Is the DOT planning an audit just for $?

Make sure all your drug testing is up to speed including having all drivers in the States random pull. That is an automatic fail.

 

It's not a grab for $. That's not why.

I agree with the thoughts of others regarding downsizing and encouragement to hang in there, show the records asked of you.

HOS is in my thought the next true battleground in the industry, drivers have to be able to say no they are not legal to go this far at this time and change appointments to when they are or have a team come get the load wherever.

To me going from 15 trucks to 5 seems like you weeded out the trash and found a core preatoran gaurd so to paraphrase. You can build on this core carefully with good people.

There was a time just looking at the Dumfries scales south of DC was a day that I will start paying DOT alot of money for something, and it was me that had the problem not Dumfries. I solved it by bypassing the entire city. But Dumfries is not the source of my problem by being or doing what they do when open.

The best companies will be those that run legal I believe. And protect good drivers who also do.

Good luck, it's not about the money. It's showing you a review of your actions and if they are good, you will be ok.

My small company was literally two dump trucks and a couple peices of equiptment that I worked for, My first day was consisted of replacing drive line bearings inside the big mack because the previous driver had told DOT that we were somehow a great safety problem. So after quite some work the trucks were relatively DOT legal all around and DOT did not find anything to enforce more or less when they came. It was good to be putting those bearings on, but I don't think I will want to move those dual tires and wheels plus axles at my age now. I was something else back then.

 

You would think the "system" would take this into account. But at this present moment I don't believe it does.

Common sense and college degrees usually don't get along well lol

Just got to be on your p's and q's the best you know how. It's funny because my dad is a life long republican and catholic, and now after hearing all my stories and interaction with D.O.T he told me that when he sees them now all he can see is the Gestapo lol always trying to find a problem/ they must live miserable lives

 

Just like CSA "system". It's so called put into place to help prevent fatality accidents and accidents in general by taking unsafe equipment of the roads...

So what if you drive almost a million SAFE accident free miles, then one day a dot happens to pop you for a wheel seal leak. Should the system chew down on that operator? Or consider his long career of proven accident free safety? -and just give him a warning with no CSA points
Because common sense says- whatever he's been doing has been working so stop trying to fix what is not broken!!

Then to top it off, the "system" works off percentage of failed compared to total inspections. So if you are one truck, with one inspection, with one wheel seal leak, congratulations the "stats" say that you fail %100 of your inspections and could possibly be a "HAZARD"... DISREGUARD your career worth of safe driving and wear this badge of honor because the stats prove your not safe

That system is narrow minded and is the hazard

 

If his HOS is high, then maybe it might be time to hold training classes on the HOS. Make it mandatory for the drivers along with dispatch. Sounds like a lot of fudging the log books to make loads.

WIth the ELD mandate rolling in soon, it will be more visible than ever.