CA Class B Drivers license requirements the same as Ambulance Drivers license in CA?

[train54]

So I decided a little over a year ago that I wanted to become a fire fighter... I started by taking my EMT basic class last fall, then took a couple of classes towards my fire cert the following semester. Over that time I passed the NREMT, and got licensed as an EMT in the county of San Diego. I recently started applying for jobs as an EMT.

On Friday of last week I was offered an interview that was taking place today, if I had all of my certs, an ambulance drivers license, a green medical examiners card, and a good enough driving record with proof of it on a H-6 driving history report from the DMV. I started scrambling to get my green card and ambulance drivers license on Monday. I went to the DMV this morning and passed the test for my ambulance drivers license, but they were not able to give me the temporary license because something came up on my DMV records that needed to be reviewed in Sacramento first.

So late last night before I went to bed I was reading up on the requirements to get an ambulance drivers license in CA on the DMV website. That is when I realized that I was screwed...

The issue is that I was pulled over with marijuana in my car in September of 2005 while I was speeding. I went to court in December of 2005 and was convicted with misdemeanor possession of marijuana as I chose not to fight it. I followed the judge's orders and had the charges expunged and dismissed. But CA says that you can not have any arrest for drugs for just about any reason in the last 7 years. Even if it was only marijuana. Specifically it says:

"Drugs: The driver has been convicted within the preceding seven years of any offense relative to the use, sale, possession, or transportation of narcotics or addictive or dangerous drugs, or of any misdemeanor involving force, violence, threat, or intimidation (Vehicle Code Section 13372[4])."

So now that I know I can't be an EMT for the next 2+ years (unless I somehow get lucky and Sacramento decides to let me off the hook)... I am wondering if I can still become a reserve volunteer fire fighter or not?? When I was speaking with a Captain of a local department he told me that one of the first things you do is get your Class B license so you can drive the apparatus.

Does anyone know if the CA class B drivers license has the same rules as the CA ambulance drivers license? I have looked on the DMV website, but then again I never noticed the problem with getting the ambulance drivers license until last night, and I had looked at it several times before. (No I don't smoke weed anymore, I wasn't stoned while I was looking at it if that is what you are thinking. lol)

I am wondering if I will have to put my fire fighting career on hold until the 7 years has passed... Or if I could still get a job somewhere as an EMT Tech in a hospital, or as a reserve volunteer fire fighter? I was even applying for fire fighter positions right now, not that I would get hired with no experience, but I figure why not try anyways...

Anyone got any insight on this?

I am so upset right now! I wish I wouldn't have been so stupid back then, or that I would have begged a judge to drop the charges...

 

[Sandog]

I followed the judge's orders and had the charges expunged and dismissed. But CA says that you can not have any arrest for drugs for just about any reason in the last 7 years. Even if it was only marijuana. Specifically it says:

"Drugs: The driver has been convicted within the preceding seven years of any offense relative to the use, sale, possession, or transportation of narcotics or addictive or dangerous drugs, or of any misdemeanor involving force, violence, threat, or intimidation (Vehicle Code Section 13372[4])."

You claim that the charge was dismissed and expunged. By definition, expunged implies that all charges were erased, obliterated. I suspect that your record was not expunged as you think. If you were convicted of the charge then it is highly doubtful that the charge was expunged.

If you were a minor at the time that the charge occurred, you may be able to get a lawyer to have the record sealed and then perhaps re-apply for a license.

 

[train54]

You claim that the charge was dismissed and expunged. By definition, expunged implies that all charges were erased, obliterated. I suspect that your record was not expunged as you think. If you were convicted of the charge then it is highly doubtful that the charge was expunged.

If you were a minor at the time that the charge occurred, you may be able to get a lawyer to have the record sealed and then perhaps re-apply for a license.

Well a conviction is a conviction in CA. That was one of the questions that was on my Ambulance Drivers License test today, it is on the AMR practice quiz too.

The charges were expunged, and dismissed. Yet I was still convicted, and it still happened.

Unfortunately I was a senior in college when it happened, and not a senior in high school. So there is no chance of having the record sealed.

