How to Fight Trucking Tickets Step by Step
For CDL drivers & carriers: ELD, HOS, overweight, & equipment defenses
Trucking tickets hit harder than standard traffic citations. A single violation can raise CSA scores, add CDL points, spike insurance, and trigger carrier discipline. The good news: many citations are defensible—if you act fast, preserve the right data, and follow a clear plan.
What Are Trucking Tickets? (Definition & Common Violations)
A trucking ticket is a citation issued to a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) or driver by state DOT, highway patrol, or local law enforcement for violating safety or regulatory rules under state law and FMCSA regulations.
Common violations
Speeding (including commercial/safety corridors)
Logbook/ELD errors, tampering, unlogged driving
Overweight / permits (weigh stations, route/oversize permits)
HOS (11/14/30-min breaks; 60/70-hour rules)
Equipment defects (brakes, tires, lights, securement)
Unsafe operations (following too closely, lane changes, distracted driving)
How Trucking Tickets Affect Drivers & Carriers
CDL points / disqualifications: Repeat or “serious” offenses risk suspension.
CSA impact: Violations post to FMCSA BASICs; higher percentiles increase inspection/audit risk.
Insurance: Premium hikes, surcharges, or non-renewal.
Employment: Internal reporting policies, retraining, or termination after preventables.
Immediate Steps After Receiving a Trucking Ticket
Document the scene: Time, location, officer/badge, unit, citation #; note road, weather, traffic.
Preserve digital evidence: Export ELD logs (with device ID, timestamps, metadata); save dashcam video; capture GPS/route data.
Record physical evidence: Photos of load/securement, scale receipts, permits, condition of equipment.
Notify your carrier: Follow safety/ops policy immediately.
Request discovery windows: Call the court/agency to confirm plea and discovery deadlines.
Avoid admissions: Provide required ID only; don’t speculate on fault.
How to Contest a Trucking Ticket — Step-by-Step
Plea choices:
Not guilty → preserves defenses, triggers hearing.
No contest (where allowed) → similar to guilty; may limit civil exposure.
Guilty → fast, but counts against CDL/CSA.
Contest process
File NOT GUILTY within the deadline (often 10–30 days).
Request discovery: officer notes, radar/LiDAR logs, weigh-station records, body/dashcam, ELD downloads in native format.
Assemble evidence: ELD & logbooks, maintenance records, permits, scale tickets, route approvals, witness statements.
Consider counsel: Transportation attorney can subpoena calibration records, move to suppress, or negotiate reductions.
Hearing: Present technical evidence; cross-examine enforcement.
Appeal if needed using state or administrative procedures.
Quick “How-To” Checklist (Copy/Paste)
☐ Read citation; calendar plea deadline
☐ Plead not guilty online or with the clerk
☐ Discovery request (body/dashcam, officer notes, radar logs, weigh data)
☐ Export ELD (native + human-readable; keep originals)
☐ Collect logbook pages, maintenance logs, permits, scale receipts
☐ Draft a contest letter/motion with timeline + exhibits
☐ Hire counsel if CDL/CSA at risk
☐ Appear prepared (organized exhibits, objections ready)
Evidence & Defenses That Win
ELD/logbooks: Show lawful HOS and on-duty status; contradict officer’s timeline.
Dashcam: Time-stamped speed and conditions; show safe maneuvering or improper stop.
Maintenance records: Recent inspections/repairs rebut equipment claims.
Scale tickets: Certified weights beat estimates; check scale calibration.
Permits/route docs: Valid oversize/overweight authorizations negate permit counts.
Metadata integrity: Preserve original hashes; maintain chain of custody for ELD/video files.
Common legal angles: procedural errors, misread or expired scale calibration, defective speed measurement setup, legitimate emergency exceptions (documented).
State Differences & Interstate Enforcement
Jurisdiction: The issuing state’s law controls fines/hearings.
Reciprocity: CDLIS shares records; out-of-state citations typically follow you home.
Non-response risks: Default judgments, license actions, or warrants—never ignore a ticket.
Typical Penalties & Timelines (By Category)
Speeding: Fines + CDL points; higher for CMVs/safety zones.
ELD/Logbook: Fines, potential out-of-service, CSA hits; falsification is serious.
Weight/Permits: Per-pound/axle fines, civil penalties, added permit fees.
HOS: Fines + out-of-service; repeaters escalate CSA exposure.
Equipment: Fines; fix-it orders; immediate OOS for critical defects.
Always verify deadlines (10–30 days) with the court/DOT site listed on your citation.
CSA Scores, Audits & Insurance
Violations roll into BASICs; poor percentiles trigger focused investigations.
Insurers review FMCSA histories; adverse trends = higher rates or non-renewal.
Carriers should track trends and run internal audits before DOT does.
Prevention: Driver & Fleet Best Practices
Training: Routine HOS/ELD/safety refreshers; weigh-station role-play.
Checklists: Pre-trip inspection, securement, permit verification.
Tech: Compliant ELDs, dashcams with tamper-proof storage, telematics speed governors, weigh-in-motion.
Policies: Immediate ELD export + video preservation after any stop/citation.
Records: Centralized, searchable maintenance & permit repository.
Audits: Quarterly internal log/ELD and maintenance audits.
Bonus digital-evidence checklist
Export ELD (raw + readable) with device ID/timestamps
Save dashcam originals; note file hash
Keep scale receipts & calibration docs
Log a chain-of-custody for all files
FAQ (People Also Ask)
What should I do right after a trucking ticket?
Document, export ELD, save dashcam, photograph scene, notify carrier, confirm deadlines.
Can a ticket cost me my CDL?
Yes—serious or repeat offenses can add points and lead to suspension/disqualification.
How do I dispute an ELD/logbook ticket?
Plead not guilty, request discovery, compare officer notes to ELD/logs, present discrepancies; consider counsel.
Do out-of-state tickets follow me?
Yes—via CDLIS; they affect your home-state record and insurance.
Best evidence for overweight or permit issues?
Certified scale tickets, valid permits/route approvals, scale calibration proof.
CTA: Protect Your CDL, CSA, and Livelihood
A trucking ticket doesn’t have to derail your career. Contact a transportation defense lawyer to challenge the citation, protect your CDL, and keep your CSA clean.
