DOT violations; how bad are they for future employment?

This past Wed, I was hauling clay in a tandem dump truck (10-wheeler), and there was some clay on my tailgate, and I was given a violation by DOT. I was spared a citation that I would’ve had to pay, but my company was given a violation. 11 months ago, I was also shut down because one of my turn signals had completely quit working on one side (front, rear, side-flashers, everything). In that case, the officer talked like it wouldn’t go against the companies CSA score if it was fixed within a certain amount of time (I don’t know if that was the case, but that’s how I understood it).

While these types of violations don’t go on a driver’s MVR, they do go against the driver’s on CSA score (as well as the company’s). Whenever the driver applies for another driving job, employers will have access to this info). Exactly HOW BAD is it for a driver with an otherwise clean MVR?

Perhaps I’m answering my own question, but I’d assume an employer hurting for drivers would probably look the other way, whereas the (assumingly higher paying) employers whom everyone wants to drive for would turn down.

 

I always check after dumping, but not always after being loaded. I do check every time as of now. When transporting dirt for short distances, thereby hauling around a dozen loads a day, it’s easy to forget. I’m not excusing it, I’m just saying that it happens.

 

According to research, they do. Violations stay on the companies CSA for 24 months, whereas they stay on a drivers’s for 36 months. It doesn’t affect the MVR, but it does show up when employers do pre-screening.