Your first DOT inspection.

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by IROCUBabe, Nov 12, 2009.

  1. IROCUBabe

    IROCUBabe Road Train Member

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    Dallas, TX
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    Where, when, why? What if any violations? Do you remember it?

    I haven't gotten a full inspection from DOT yet, had several low level paperwork check ones. The first of which was in Trinidad CO after I got the truck stuck in a ditch headed to the small truck stop there.

    Ms. DOT showed up after the fact and did a paperwork check and put us OOS for a tire issue that occurred -during- the incident and then wrote me a ticket for driving the truck with a slice in the tire.

    My lawyers and CO. are still fighting that one out... as I recall the case is being postponed -again- which is pretty much what has happened since it occurred early last year.
     
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  3. beancounter

    beancounter Light Load Member

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    Greenville, MI
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    Can't speak for myself, but I remember the first time my Grandpa got inspected whenever I was riding with him. We were just outside of Toledo, OH when a call came over the CB about a Buckeye DOT was sitting in the median just ahead of us. He had a hazmat load on, so obviously to that DOT bear he was a rolling billboard with the words "CHECK ME" on the side of his trailer.

    No violations or warnings, about 2 hours later we were off and rollin.
     
  4. Roadmedic

    Roadmedic Road Train Member

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    My first one was a level 1 in Elizabeth, KY scale house, trying to beat an ice storm. It was at 11 at night and I had not stopped in 6.5 hours. They seemed concerned by the amount of the time, but they calculated it and agreed I had indeed not stopped.

    No violations.

    All are level 1.

    Since then I have had 3. One in Cheyenne, WY at the port of entry. No violations.

    Last ones were two in the same week about a 2 weeks ago.

    One on Tuesday, road side in Missouri. No violations.

    The next one was on Friday in the same week at the Indiana west bound 94 scale in the rain. Again no violations.
     
  5. madbunny

    madbunny Medium Load Member

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    Had one down in Alabama about 4 years ago....clear no violations.

    Now my partner her and Misery are pretty much on first name basis. :biggrin_2559: She is always clear, I think one guy has a crush on her....
     
  6. IROCUBabe

    IROCUBabe Road Train Member

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    Dallas, TX
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    Pff once I get rolling I never stop until I run out of drive time 99.9999% of the time. I buy snacks, drinks, gum, and some red bull and off we go! If driving 6 hours made them worry they never want to see my log then >.>
     
  7. 48Packard

    48Packard Ol' Two-stop Shag!

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    Very first night I ever drove...pulled into an MS coop, my trainer in the passenger seat. I forgot to turn off my headlights...."Come on in, driver!".

    Geez.

    No paperwork violations (what a streak...75 minutes!), so off we went.

    Every time I've been asked for my logs, they've been up to date and that was that....except once.

    I forgot to log a 15-minute break I had taken just a half-hour before I hit the WS on I-26 EB in NC. They had me pull over and did an inspection...no problems. Luckily, they didn't look at my book beyond the current day too closely, as I later found out I made an error in adding my recap page. I was at 74 hours, and they missed it.

    Got pulled for a random in NC near Winston-Salem....DOT car was sitting in the no-man's land between the granny lane and the exit lane. No problems there either.
     
    Last edited: Nov 12, 2009
  8. Roadmedic

    Roadmedic Road Train Member

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    There are some DOT that feel that you must be current and cannot be driving that long. It is 4 hours to them.

    They were also calculating whether I was speeding or not as well.
     
  9. lonzman

    lonzman Bobtail Member

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    I was inspected in the Cleveland, WI scale house. I didnt get any tickets but I had too pull off my window tint and fix my air pressure alarm. ( that #### thing never worked).
     
  10. Brickman

    Brickman Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    They don't add the hours up very often. Once I got a level 3 in CO, I was sweating pretty good on that one. I knew I was some where around 100 hrs.
    He never added them up, gave me a clean inspection and cut me loose.


    I've had a lot of level 3s, several level 1s.
     
  11. Stump

    Stump Heavy Load Member

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    Modesto CA
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    Level 1 about 2 years ago, in Cottonwood CA by Reading CA, no problems. Better not have been, i just left home that day, truck just got out of the shop with 10,000$ worth of work done on it.:biggrin_25524:

    Others were low level ones when i first started driving.
     
    Last edited: Nov 12, 2009
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