This is a possibility... I have had a similar situation go well in court. However, I was driving a pickup w/ a livestock trailer; not a rig.

You can still plead not guilty and ask for time to secure representation; If the judge won't budge. You can continue this out for some time if it will buy you the time you need to Refi the house. BE LOOKING FOR A NEW POSSITION THE ENTIRE TIME.

Chin up man... anxiety blocks learning and creativity; something you can't be at a loss for right now!

Just my .02 worth, sorry bout the wife...

Good luck man.

 

As it is with "most companies".

 

I've never made a u-turn ...But I've employed many 1pt turns . :lol:

 

There is not, to my knowledge, any prohibition against pulling off the road into a driveway and backing out again onto the roadway. I have seen company policies that show a "U-turn" on a street or a road to be a termination offense....but it was always limited to a u-turn. No mention of going into a drive and backing out to reverse direction. Its not "illegal" trafficwise, whereas....in many places u-turns are illegal.

Using a drive to reverse directions...is a maneuver best done with tremendous caution. You are extremely vulnerable to being hit while backing back out on to the roadway...from either direction. Whenever I have to reverse direction....as in the case of one of my deliveries.... I make use of a parking lot big enough to do so 8)

 

Really from what I see the problem you are having right now is not the ticket, its being fired for a safety related reason. Unfortunately, even if you get the ticket cleared, its been my experience that many companies still wont hire you because you were fired.
Also for the record, you mentioned JB hunt wont touch you for 3 to 6 months. It will be 6 months. And only 6 months if you have been driving for someone else for those 6 months clean with no problems.

 

Okay.... we've finally found a subject I apparently know NOTHING about. :lol: :lol: [Belay that response, Rev! :lol: ]

I was NEVER told in CDL school that a CMV was NOT allowed to make a U-turn IF it was allowed for other vehicles at that location. I don't REMEMBER seeing anything in my CDL manual about it.

Someone PLEASE cite any reg, law or whatever info you have to support this claim, as I make them quite OFTEN! :shock:

 

They said nothing about the law. They said everything about company policy. Most companies will terminate if you are caught making a u-turn.

 

Okay, Rev.... I caught the distinction, and I said I never heard any reg or rationale that would support it. Since I don't work for one of "most companies," and there are no regs against it, I am just wondering WHY "most companies" would terminate you for doing NOTHING wrong??

I mean, I could understand IF you crunched a "civilian" while doing it, or MAYBE even IF you got cited because there was a no U-turn sign.... but otherwise?? Just for MAKING a U-turn??

What is their reasoning?? Just because they "said so?"

 

Have you ever seen the trailer, that was stuck in the center median, with the trailer axles down in the mud, the landing gear dug into the ground, and the trailer sitting on the tractor's frame and drive tires? Have you ever seen a trailer cross-ways of a city street, with a car wedged under the trailer frame?

Those are the 2 most common scenerio's where a driver made a "legal" U-turn, and caused major problems, thus the policy and termination.

Back in the mid-90's a Schneider National unit, took a wrong turn down by the Kingdome, ended up in Pioneer Square, which is part of downtown Seattle. the driver decided he could make a U-turn in an intersection, and caused over $3 million in damages to a 100 year old structure. Looked real funny on TV, watching them throw bricks off the roof of the trailer, so they could move it away from where it was at. The structure that the trailer hit was like a "gazebo" that was made out of cast-iron, built in 1889. The driver got the trailer into the side of a building, trying to get away from the "gazebo". The building he hit second is where the bricks came from. I remember the incident well...just can not remember the name of that dang structure for the life of me.