DOT Inspection Bonuses

"Uh....That's a green light, driver. Free to go."

"No way I'm not going anywhere! I DEMAND a Level 1 inspection......."

Come back and tell us about it after your #### returns to normal diameter....

 

Sorry, Nanny, I meant "Uranus"...

 

Why, just why??? Why in the world would you put yourself voluntarily in a situation that could end badly? DOT may find something trivial and write you up for it. Now your CSA and the company have points. If they find something that could put you OOS, now you're really screwed.

Don't let your ####iness for a measly $25-$50 bonus jeopardize your standing with your company or your CDL history that will stay with you for the next 3 years.

Geesh.....

 

Driver, if it's on your rig, it's on you and on your record. They may pay the monetary fine, but the responsibility lies with the driver. End of story.

 

My last 4 years years driving I got more then one clean inspection. The company paid $25 for them. I always sit and had steak and shrimp for dinner my first chance afterward. Hey, it is not much but it is something.

 

Had a level one in Ohio in 2014. One hour and forty-five minutes later, one of the markers on the back of the tanker was burnt out. Still shows on PSP...

 

A few years ago we had a new rule added to our inspection bonus. Only get the bonus twice per month. Seems one of the drivers was getting inspected every other day and of course it was clean. Easy enough to do if it's always the same inspector doing it.
How he was getting inspected I never found out, but likely was buddies with the inspector I guess. Worked for both of then as the inspector got his quota (even though, of course, there isn't one) and the driver got a huge bonus every month.

 

Even if you think you'd pass, they will find something. Some states are particular about certain things, or they are on a particular campaign for something you aren't even aware of.

Example: If your mud flaps do not stay perpendicular to the ground when you're driving.....ticket in AZ.

If you do not have an amber light, sticker, or reflector on the front corner of your trailer where the red/white DOT tape is....ticket in AZ

If you have an ABS trailer and you don't have a sticker or label identifying that light as ABS, or the lens does not have ABS etched into it......violation in ID

ETC, ETC, ETC

Get it? Don't be ####y. You don't know crap, and that's no insult to you, but to the fact that you haven't been out here a dozen years or more.

 

I'm guessing your responding to me. I pull flatbed on the I-5 in Cali. If I got the time, my company encourages us to do this. Helps their rep with DOT. I get paid hourly by the way. Also, you don't demand it, you pull through the scale, and park. Walk in and ask for a inspection if they have the time. I get 3% on my incentive, so a clean inspection results add up. Keep in mind, I'm talking CALI, not where the rest of you heathens run...LOL

 

You sure you're not kidding about driving a yr and a half?Companies do give bonuses for a clean level 1 and sometimes more during the 72 hr sting.You do not want to volunterely ask for an inspection and you're company would prefere that as well.If DOT finds something wrong you and your company may get unwanted points.You don't want that to happen do you?