Hey all you truckers! I am a recently retired DOT compliance officer looking to assist all you with your DOT Compliance needs. The penalties are getting out of hand and you don't need to pay costly fines when the compliance is so easy! FEEL FREE TO ASK!!!

Welcome Aboard!

From a retired federal DOT official

why can't we tint our windows and cars can? i got a 85 dollar fine for it.

I'll answer that.

See 49 CFR part 393.60(d) in your motor carrier safety rules book. Window tinting is allowed but with certain restrictions. These restrictions also apply to automobiles in most states however the tinting for autos is controlled by the states over and above the federal National Highway Traffic Safety Commission. Commercial vehicle tinting is controlled under the above rule.

Apparently your tinting was more than allowed under this rule.

Here's the rule:

TITLE 49
TRANSPORTATION
CHAPTER III
FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY ADMINISTRATION
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
PART 393
PARTS AND ACCESSORIES NECESSARY FOR SAFE OPERATION
Table of Contents Subpart D
Glazing and Window Construction
Sec. 393.60 Glazing in specified openings.

(d) Coloring or tinting of windshields and windows. Coloring or tinting of windshields and the windows to the immediate right and left of the driver is allowed, provided the parallel luminous transmittance through the colored or tinted glazing is not less than 70 percent of the light at normal incidence in those portions of the windshield or windows which are marked as having a parallel luminous transmittance of not less than 70 percent. The transmittance restriction does not apply to other windows on the commercial motor vehicle.

I am glad both of yu guys are on here ..i will have many questions coming up here in the very near future..Psanderson your post's have been very informative.!!!

What is the difference between a 3rd 2nd and 1st level inspection. ??

LEVEL I
North American Standard Inspection – An inspection that includes examination of driver’s license; medical examiner’s certificate and Skill Performance Evaluation (SPE) Certificate (if applicable); alcohol and drugs; driver’s record of duty status as required; hours of service; seat belt; vehicle inspection report(s) (if applicable); brake systems; coupling devices; exhaust systems; frames; fuel systems; lighting devices (headlamps, tail lamps, stop lamps, turn signals and lamps/flags on projecting loads); securement of cargo; steering mechanisms; suspensions; tires; van and open-top trailer bodies; wheels, rims and hubs; windshield wipers; emergency exits and/or electrical cables and systems in engine and battery compartments (buses), and HM/DG requirements as applicable. HM/DG required inspection items will be inspected by certified HM/DG inspectors.

LEVEL II

Walk-Around Driver/Vehicle Inspection – An examination that includes each of the items specified under the North American Standard Level II Walk-Around Driver/Vehicle Inspection Procedure. As a minimum, Level II inspections must include examination of: driver’s license; medical examiner’s certificate and Skill Performance Evaluation (SPE) Certificate (if applicable); alcohol and drugs; driver’s record of duty status as required; hours of service; seat belt; vehicle inspection report(s) (if applicable); brake systems; coupling devices; exhaust systems; frames; fuel systems; lighting devices (headlamps, tail lamps, stop lamps, turn signals and lamps/flags on projecting loads); securement of cargo; steering mechanisms; suspensions; tires; van and open-top trailer bodies; wheels, rims and hubs; windshield wipers; emergency exits and/or electrical cables and systems in engine and battery compartments (buses), and HM/DG requirements as applicable. HM/DG required inspection items will be inspected by certified HM/DG inspectors. It is contemplated that the walk-around driver/vehicle inspection will include only those items, which can be inspected without physically getting under the vehicle.

LEVEL III

Driver/Credential Inspection – An examination that includes those items specified under the North American Standard Level III Driver/Credential Inspection Procedure. As a minimum, Level III inspections must include, where required and/or applicable, examination of the driver’s license; medical examiner’s certificate and Skill Performance Evaluation (SPE) Certificate; driver’s record of duty status; hours of service; seat belt; vehicle inspection report(s); and HM/DG requirements. Those items not indicated in the North American Standard Level III Driver/Credential Inspection Procedure shall not be included on a Level III inspection.


LEVEL IV

Special Inspections – Inspections under this heading typically include a one-time examination of a particular item. These examinations are normally made in support of a study or to verify or refute a suspected trend.


LEVEL V

Vehicle-Only Inspection – An inspection that includes each of the vehicle inspection items specified under the North American Standard Inspection (Level I), without a driver present, conducted at any location.

LEVEL VI

Previously, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) voluntarily complied with the North American Standard Level VI Inspection Program requirements.
Select radiological shipments include highway route controlled quantities (HRCQ) of radioactive material as defined by Title 49 CFR Section 173.403. And, because only a small fraction of transuranics are HRCQ, DOE has decided to include its transuranic waste shipments in the North American Standard Level VI Inspection Program.


LEVEL VII

Jurisdictional Mandated Commercial Vehicle Inspection – An inspection that is a jurisdictional mandated inspection program that does not meet the requirements of any other level of inspection. An example will include inspection programs such as, but not limited to: school buses; limousines; taxis; shared ride; hotel courtesy shuttles, and other intrastate/intraprovincial operations. These inspections may be conducted by CVSA-certified inspectors, other designated government employees or jurisdiction approved contractors. Inspector training requirements shall be determined by each jurisdiction. No CVSA decal shall be issued for a Level VII inspection but a jurisdiction-specific decal may be applied

and if you get a violation then yu pay the fine...does anything go on your driving record

I can't answer for all the states, but we write the infraction to the company if its an equpiment violation and the driver if its a driver violation like a logbook etc...

So only the driver violations that you get a ticket for are the ones you have to worry about, getting points for But again each state is different!!