Just some of the stupid things I see

there is plenty I let go with a warning or tell them to keep on trucking without anything. CSA 2010 ahsn't changed the way I do enforcement, except in the way I write up an inspection to benefit carrier or driver. For instance, had a truck the other day that had no trailer lights. Either the driver failed to hook up the pig tail or it fell out. well instead of writing it up 1)left rear turn inoperable, 2) right turn rear inoperable, 3)right and left brake lights inoperable, 4) rear id lights inoperable, 5) rear clearance lights inoperable, 6) right side marker, 7) right rear marker, 8 - left rear marker, 9) left side marker light and having 9 lighting violations which will add up quickly. I wrote it up as 1) left and right rear turn inoperable, 2) left and right brake lights inoperable, 3) rear ID and clearance lights inoperable, and 4) right and left side and rear marker lights inoperable. So 4 light violations instead of 9. And that can go for a lot of things, if you get a guy that has numerous tires that are bad. I've seen some write ups that have it listed 1) 4th axle right inside tire less than 2/32", 2) 4th axle right outside tire less than 2/32". It's just as easy to capture it as one violation 4th axle right inside and outside tire less 2/32".

Dave, I'm surprised quite often. Sometimes it makes me say WTF. You never, well I never stop someone with a closed mind. I guess what I am saying is I know what my intentions are before I ever contact the driver if I have stopped them for a moving violation. If I have stopped someone, can be a 4 wheeler or a big truck for a speeding violation that hits my magic number or higher they are getting a citation. However, I had some that have changed my mind and I've decided to give them a break from the citation. I had others I was purely stopping and made my mind up it was going to be a warning based on their speed. However when I get to the car or truck, the driver starts acting like an arse, so they get a citation instead. They talk themselves into one. I can't tell you how many this has happened too.

As far as a ratio of good and bad driver's. I couldn't begin to tell you that. Some days I get AJ squared away driver's that truck is good, they are good and there is no violations. Other ones I get, the truck, trailer and the driver is screwed up. So in that regard it's a crap shoot. I've had some junky looking rigs that you think you will find some decent violations on that end up with a CVSA decal. I had a brand new Peterbilt about 4 years ago with 10,000 miles on it. Doing a level 1 inspection the front leaf spring was broken and a piece of the leaf was missing. So you never know. What did Forrest Gump say," Life's like a box of choclates." Pretty much sums up any day I have. Some are good, some are bad and some are so-so. take care.

 

Had another one today that made shake my head. Guy I stopped this morning gives me his IRP card which showed expired 3/2010. However when I walked around to the front and checked the tag it showed 11/2010. A closer examination showed the tag was in a clear tag cover. As I looked closer and manipulated the tag cover I could feel the tag was actually a piece of paper that was a color copy to make it look real. The guy was a owner operator and of course he had no idea who would do that to his tag. No, me either!

I saw the real tag in his side box when checking his fire extinguisher. Funny I guess the IRP tag fairy is floating around somewhere.