Any states to avoid during DOT week?

Or, do a proper pre trip, make sure everything is in order as always, and roll on??!??

 

Yeah, commiefornia, but not just dot week, always.

 

To be fair some of us go places that will kick you off for not wearing one and a hard hat. Buildex in new market comes to mind. Would not be the first time i forgot or couldnt be ####ed to take mine off afterwards and drove and walked around in it all day.

That said you cant avoid dot week. Just be extra vigilant on your pre and post trips and you will be fine even if you eat a level 1. Wash your truck. Load a bit light if posible that week and dont speed and 99.99% of the time nothing happens. If your truck is so iffy that you cant risk it just dont drive that week and use the down time to make it not iffy.

 

The only way to avoid it for sure, is to take that week off.

 

My advice would be drive as if youre a professional truck driver, leave the sweatpants home this week, shower and wear clean buttondown shirts

Check that youve got all your paperwork in order and dont abuse your logbook.

You know, things that are pretty decent ideas all the time.

i do flatbed but i always get comments on how nice it is to have paperwork in order and how rare it is to see a clean buttondown shirt.

That backfired once, 2 years ago week before dot week, they were training guys, officer told me when i came in he was specifically looking for a paperlog truck, saw me in a buttondown and clean tarp coil load, knew that whatever else may or may not be wrong with my truck or load, i *looked* as if i had my ducks in a row so inspecting my truck would teach the newbies a thing or 3.

2 hrs later skated out with a clean bill of health having retaught the training officer how to test abs on trailer when truck doesnt have it (94) and also had to cite the green book for 2 of the trainees that didnt like my securement as the trainer told them everything there was fine.

Worked out well since DURING dot week one of those trainees pulled me in, saw me in the scale, recognized me, and told the kid about ready to inspect me he was wasting his time

 

Probably jinx myself m, It has been probably 15 years or better since I have been inspected. I run every year thru the 72 hour deal. I don’t run east or south of Tennessee or east of Indiana. I showed daily and look clean and neat and keep my truck spotless inside and out.
Another words I look like I run a professional business and look professional. Not sure if that has any bearing on my infrequent inspections.
Last level 1 I got was at Truckee CA in 1998 I believe.
lots of level 3 over the years.
Not sure why everyone runs around scared. Really only had a distasteful run in 1 time with a trooper.
Keep your equipment in tip top shape and
Don’t look like a homeless bum and don’t smell like a port a potty after a week of use in the desert sun. Should be ok

 

Remember some states go lightly during the blitz then hammer the hell out of you the week after. When some of the steering wheel tire kickers come back out thinking the blitz is over.

 

Actually thinking of applying to be a commercial inspector in NE.
After 30+ years in a truck might be a good change of pace

 

^^^^^^^^ this
If the risk is so great, park truck for the week.

 

Some coups never see longer lines than the week before/after blitz week. It's kind of funny if you think about it- out of the pan, into the fire...