Driving a commercial vehicle like an 18-wheeler truck takes excellent responsibility that’s why drivers of such cars have a different license compared with private vehicle drivers. As a truck driver in North Carolina, it’s essential that you strictly follow the license requirements set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to ensure road safety at all times. A violation in some of the FMCSA requirements may lead to imprisonment.
Serious license violations that a commercial vehicle driver may commit
Imprisonment often leads to financial loss, that’s why some commercial truck drivers contact a Raleigh bondsman to think of other ways to earn a living for their family. Drivers of 18-wheelers are required to have a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) which has higher requirements compared with licenses issued to private individuals. The blood alcohol content set for a commercial truck driver, for example, is 0.04% or even higher compared to the 0.08% set to private vehicle drivers. Aside from the typical driving offenses, there are specific commercial license violations that may result in imprisonment.
- Failure to update logbook- The FMCSA might book 18-wheeler truck drivers up to 6 months of imprisonment if they failed to accurately put the time and dates of their operations in their logbook.
- Having CDL in other states – Drivers of 18-wheeler trucks should not have additional commercial driving licenses from other states. Aside from imprisonment, commercial vehicle drivers may need to settle fine up to $5,000.
Other commercial license violations like over speeding with a trailer, overweight, and grade restriction violations, may lead to other federal penalties including license suspension or revocation. Violations of such license requirements often lead to imprisonment because it may endanger the lives of other road users specifically drivers of compact vehicles.
As an 18-wheeler driver, it’s essential that you strictly follow these requirements especially if you have a family that heavily depends on your income as a commercial driver.
Other important logbook information you should know as a commercial vehicle driver
The FMCSA needs to know all the specific details on your working hours as an 18-wheeler truck driver. Aside from the complete time and dates, you are also required to include specific details of the commercial vehicle that you operate.
If you drive for several trucking companies, you are required to log all the truck and trailer numbers assigned to you by the company. You also need to register the carrier’s name and its address. If you work with a co-driver, you also need to log his or her name as well.
All commercial vehicle drivers are required to log their daily operations as mandated by the FMCSA. However, you don’t have to use the logbook if you drive below the 100 air-mile radii, or below the minimum hours of your routine work.
There are serious license violations commercial vehicles drivers can commit that may lead to imprisonment. As an 18-wheeler truck driver, it’s vital that you follow federal regulations to avoid severe penalties. Working with a Raleigh bondsman is worth considering if imprisonment will result in significant financial loss.
