The DOT is nothing to be scared of as long as your running legit and have things in order. It's no big deal dude.
Prepass is a program that places a transponder on your rig's windshield and communicates with scale houses - if your carrier has a satisfactory inspection rating it tells the scale who you are and 95% of the time your given a green light to bypass the scale. It costs a few dollars/month to the carrier and the newer units also incorporate an iPass type device to pay tolls on the EZ Pass system. (all in one instead of dual transponders).
I have PrePass and iPass, since the PrePass Plus is only available for 5 or more unit trucking companies...
http://www.prepass.com/services/prepass/Pages/WhatIsPrepass.aspx
How is it like being weighed or checked by DOT?
Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by NewNashGuy, Sep 5, 2011.
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In the days of old, sometime truckdrivers would go out too the farm and pickup produce, or what there is too pickup, then he notice the chicken coup, so everytime he would go in it reminded him of that little chicken coup , so then its just became slang for the cb radio, thats the close i came up too figure it out why it called a chicken coop.
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Sometimes they call you inside and ask what you weigh.
I always tell them "207lbs.- Do these jeans make my A&& look FAT?" -
Well dave you can say you wore your skinny jeans inside and the excess is just that hangen over the sides
dave26027 Thanks this. -
dave26027 Thanks this.
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As for DOT officers, put yourself in their shoes. Let's say you have to do ten inspections a day. Your pay is the same no matter how many violations you find or don't find. How are you going to go about your day? Are you going give everyone a hard time, or find a bunch of easy inspections and then look for trucks with issues to finish your day. In the mean time you get to drink coffee and read the sports page. I'm not saying they aren't doing a good job, I'm saying they want to enjoy what they do just like the rest of us. -
Mikeeee -
NewNashGuy Thanks this.
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I really really really hope to apply that same logic to DOT inspections, since I'm no longer the speed demon I used to be, thank the gods. I believe with some friendly understanding, the witch hunt for trouble will be almost non-existent.
I am hopeful, anyway. -
Like these guys said it's not a big deal. The biggest problem I can think of is the lack of consistency between weigh stations across the country. Sometimes it can get confusing when pulling up to a scale. You have places like Wyoming which you must walk in and show them registration and such if a certain sign doesn't have flashing lights. Or stations that never use the green light even though it's there, only the red when you must stop. When I was first starting it was confusing at times.
The only time you really have to fear is when the DOT officer asks to check for hernias on the spot.
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