DOT Roadcheck 2011 ( Safety Blitz ) starts today !!

Trust me I'm not Shaddy I got a 0% PSP I just am not risking the obvious . Never said " you" were , generally speaking MANY have parked it this week knowing well in ADVANCE of the Blitz and that THEY would have trouble.

 

Make that... Freightliner dealer's anywhere!!![/QUOTE]
Amen brother.

 

I'm on home time and so is the team that drives my other truck. Drove past the Veradale, WA POE this morning and they had quite a few trucks in the back parking lot.

Mentally gave the WA DOT the middle finger and said to myself:

"Not this year, #####-holes...."

 

I've been inspected twice within the past two weeks. First one, no violations. Second one, last night on a surface city street a half block from my delivery. Inop brake lights on that POS 1996 trailer and I had stopped for a break 5 miles away. Logged off duty for my break, but didn't log back on because I figured I would be driving less than 7 minutes and not leaving the city I started in after my break.

You don't have to be at a scale to be inspected.

I've had five inspections in the past two years. Four were good, then that one last night. My percentage is good, but the points still apply to my driver score. 6 for the light, multiplied. 18.

Now. The interesting thing about that log violation. It's a 5. With the multiplier, 15. However. Two of the five inspections were between 13 and 24 months ago and carry a weight of "2" while the three within the past 12 months carry a weight of "3." Add them all together for a total of 13. Divide the log violation points by that number: 15/13. The points added to my record for this is 1.15.

The log violation will not hurt me much. I was not shut down for it. The trailer was placed OOS, but I was allowed to complete the deliivery 400 yards away. It will have to be repaired before it can be moved from the customer. No longer my problem, but those points remain with me.

Interesting, isn't it...how things can break on you and you're just supposed to know by mechanical telepathy or something that it is broken. And, you are soundly penalized for it...even though not monetarily. Points are still a penalty.

 

TOTALLY agree with you. I'm taking one week "hometime" at an extended stay hotel here near company terminal. Truck is in great shape but like you said, DOT will find a violation if they want.
Got a level one inspection last March and a 3 point violation because of 2 little chips on passenger side windshield. Yes! I mean, less than 1/2 of one inch and less than 1/4 of one inch chip!
I challenged that inspection and DOT removed the "violation" but the CSA that my company sees still shows that violation.

Today I called FMCSA office and spent one hr on the phone with someone who in fact helped me to see if my points were still there or not.
According to FMCSA, the violation was removed from their records as well but the company that my company uses to check driver's records still shows it. My company said there have been problems between FMCSA and this company that collects data and these glitches and discrepancies have been creating problems to them cause their customers look at these records... and causes problems to us drivers as well....
So, anyway... I don't feel bad about taking time off this time. NOT AT ALL....

 

home too getting injectors and overhead done

 

Maybe in the future, we will drive equipment that will have sensors to tell us in advance when something is about to break and when....