Do Hot Shots Get Hassled More By The DOT?

Discussion in 'Expediter and Hot Shot Trucking Forum' started by bobobrazil, Jan 5, 2013.

  1. bobobrazil

    bobobrazil Medium Load Member

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    My question is...Do hot shots get more attention from the DOT than big trucks do?
    Opinions?
     
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  3. Pedigreed Bulldog

    Pedigreed Bulldog Road Train Member

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    When you factor in that inspecting a hot shot rig is easier and takes less time (but it counts just the same for them as an inspection), there is an extra incentive for the officer to have one pull around back. Couple that with the number of people trying to cheat the system with their pickup truck and trailer hauling illegally either without a log book, MC authority, proper insurance, etc...

    Yeah, they are scrutinized. Whether or not you're more likely to get inspected in a hotshot rig vs. a semi t/t is another thing....depends upon who you are driving for, their safety ratings, and whether or not there are any obvious defects on the truck/trailer. Everything being equal, it's still a crap shoot.
     
    bobobrazil and truckon Thank this.
  4. BAYOU

    BAYOU Road Train Member

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    They love them in Texas most guys that hotshot are new and never been in trucking before so they don't know laws and rules
     
  5. o/otony

    o/otony Light Load Member

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    dump trucks get haseled the most.
     
  6. Quickfarms

    Quickfarms Heavy Load Member

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    Just watch a couple of episodes of shipping wars and you will se how they portray these guys.

    The first thing they look for is company mane, dot number, weight sticker after that they look of the truck plays into it.
     
  7. Pedigreed Bulldog

    Pedigreed Bulldog Road Train Member

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    I don't know about that...got harassed more pulling a skateboard than I did pulling a dump wagon. Worst I've seen is when I was hauling logs...I'd be pulled over for a roadside inspection every couple weeks. We had 3 trucks, 2 drivers....and one week, I got pulled over and inspected in every single one of the trucks.
     
  8. G/MAN

    G/MAN Road Train Member

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    I spoke with a DOT officer a few years ago about hotshots. He told me that they scrutininze them more because the drivers or owners are not as likely to keep thing up on then and they tend to have more violations than class 8 trucks.
     
  9. Grumppy

    Grumppy Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    My wife & I owned a little hot shot one time for two years. We got stopped &/or regularly. A trooper in Arkansas told me that "its just in cycles & right now DOT is focusing on hotshots". That was in 05 - 07. So maybe it does run in cycles, skate board this year, Hotshots next year. I can only say we were checked during that period regularly.
     
  10. mcgoo422000

    mcgoo422000 Medium Load Member

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    I had 18 inspections my first year. They will pull you in before they pull one in with load hanging off back.
     
  11. Roadmedic

    Roadmedic Road Train Member

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    People cheating the system running illegally without authority are not dumb enough to enter scales.

    As far as on the highway, I can spot them when I meet them, but the DOT runs a blind eye. About 1 in 300 get caught.
     
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