 

[train54]

I wish you were right Sandog...:sad:

 

[Sandog]

Well a conviction is a conviction in CA. That was one of the questions that was on my Ambulance Drivers License test today, it is on the AMR practice quiz too.

The charges were expunged, and dismissed. Yet I was still convicted, and it still happened.

Unfortunately I was a senior in college when it happened, and not a senior in high school. So there is no chance of having the record sealed.

If you were over 18 and convicted, then I can assure you the charge was not expunged, dismissed perhaps but not expunged. I think everyone deserves redemption and I hope you can find a work around.

 

[socalmedic]

As sandog said once you comply with the judges instructions then can dismiss your charge for a lesser charge. For instance reduce misstaminor possession to an infraction. This is used to negate the required jail time for many first time offenses. However the dmv along with everyone else can see the drug charge. Nothing in can is expunged, not even charges as a minor. They will be sealed however when you go through your fire background they will be "re opened" "with your permission" I wish you the best of luck in this.

 

[train54]

Well the charges were expunged and dismissed. They do not come up on my live scan. But that only means that the misdemeanor is not on my record anymore. The fact is that I was still "convicted of a misdemeanor", so if anyone ever asks me if I have ever been convicted of a misdemeanor I have to answer yes. How ever I do not have anything on my record anymore thanks to the expungement.

I know this because the only hitch in getting my San Diego county EMT certification came when I answered the question on the application about having been convicted of a misdemeanor as yes. The live scan came back clean, and they were just as surprised about it as I was... It meant that I had come down from Oceanside to Mission Gorge all for naught, as I thought I would only have to go down there once to get my county cert card in my possession. Instead I had to request some documents from the Ventura county courthouse and wait several weeks for them to arrive, then I had to forward them to the EMS director, wait for him to OK my background, then go back down to the office to complete everything...

The reason the DMV saw it is because it was a moving infraction, and that meant it stays on my driving record (at least for 7 years, then I'm not sure but I think it will still be there). The guy at the DMV that was helping me told me that the live scan came out clean...

Anyways this discussion is not headed in the direction that I intended it to... Does anyone know anything about Class B drivers licenses in CA, or more importantly their restrictions? Does it make sense to have Ambulance Drivers Licenses be more restrictive than Class B licenses?

 

[socalmedic]

having a class be will not help you get an ambulance card. i would not recommend getting a class B license until you are ready to drive fire apparatus. having a class B eliminates the possibility of you ever going to traffic school again to clear a ticket. wait until your FD tells you to get your license, they will train you. just having a license will not make you an engineer there are classes you have to take. i would cross you fingers and hope for this ambulance license to pass. so let me answer your question, dont get your class B. the drug charges shouldn't hold that up any, but you have no need for it yet.

 

[MDA]

I have my CA Class A CDL with all endorsements (highest you can get).
It made no difference, same things were generally required (live scan etc).

I'm relinquishing it though for a regular ole' Class C drivers license.
Way easier to deal with, and I don't plan on driving anything that requires a CDL anyway.

Only because I recently got a speeding ticket in my personal vehicle and got HAMMERED because I was a CDL holder, no reduction in fines, no traffic school, nothing. Not worth it until it's 100% necessary, even then you need to be extra careful.

 

[train54]

having a class be will not help you get an ambulance card. i would not recommend getting a class B license until you are ready to drive fire apparatus. having a class B eliminates the possibility of you ever going to traffic school again to clear a ticket. wait until your FD tells you to get your license, they will train you. just having a license will not make you an engineer there are classes you have to take. i would cross you fingers and hope for this ambulance license to pass. so let me answer your question, dont get your class B. the drug charges shouldn't hold that up any, but you have no need for it yet.

I only wanted to get an EMT job to make myself a more attractive candidate for a fire gig... So really right now I am just really upset that I will not be able to do be an EMT for over two years. Now I have to hope I can get a job as an EMT tech at a hospital...

