In Pennsylvania, the holder of a commercial driver’s license or CDL can lose their license for various reasons, including violations of traffic laws and regulations, as well as criminal offenses.
Here are some more common reasons truckers can lose their CDL.
Major traffic violations
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs while operating a commercial vehicle is one of the worst violations, along with leaving the scene of an accident are all major violations that can result in disqualification or revocation of a CDL.
They can also revoke a license if a driver uses a commercial vehicle to commit a felony, excessive speeding, reckless driving and driving without the appropriate class of CDL.
Serious traffic violations
The courts can also suspend or revoke a CDL if the driver is speeding excessively, following too closely or using a handheld mobile device while driving.
Technical violations
There are also technical violations that can cause a person to lose their CDL. A few of these are:
- Falsifying hours of service records or violating hours of service limits
- Not maintaining proper logbooks
- Operating a commercial vehicle that exceeds the maximum weight limits.
- Ignoring out-of-service orders issued by law enforcement or safety inspectors
- Operating a commercial vehicle with safety defects
- Failing to conduct required pre-trip and post-trip inspections
This is not a complete list of offenses. There are others relating to felony convictions and other criminal charges.
According to the Code of Federal Regulations, penalties for any of these violations can range from temporary disqualification for up to three years to permanent CDL revocations, depending on the nature and frequency of the offenses.