent traffic offenses or had their license suspended or revoked.
Final Thoughts
You can get a food delivery or truck driving job with a felony from many companies, especially if you work as an independent contractor.
While every restaurant and store will have separate policies, most digital platforms have streamlined hiring processes that include felons.
Make sure to run a background check on yourself to see what shows up.
There’s a decent chance that one of the above companies will hire you with felony charges.
Overall, you have nothing to lose.
Apply today and become a delivery driver!
