393.11TL what's the skinny?

It doesn't matter what world you are in it is a safety regulation that we must follow or get citations and points. Certain things pop up in different states because of something that has happened. Maybe some four wheeler in one of these states clipped the side of some beat up trailer that had not tape at all. Boom. Start checking this guys.

In IL they have had three fires and many platic fuel tanks fall off trucks from trucker running portable generators. They looked for a way to make this a violation and have a state law working its way up the ladder about trasporting fuel in a container of more than 1/2 gallons for more than 50-miles.

Years ago in NM watched as drivers with all the lights on the trailer had to use load locks to break lights on the rear because they didn't have the seperation that regualtion require.

I am just wondering why after getting one violation you didn't figure out what it was and fix it. Now you have two and still wondering.

 

Yeah, the bumper sticker probably didn't save anyone either

 

393.11 FMCSR does not get very specific about conspicuity tape. It just references FMVSS No. 108 S5.7.1.4.3. I have re-printed an excerpt relating to truck-tractors.

FMVSS No. 108 S5.7.1.4.3 Rear of truck tractors.
Retroreflective sheeting shall be applied to the rear of each truck tractor as follows:
(a) Element 1: Two strips of sheeting in alternating colors, each not less than 600 mm long, located as close as practicable to the edges of the rear fenders, mudflaps, or the mudflap support brackets, to mark the width of the truck tractor. The strips shall be mounted as horizontal as practicable, in a vertical plane facing the rear, on the rear fenders, on the mudflap support brackets, on plates attached to the mudflap support brackets, or on the mudflaps.
(b) Element 2: Two pairs of white strips of sheeting, each pair consisting of strips 300 mm long, applied as horizontally and vertically as practicable, to the right and left upper contours of the cab, as close to the top of the cab and as far apart as practicable.

If you had reflective tape on the mudflap brackets, was it "element 2" they were talking about?

You can Google FMVSS No. 108 S5.7.1.4.3 to read it in it's entirety for more info.

 

Again, this citation apparently had TL at the end, indicating it was a trailer violation. The applicable text follows:

S5.7.1.4.1 Rear of trailers. Retroreflective sheeting shall be applied to the rear of each trailer as follows, except that Element 2 is not required for container chassis or for platform trailers without bulkheads, and Element 3 is not required for trailers without underride protection devices: (a) Element 1: A strip of sheeting, as horizontal as practicable, in alternating colors across the full width of the trailer, as close to the extreme edges as practicable, and as close as practicable to not less than 375 mm and not more than 1525 mm above the road surface at the stripe centerline with the trailer at curb weight. (b) Element 2: Two pairs of white strips of sheeting, each pair consisting of strips 300 mm long of grade DOT-C2, DOT-C3, or DOT-C4, applied horizontally and vertically to the right and left upper contours of the body, as viewed from the rear, as close to the top of the trailer and as far apart as practicable. If the perimeter of the body, as viewed from the rear, is other than rectangular, the strips may be applied along the perimeter, as close as practicable to the uppermost and outermost areas of the rear of the body on the left and right sides. (c) Element 3: A strip of sheeting in alternating colors across the full width of the horizontal member of the rear underride protection device. Grade DOT-C2 material not less than 38 mm wide may be used. S5.7.1.4.2 Side of trailers. Retroreflective sheeting shall be applied to each side of a trailer as follows: (a) A strip of sheeting, as horizontal as practicable, in alternating colors, originating and terminating as close to the front and rear as practicable, as close as practicable to not less than 375 mm and not more than 1525 mm above the road surface at the stripe centerline with the trailer at curb weight, except that at the location chosen the strip shall not be obscured in whole or in part by other motor vehicle equipment or trailer cargo. The strip need not be continuous as long as not less than half of the length of the trailer is covered and the spaces are distributed as evenly as practicable. (b) If necessary to clear rivet heads or other similar obstructions, grade DOT-C2 retroreflective sheeting may be separated into two 25 mm wide strips of the same length and color, separated by a space of not more than 25 mm, and used in place of the retroreflective sheeting that would otherwise be applied.

I take it the bold script is where they get the idea they can fine you for some missing tape.

 

Somewhere in Washington, there are lobbyists who are getting laws passed on behalf of the tape manufacturers...

"Hey Larry, our sales are down this year. Call up Henry in DC and tell him we need a new law to sell 25 more feet of tape per truck."

 

Sad thing is that if there were not, because of you there will be.

 

393.11TL is the inspection violation code for "Truck-Tractor lower rear mud flaps retroreflective sheeting". It has nothing to do with trailers.

 

I've never written this up, but I did find it today on the inpsection report violation list. It is as scalemaster posted, the truck tractor. I don't stop too many bobtails, and the way I was taught if the the truck has a trailer behind it you don't worry about the rear truck lights, mudflaps etc because the rear of the truck is blocked by the rear of the trailer. I know everyone doesn't do it that way, but that's the way I was trained.

 

Then explain it to us.....

What is the infraction ??
What was likely missing or not right ???
How do we avoid it ??

If not you, then maybe dieselbear can.

 

The requirement is that "each truck tractor manufactured on or after July 1, 1997, shall be equipped with retroreflective sheeting that meets the requirements of S5.7.1".

If the required conspicuity tape is missing, it would be a violation on a Level 1 or Level 2 inspection. It is a minor violation, a vehicle violation, and could never be an out of service violation.