What happens if you get a commercial traffic ticket in CA?
Your commercial driver's license (CDL) is your livelihood. It allows you to pick up loads, deliver goods, and keep the wheels of commerce turning. Missing work to fight it in court can be inconvenient and expensive.
What’s more, unless you are a CA-licensed and practicing attorney, it could be a waste of your time.
With a CA Traffic Attorney, There Is No Need to Attend Court
Traffic court appearances can be time-consuming, often dragging on for hours, and if you intend to dispute the ticket, you might need to attend the arraignment and come back another day for the trial.
When you have a commercial traffic ticket, the last thing you want to do is miss picking up a load or delivering it on time due to a court date. A skilled commercial traffic attorney can handle your case entirely in your absence.
This allows you to keep working and earning a living while they fight for the best possible outcome. As most truckers know, you only get paid for the number of miles driven.
“I have a Class A drivers record. I need a clean driving record for my job. Over the last four years Traffic Lawyer Mark Bigger defended me on five tickets and kept me from getting a point on all of them. I trust Mark to do a great job defending my driving record. I recommend him to my friends and co-workers whenever they get a ticket. He knows traffic law and cares about providing good results.” - Johnny, Commercial Driver from Kern County.
A Traffic Ticket Attorney Could Possibly Get a Reduced, Non-Moving Violation or Get the Ticket Dismissed
CA traffic attorneys know the court system's procedures, the judges, and even the Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs) who may have issued your ticket.
Sometimes, an LEO might not be available for the court date. In this case, an attorney can request dismissal based on your Constitutional right to face your accuser. Although you could do this yourself, there are procedures and traditions to follow.
Beyond that, there are technical reasons a ticket might be dismissed that a layperson might not be aware of. An attorney can identify these details and use them to your advantage. Winning your case or getting it reduced to a non-moving violation can save you money on fines and prevent points from being added to your driving record in CA and at the DOT FMCSA.
When it comes to the Negligent Operator Treatment System (NOTS) in CA and the Compliance, Safety, and Accountability (CSA) program at the DOT FMCSA, you don’t want a conviction to remain on your record for three or more years.
Fleet managers frown on moving violations, and some may even have a zero-tolerance policy that could result in termination after just one conviction, even with a clean record for years before.
Since their fleet insurance premium is based on a complex formula of the number of vehicles and moving violations, it could be cheaper to terminate the driver with CSA points and hire a novice fresh out of school—it’s not fair, but we all know it happens.
Drivers Are Not Eligible for Traffic Violator School (TVS) for Commercial Traffic Tickets
Unlike regular drivers with traffic tickets, attending Traffic Violator School (TVS) is not an option for commercial traffic tickets received while operating a commercial motor vehicle (CMV).
This means the ticket becomes part of your official driving record, which your employer and insurance company will see. However, if you receive a ticket in your personal vehicle, you may be eligible for TVS, but even then, you'll still need to report the conviction to your employer.
However, a CA traffic attorney could negotiate with the judge to include TVS as part of a deal to make the conviction a non-moving, non-recordable offense that is not reportable to the DMV or the FMCSA.
Hiring a traffic attorney to fight your commercial traffic ticket is the most convenient and potentially cost-effective way to resolve the situation.
They can handle everything for you, freeing you up to focus on work, and could save you from the financial and professional consequences of a conviction.
Use a Free Consultation with Bigger & Harman When You Have a Commercial Traffic Ticket
If you need assistance with a commercial vehicle lane violation in Roseville Courthouse, contact Bigger & Harman for a free initial consultation at (661) 349-9300 or email attorney@biggerharmanlaw.com.
Alternatively, you can use the convenient online contact form.
Download our e-book, Protecting Your Commercial Driver License.
Se habla Español (661) 349-9755.
References:
The DMV Portal CA Commercial Driver Handbook.