There are many differences between a speeding ticket in a privately-owned vehicle and a commercial vehicle speeding ticket. 

1. One exception is that a commercial driver could be charged with a misdemeanor crime in CA when convicted of driving 15 or more mph over the 55-mph statewide limit. Plus, it is a serious offense at the DOT FMCSA level. A commercial driver’s license (CDL) holder who is convicted of a second serious offense within a three-year period of the first paid fine or conviction will get a 60-day driver’s disqualification and 120 days for a third. 
2. Another is that a driver convicted of commercial vehicle speeding could immediately lose their job, and their career could be in jeopardy because it will stay on their motor vehicle driving record (MVR) in CA and on their FMCSA Pre-employment Screening Program (PSP) record for three years.
3. The penalties are higher. A commercial vehicle speeding ticket paid fine will cost around $285 for one to nine mph over the limit and 1.5 negligent operator treatment system (NOTS) points. When convicted of speeding ten to 14 mph over, you will pay about $500 and get assessed 1.5 NOTS points. A conviction for speeding fifteen or more mph over the limit will result in a $1,000 base fine, five to ninety days in county jail, and 3 NOTS points. This is a criminal offense if convicted.
4. Small fleet owners and independent operators will see a sharp rise in fleet insurance after one commercial vehicle speeding ticket conviction or paid fine.

CDL holders should be aware that a commercial vehicle speeding ticket of 15 mph or more than the posted 55-mph limit is an FMCSA serious offense in accordance with the FMCSR 49 CFR Part 383.51. These are often career enders.    

What You Should Do with a Commercial Vehicle Speeding Ticket

Although many truckers and bus drivers consider it less expensive, quicker and easier to just pay the fine for a commercial vehicle speeding ticket, it just isn’t practical given the above penalties. Keep in mind that just one moving violation could get you terminated at a large fleet. The fleet manager would many times rather hire a newbie fresh out of driving school than retain a driver with a moving violation. That’s especially true when it’s a DOT FMCSA serious offense.

An experienced driver will hire a Kern County traffic attorney to dispute their commercial vehicle speeding ticket in Kern County Traffic Court or Superior Court if it is for a misdemeanor commercial speeding charge.

Contact Bigger & Harman, APC, the Bakersfield Commercial Vehicle Speeding Ticket Attorneys with Superior Court Experience in Kern County, CA

Call Bigger & Harman at (661) 349-9300 whenever you have a commercial vehicle speeding ticket in Kern County.

We resolve these tickets in Shafter, Lamont, Mojave, Delano, Ridgecrest, and Bakersfield using a flat fee.

Se habla Español (661) 349-9755.Speed Laws

Email: attorney@biggerharmanlaw.com. 

References:

The DMV Portal CA Commercial Driver Handbook Copyright 2022.

CVC Section 22406, Speed Laws & 22406.1, Other Speed Laws

The FMCSA CFR 49 Part 383.51, Driver Disqualifications.