Iowa DOT Lady Was Wrong

Little surprised by some of the responses of posters that say,,Not Required on PTI per whatever 397 code,,,Their experiance levels(years behind the wheel) seems to contradict what they are saying

That is 1st day on the job stuff there,,,even before I reach for a glad hand I ensure that the trailer is ready(as in current registration)Its actully part of our pretrip proceedure but Ive done that since day#1
(sidenote: nearly all of outr trailers have registration laminated to inside document box)

I mean you do a pretrip and yet you dont make sure trailer is actually totally ready to go

 

seems the most time with last company i was with was alot of drop and hook, there's were you run into alot of the problem's, becuse these trl's would sit a long time on somebody lot and never went back too the yard and go too the trl shop, but neverless a phone call and a fax will get me a new copy. But in lardo, Tx, be prepared too install a new holder too, they like those ,along with the light's and anything else that not bolted down,

 

If you're running in TX with an ON plated trailer, you'd better have the ownership/plate registration with you. For some reason, that even the TX HP/DoT can't explain, every ON trailer plate when entered into their computer system comes up "Stolen".

Found that out from a TX HP lady during a Level 3 inspection outside Beaumont. Was pulled into the northbound Hwy59 scale two days later for a Level 2, told the DoT inspector as I handed him my paperwork, "The trailer is mine, hasn't been stolen ....yet"

 

You're missing the point. What we do and don't do is often different than what is required. What is required is to know what the regulations say and where to look. As per whatever 397 code shows you might what to take a look. To make you feel better at my company the inspection at the start of the shift was the same as the end of the shift. It's a full page long with three columes. Oh and by the way it's not necessary to record a pre-trip inspection but we do it anyway. I must have be doing something right to get to 20 years with a perfect safety record.

 

I think you might be missing my point,,so you dont check your trailer credentials???tags?? ho about the truck,your permits???just because it is not stated in the 397 doesnt make it not to be checked???

Soo like OP,if you were pulled over and LEO asked you for the above,and you couldnt produce it,,what would you say??? "its not in the 397 so I didnt have to check to see if it was there"??? cmon this this 1st day on the job stuff,you and your 20 years should know that,I would hope so at least

 

That's not what I'm saying at all. I check everything before I start my shift. All I'm saying is it is not required to do in accordance with a pre-trip inspection. Everyone should know that.

 

That's the way we do it. The holders are worthless because if they're sealed up enough to keep ran spray out they're too tight and build up condensation. Either way the registration is ruined. Especially if your company buys multi year plates from states like "Maine" where the paper stays the same for 5+ years.
If your company has 40,000 trailers it's not practical but if you've got 20 or less it's the easiest way.

I put up to 5 registrations on a copier so they're all on the same piece of paper. Then when the cop wants to see it I hand them the page and say "it's one of these" and they usually say OK and hand it back.

 

Most of the guys parked behind the scalehouse are there because they are shut down waiting for the boss to fax the trailer registration.

 

What i did for what ever trl im pulling , and i did alot of drop and hook, i dont expect too get pull in but when i did, i just made part of my paperwork, meaning i would go out ,get the paperwork out the trl, copy x 2 , put the fresh one in the trl and the other in my clipboard,and then once empty, put the sec copy in trl and most times they would be so bad , i had a copy faxed over, or at lest when i get too shipper they be waiting for me, my boss said dont worry about, ya right, as i told him about the little green book, but that the way we started out the day, we knew each other too well , like good freinds do, but far as being pulled around a weigh stations, i find my best sleep there, i have all the food in my truck, so no problem eating, and most weigh station rather have you sit in there, then say driving dog tired too next truckstop or flip upside down in the dicth, eather way your gonna get a visit and or a ticket becuse your weaving all over the place

 

obviously a barack hussein obama supporter. sad.very sad especially since transportation/trucking is the backbone of our economy and this is a trucking forum.