Having a commercial driver’s license (CDL) suspended, disqualified, or revoked by the Department of Public Safety (DPS) creates uncertainty. In addition to tickets, fines, and increased insurance costs, the consequences could cost you your job.
Specific requirements exist to satisfy whatever offense led to license loss to secure reinstatement sooner rather than later. The entire duration will be based on the severity of the crime or violation. In addition to alleged infractions in a commercial vehicle, drivers with a CDL operating a non-commercial vehicle and ticketed for a traffic violation could also impact their professional license status.
Career-ending traffic violations
The privilege to drive a commercial vehicle is subject to federal statutes. Various errors and oversights can lead to a career-threatening situation.
- Alcohol-related offenses, including those involving DUI/DWI convictions and refusing a blood alcohol test
- Traffic violations that include speeding, reckless driving, illegal railroad crossing, hit-and-run, or using a hand-held device while traveling
- Operating a vehicle without proper endorsements
First violations can result in a one-year suspension for major offenses. The first time caught transporting hazardous materials alone carries a three-year suspension. A second major offense can result in a lifetime ban from licensed commercial driving.
The option of expungement
Violations just don’t disappear over time. The best option for those who want to continue driving professionally is to have the offense expunged. Essentially, the infraction is cleared and will not appear on Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) background checks. However, the state’s department of public safety will still have it on its records.
While the stakes are high and your job may be at stake, suspension of a CDL does not have to mean the end of a career. Whether you are a new driver who made a mistake or a veteran operator dealing with multiple infractions, options exist to keep you on the road.