Congratulations! You’re on the final stretch of your training, and the open road is calling. Earning your Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) is a massive achievement that opens the door to a rewarding career. Your job is vital to our economy, delivering the goods that keep our country moving.
As you shift from student to professional, it’s important to remember that driving an 80,000-pound vehicle means safety for yourself and every other driver must be your top priority. Properly securing cargo, making on-time deliveries, and following complex regulations are just a few of the immense responsibilities that come with the job. Ultimately, a commitment to safety protects everyone on the road and is essential for safeguarding the career you’re about to begin.
We applaud your decision to become a professional driver and enter an industry that offers a great opportunity to see the country and earn a good living.
A Ticket Isn’t Just a Ticket
For a regular driver, getting a ticket might be an expensive inconvenience. For a professional truck driver, it can be a career-threatening event. When you simply pay for a ticket, you are admitting guilt, and it becomes a conviction on your permanent driving record.
Before you ever face this situation, you need to understand what’s at stake.
Here’s how a single ticket can impact your career:
#1 It Immediately Impacts the Company’s CSA Score
While you, as an individual driver, do not have your own CSA score, your actions on the road are the single biggest factor contributing to your company’s score.
- What is CSA? The Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) program is run by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to identify high-risk trucking companies and prevent accidents.
- How it Works: Violations from roadside inspections add points to a company’s CSA score. A high score can trigger audits, warning letters, and increased inspections for the entire fleet.
- Why it Affects You: Because your record directly impacts their record, a company may let you go to protect its safety rating. It’s a critical reality of the industry. A clean inspection, on the other hand, helps lower your company’s score.
#2 It Puts Your Current and Future Job at Risk
Many carriers have strict policies about driver violations. A single serious ticket—or even a few minor ones—could lead to termination or prevent you from getting hired. Before a company hands you the keys, they check two main reports:
- Motor Vehicle Report (MVR): Your official “report card” from the DMV, listing every ticket and accident you’ve had, even in your personal vehicle.
- Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP) Report: This is a 5-year crash history and 3-year roadside inspection history specifically for your time in commercial vehicles.
#3 It Can Make You Uninsurable
Just like a teen with a lot of tickets is paying a fortune for car insurance, a driver with a bad record costs a trucking company thousands more in insurance premiums. Sometimes, the insurance company will simply refuse to cover a risky driver at all. If a company can’t insure you, they won’t hire you.
- Motor Vehicle Report (MVR): Your official “report card” from the DMV, listing every ticket and accident you’ve had, even in your personal vehicle.
- Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP) Report: This is a 5-year crash history and 3-year roadside inspection history specifically for your time in commercial vehicles.
The Financial Fallout of a Single Ticket
Simply paying a fine on a ticket is one of the most career-damaging mistakes a professional driver can make. The real costs go far beyond the fine itself. Never just pay a ticket if you are a professional truck driver.
- Legal Fees: To properly fight a ticket and help protect your record, you often need to hire an attorney. This can cost anywhere from $500 to over $2,500.
- Lost Wages: If you have to take time off to appear in court, you could lose $1,000 to $2,000 or more from turning down loads and travel costs. A hired attorney can usually appear on your behalf, allowing you to keep working
Why Drivers Legal Plan
Drivers Legal Plan is a national law firm that offers a service, paid monthly, that provides you with an experienced law firm for CDL ticket defense at set fees. We have been in business since 1991 and have handled over 400,000 cases nationwide. Our lawyers understand trucking and have experience in courts all across the country.
You get peace of mind knowing you are protected without having to pay a large sum out-of-pocket if you ever get a ticket. If you never get a ticket and need to call us, you are not out a lot of money.
By now, you see why a professional driver benefits from Drivers Legal Plan. Start your career on the right foot by protecting your CDL from day one. Our plan is effective the day you sign up, and the process is simple.
To learn more, contact us at 1 (800) 580-8799 and, again, congratulations on your new career as a professional driver!