CSA 2010: How will the Driver Rating System affect you?

I worked with a whole bunch of foreign drivers here on visa's last year. Harvest companies use a lot of them, even the tiny company I was with. By tiny I mean two combines and three trucks. If the owner of a company that small can afford to bring them over, the bigger ones have no problem with it.

 

After the ride he just gave that truck,the poor thing prolly
needed a smoke . . . . .

 

I agree, but this is for a class C operator's license. That's still a waste, but federal law doesn't stop California from doing that for an operator license. It does, however, stop them from doing that for a CDL.

Those are disqualifying crimes for a hazardous materials endorsement, not for a CDL. The relevant link here is http://www.dmv.ca.gov/dl/dl_info.htm#BDLP

That link talks about "Birth date verification and legal presence requirements" and lists a wide range of documents that you can use to prove legal presence. An illegal alien will not have any of these documents. If they did, they would not be illegal, as the documents on that list are prima facie evidence of legal presence.

So in short -- you cannot obtain a California CDL (or even a regular driver license) without proving that you are legally present in the United States. Most states have similar laws; I'm not aware of any exceptions.

I'd like to share my personal experience with this. I am a foreigner legally present in the United States, and a resident of Florida. I have to renew my CDL every 12 months at a cost of $105 each time. To do so, I have to show proof that I am legally present in the United States. And forged documents would not work -- Florida sends them off to the Department of Homeland Security for verification. That process takes up to two months, during which I only have a temporary paper license. I've had to go back for a second temporary license more than once because of how long the DHS check takes.

It's a hassle and a not insignificant expense, but at least I still have my license. Some states (e.g. Tennessee) ban foreigners from holding a CDL at all, even if they are legally present (the Tennessee law has an exception for green card holders, but not for foreigners on temporary visas -- even with employment authorization.)

Do you see a way for an illegal alien to get around a system like this? I don't.

 

I'm guessing they were on an H2 or H2-B visa (seasonal/agricultural workers). The fees aren't impossible to afford, but they do total thousands of dollars. And that only gives you access to those workers for 10 months.

Were they being paid less than you were for the same work? If so, that's a violation of the program. (Unfortunately, enforcement usually just means the foreign workers are deported, even though the employer is the guilty party.)

 

Ok...you have probably never been to MacArthur Park W/O downtown L.A.

One can purchase any document such as forged birth certificates, drivers licenses, "Green Cards", and yes...even forged TWIC have been purchased there.....

Now how do these forgeries occur?

Money...money...money......
We have people who work for government and have access to the blank documents......


Agenda....agenda...agenda.....
We have people in government who believe that our borders are illegal; that the entire continent was stolen by the evil Europeans.....



My kids had a teacher in their middle school who was from Canada....

She spent time and money to become a legal citizen......

The illegal alien issue is a thorn in her side.....the illegals "jumped in front of the line" and receive free services; free education for their kids; in most case even free housing......They pay little to no taxes...and they claim they are the "Victims".......


Now you may think this is all irrelevant to the issue of obtaining a CDL.....but it is.....


There's two tier system in California.....

One for legal citizens and one for illegals...


The majority of taxpayers in CA want our government to follow the laws...
Our government doesn't.......


How can we expect to have high standards in regard to the CDL and safety if the government only enforces the rules on the citizens and not the illegals?


I was on FEMA project (flood control) back in the winter of 2005.....

The City kitties from Irwindale pulled in about 25 drivers for going off route.....
One driver didn't even have a class 'C'....spoke no English other than "Yes" or "No".....
The cops impounded the truck.....
The next day, MeCha lawyers got a court order to get the truck out of impound.....and threatened to sue the city because the Traffic Stops "targeted" Hispanics.... Never mind that it was a diverse selection of idiots who didn't listen and drove off route...

 

so heres a question, and i may be wrong, so please correct me if i am!,
the way i understand it, pre-pass in many different ways? weather the scale is pulling in every 10 pre-pass trucks, or by DOT rating, the higher ur rating, the more red-lights you get?
so, if this is correct, will pre-pass be revised to each person, rather then the company? or does it work that way already? i have no clue how p.p works other then the trucker myths that are around.... anyone have any input, or even correct me on the information im aware of?

 

IIRC....Pre-Pass is "given" to carriers with a good safety rating in the first place.....
Any carrier with a good or excellent safety record shouldn't have a problem maintaining or acquiring Pre-Pass after CSA is enforced.....
So that being said.....Pre-Pass may also hinge on the driver....but let's think about this.....
A carrier already using Pre-Pass will be more inclined to use drivers who themselves have a good-excellent rating....

 

ok wcp, thanks, it was just a thought that i had

 

We're probably making it out more than it is.....
Like many other government programs...it sure won't be perfect and 100% operational from the beginning....

I would heed the advice from Dieselbear and Mike_MD...
Both have been very helpful on this subject.....

 

very true, they have been,
im not going to change the way i do things, such as my pre-trip and securing my load, but i do think ill be takin a closer look at things tho... just to make sure