Seasoned commercial drivers know the commercial traffic ticket attorney near me in Los Banos, Merced County, CA. Bigger & Harman understand that your CDL supports your entire family.

One moving violation can threaten a driver’s career when CSA points raise their carrier’s SMS percentile, which many fleet insurance providers use as a metric to determine their premium.

We know what is at stake in Los Banos Traffic Court. Our team works with commercial drivers every single day. We have the knowledge and experience to negotiate no-point violations with a fine only and request a dismissal when appropriate.

We represent commercial drivers at the Los Banos Courthouse. Our goal is to protect the driver’s livelihood and future.

Understanding the CA NOTS Point System & the Changes at the FMCSA

California holds commercial drivers to much stricter standards.

Points are assessed at 1.5 times the rate of their noncommercial driving peers. One conviction for a moving violation can provide a significant setback to a professional driving career.

A paid fine can trigger a DMV assessment of NOTS points. The FMCSA is also notified of the paid fine or conviction. Then, CSA severity points are assigned to the carrier’s SMS.

The new system at the FMCSA assigns two CSA severity points for Out-of-Service (OOS) orders and convictions for a serious or major offense. All other convictions are assigned one CSA severity point that stays on the driver’s PSP for up to three years.

Every moving violation impacts the carrier's percentile. Percentiles of 65 or above lead to more frequent roadside inspections. The violation stays on a driver’s PSP for three years.

Challenging a Traffic Ticket from I-5

If the driver gets a ticket on I-5, it must be resolved in Los Banos, CA.

We are regularly there almost whenever the court is in session. We have a reputation for getting the best possible results.

Minor infractions for speeding fines between one and fourteen mph over the speed limit, for commercial drivers, often cost between $238 and $800. However, the fine is only the beginning of the nightmare.

However, 15 mph over the California speed limit for a commercial vehicle, which is 55 mph, is a misdemeanor offense With a substantial fine. It is a “serious offense” at the FMCSA.

Commercial drivers must notify employers of any paid fine or conviction for violating state or local traffic laws (except parking) within 30 days of the conviction, regardless of whether they were driving a CMV.

These convictions include following too close, an unsafe lane change, illegal cell phone use, a commercial lane violation, and others.

Protecting the CDL from Common Violations

Drivers on the I-5 corridor face many enforcement challenges.

Law enforcement officers, including the CHP, in Los Banos frequently cite commercial drivers for lane violations and following too closely. These citations carry fines, NOTS points, and federal penalties.

A driver in a CMV is not eligible for Traffic Violator School (TVS). They cannot mask a violation to keep it off their record. Only a negotiated no-point conviction or a court challenge can prevent the point assessment.

Challenges to violations are not limited to speeding.

Our firm handles many other commercial ticket types: