Sentencing Alternatives: Caltrans Freeway Cleanup

Sentencing Alternatives:
Caltrans Freeway Cleanup

Instead of sitting in the county jail as the result of a DUI conviction, DUI offenders can be sentenced to work on a Caltrans Freeway Cleanup crew as a term of their probation. The number of hours required to work with Caltrans is equal to the number of hours that would have otherwise been spent being incarcerated. This is known as good time/work time custody credits. Every hour spent working for Caltrans counts against the hours that would have otherwise been spent in jail. There is usually a certain length of time that the person is allowed to complete the hours. But if the required hours are not completed in the allotted time, then the court will likely issue a probation violation. It is always in the best interests of the DUI offender to fulfill all terms of probation.

Caltrans work may include working on the side of freeways picking up trash, clearing brush, or removing graffiti from walls. There are many different Caltrans locations to work from. The work starts in the morning. First, go to the Caltrans location nearest you. At a specified time, usually 6am, vans will pick up Caltrans workers in the parking lot. Orange vests will be provided in order to identify you as a Caltrans worker. The vans will drive you to any number of different types of work anywhere in the city. A lunch break is provided mid-day. At the end of 8 hours, the vans will drop you back off at the Caltrans parking lot where you started that morning. Caltrans work offers flexible scheduling, either during the week or on weekends. Weekends are significantly more coveted than during the week, and the number of slots available to work on a Caltrans crew is limited on weekends. It is possible that there may be more people who show up to work on a Caltrans crew than there are seats available, so it is best to get to the parking lot early, in order to get a better place in line.