CDL Defender

Ya know Tractor Man...as a resident of Arkansas...there is no Podunk in our fine state. I must now subtract one dancing banana from all of my replies to your posts!! Lmao

MindFreak, I've always wanted to meet someone from Arkansas. Is it true that if you get a divorce you're still Brother and Sister?

Not if it is in a dry county!

Let me clarify though...I have lived here most of my life but I was actually born and raised across the border in Oklahoma.

Thanks for the responses guys!

I got a ticket once in a CMV on my second month of driving. Ran a stop sign that I didn't see in Jetmore, KS and there was an officer sitting right there. I didn't have any of these legal services at that time. I could have gone to court but I just paid the fine in full instead. It was only $175. Luckily its off my record now. That was the only ticket. But let's do the math to see if it was financially worth it for me.

I drove for a little over 3 years OTR.

39 months to be exact. This service is roughly $28 per month.

I would have paid roughly $1,100 dollars in only 3 years. Sure they could have reduced my ticket to $140 thus saving me $35 dollars but end the end it saved me money by not having this legal service.

My point, agree to disagree but I actually think its overpriced. Ive never met anyone in person that has used this service where it actually helped or "saved" them.

I dunno on this one there Daniel.

Through fastidious care - you managed to only get one citation in all those years.

At 100K miles a year the average trucker does - we are 10X more likely than non-CDL drivers to get citations. Crest a hill with a quick speed limit change and the cops sitting right there (aka: speed trap - kinda like the Forsythe cops that sit on the overpass at the I-75 split north of Macon).

EVERY TICKET SHOULD BE FOUGHT IF POSSIBLE. And the benefit of a reduction in charge, no points on your license and most important - not having to return for an appearance.

Again- the cautious conscientious driver should NEVER get a citation - but, "feces occurs".

Kinda like DISABILITY INSURANCE. We think, if we get hurt on the job, Workmans Comp should cover us. But look at a member here (Ahmalia) who recently had a medical incident (not work related) that took her off the road for awhile. She's struggling to stay afloat, while her Dr's and company play tag on her paperwork to get her back OTR.

Insurance is the kinda thing we hope we never have to use - but are glad we have when we DO need it.

I don't like what full coverage insurance costs me for my car - but when my car got totalled 4 years ago - I had check in hand in 4 days. I don't like paying what I pay for a Gold Coverage ObamaCare health policy - but it saved me $1,000's on my recent surgery (that was supposed to be 2 hour outpatient and ended up 5 hours + 4 days in the hospital).

I can't speak to the track record of the company Mr. T is asking about. You can also check with OOIDA to see if they know anything about this particular company.

Rick

At 100K miles a year the average trucker does - we are 10X more likely than non-CDL drivers to get citations. Crest a hill with a quick speed limit change and the cops sitting right there (aka: speed trap - kinda like the Forsythe cops that sit on the overpass at the I-75 split north of Macon).

Rick

Where did you get that statistic... i.e. "10x more likely than non-CDL drivers to get citations?"

I don't think Rick threw that out there as a hard statistic. I believe he is extrapolating a number based on the volume of miles a professional will do. What he's saying is that your exposure is much greater.

Another consideration is that many states look at trucking companies as a good solid revenue stream.

I don't think Rick threw that out there as a hard statistic. I believe he is extrapolating a number based on the volume of miles a professional will do. What he's saying is that your exposure is much greater.

Another consideration is that many states look at trucking companies as a good solid revenue stream.

As OS said - it's not a documented hard statistic. Based on the fact that the average car driver does 12-15K a year to and from work, usually via the same route. Versus OTR drivers are all over the place.

Why do you think trucking companies actually "allow for" a few tickets on a driving record? When they should be looking for 100% clean records? because they know the odds are much greater for CDL's to have a few tickets.

Can they be avoided, like Daniel did? Sure they can. But what about that minor-non-dot-reportable accident, that the hard-butt cop just HAS to write you for something.

By their very nature - trucking companies/drivers are seen as easy pickins' for municipalities that seek revenue from traffic citation income - for the very reason that truckers will just "pay up", rather than have to come back and fight the ticket. And for the most part, drivers just look at this as "the cost of doing business".

Back before I had my CDL , I had a much more "cavalier attitude" about my driving habits. I had the best ticket atty in town (16/17 dismissals, 1 reduced/conviction withheld, 0 driving schools). And I hired him, after judges started recognizing me doing my own ticket defense.

My drivers license is my best asset since I got my CDL-A, and I work real hard to protect it - even if it meant selling the sports car, slowing down on the motorcycle, and being more conscientious about not doing "california rolling stops" and the like.

And I don't work in an office - so I (as a non OTR driver) still roll on about 27K miles a year - 99% of it local driving.

The whole point is - due to the amount of miles OTR drivers run, the fact that we're "targeted" frequently as "easy $$" - it might be worth the $28 a month to have the option to pleading not guilty on a citation - not having to go back for a court date - and taking a shot at a reduction in severity of the charge/fines, or even an outright dismissal.

Rick

I dont know, I have never felt targetted or like im easy money for law enforcement. I have never felt like I was being watched more than the car beside me. I get the logic, but didn't experience it. And considering I look like I'm not even old enough to drive a truck yet I do believe law enforcement had every right to watch me like a hawk, but I didn't experience this in the slightest.

When I got that ticket I very well deserved it and I'm glad it happened because it taught me an extremely valuable lesson early in my career.

Have I broke the rules? More times than I want to admit. Have I dodged weigh stations? Heck yes, and I had a blast doing it! But the one thing you're forgetting Rick, we Russians know how to evade the police. The stupid Russians get caught, the smart ones run right underneath law enforcements noses breaking the rules but always getting away. There you have it!

Daniel....you CRACK ME UP!!! I'm still payin' my dollar a day. One year of premiums is still less than my MONTHLY OBAMACARE premium. At least I'll actually have some coverage with my CDL Defender policy. 60 days can't come too soon so I qualify for my Company Health Bennie's!