The next worry I had was that I would not be able to pursue a reserve volunteer fire fighter position as the captain of the program told me that one of the first things you have to do is get a class B drivers license. So I was afraid that option was closed for me now too... I guess I will just apply for that position and see if I even get it before I worry about the class B license.

I did not know about the traffic school thing. That sucks!

I have my CA Class A CDL with all endorsements (highest you can get).
It made no difference, same things were generally required (live scan etc).

I'm relinquishing it though for a regular ole' Class C drivers license.
Way easier to deal with, and I don't plan on driving anything that requires a CDL anyway.

Only because I recently got a speeding ticket in my personal vehicle and got HAMMERED because I was a CDL holder, no reduction in fines, no traffic school, nothing. Not worth it until it's 100% necessary, even then you need to be extra careful.

Bummer man! Thanks for sharing. I did not know about that...

 

[Sandog]

I only wanted to get an EMT job to make myself a more attractive candidate for a fire gig... So really right now I am just really upset that I will not be able to do be an EMT for over two years. Now I have to hope I can get a job as an EMT tech at a hospital...

The next worry I had was that I would not be able to pursue a reserve volunteer fire fighter position as the captain of the program told me that one of the first things you have to do is get a class B drivers license. So I was afraid that option was closed for me now too... I guess I will just apply for that position and see if I even get it before I worry about the class B license.

I did not know about the traffic school thing. That sucks!




Bummer man! Thanks for sharing. I did not know about that...

Fire gig! Why didn't you say so? Look into the Southwestern College Wildland fire class offered in the Fall. You can get a Red card with that class. The class number is FS144.
I do not think there are any pre reqs.

 

[train54]

Fire gig! Why didn't you say so? Look into the Southwestern College Wildland fire class offered in the Fall. You can get a Red card with that class. The class number is FS144.
I do not think there are any pre reqs.

Cool. Thanks!

What does the red card do for you? Do you need that to get a Wildland fire job next summer?

 

[Akulahawk]

Even though the conviction was "expunged"... and it doesn't "show up" on livescan, trust me, it never disappears. For civil purposes (like backgrounds for private businesses and such, you can then answer "no" to that question, but for governmental things, you can't answer "no" to that question. That's why the ADL application needs to be reviewed in Sacramento. Anyone with access to CLETS would be able to "see" the conviction and expungement.

The DMV has investigators that have access to CLETS and can make the appropriate recommendation based on what they see about the moving violation they have in the DMV system and what is in CLETS and the OP's Ambulance Driving Certificate.

 

[train54]

Even though the conviction was "expunged"... and it doesn't "show up" on livescan, trust me, it never disappears. For civil purposes (like backgrounds for private businesses and such, you can then answer "no" to that question, but for governmental things, you can't answer "no" to that question. That's why the ADL application needs to be reviewed in Sacramento. Anyone with access to CLETS would be able to "see" the conviction and expungement.

The DMV has investigators that have access to CLETS and can make the appropriate recommendation based on what they see about the moving violation they have in the DMV system and what is in CLETS and the OP's Ambulance Driving Certificate.

The reason the DMV see's it is because it was a moving violation. It was a driving with possession of marijuana and a speeding ticket two moving violations plus one misdemeanor.

I always have to answer the conviction question as yes. You are correct.

I'm really bummed about this, and this thread isn't helping me feel any better, so I'm checking out of this conversation from here on out. Thanks for your input everybody!

 

[train54]

So I guess I am not totally Fuct

So I called DMV Mandatory Actions (916) 657-6525 and inquired about having my marijuana possession arrest purged from my records. The lady on the phone said that if I had a commercial license already that the charges would stick for 55 years! But since I don't and it has been 5 years, she thinks the charges can be stricken from my records permanently!

So now I gotta wait 3 to 4 weeks to call back and see if it worked or not...

I am wondering if the review of my file that happened by applying for my ambulance drivers license could yield the same results? That process started 2 weeks ago now, and they are supposed to mail me back an answer (rather than today's request, which the lady said I have to call back in on my own).

So if you are trying to get a CA ambulance drivers license, but can't because of a marijuana ticket, then call DMV Mandatory Actions Department, and they may be able to help you...