Got Issued A BOGUS Violation Today

Discussion in 'Trucking Industry Regulations' started by GoldDot40, Dec 26, 2018.

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  1. Dec 26, 2018 #1
    GoldDot40

    GoldDot40 Light Load Member

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    Got pulled over for a level 2 walk around. 1st thing I noticed was that the officer was training a rookie. 9/10 times they are going to write you for something.

    So he is all under the tandems on the trailer. I see him writing on his little clipboard. When it's all said and done...40 min later...he approaches the door with the papers to sign. Says he found a violation on the trailer. Said a had a brake line that was "chafing". Said the outer liner was starting to peel up.

    I asked him if he could show me so I could show the mechanic. He just said specifically, "it's on the 4th axle on the right side. The mechanic won't miss it". He actually acted like it would've been a huge inconvenience for him to walk with me back there to show me. I was only 3 miles from my destination...so I'll just look when I get there.

    So, under I went and this is what I see... 20181226_142930.jpg
    If you can zoom in...it's FREAKIN ELECTRICAL TAPE that's obviously been there forever and starting to rot and peel off. I peeled off the rest and found there's absolutely NOTHING wrong with the hose itself. Why was it there? Who knows? It definitely wasn't patching a hole or anything.

    I emailed this pic to my safety officer along with the inspection report. Haven't heard back.

    This isn't the 1st time I've had a bogus violation. The other time I was written for too much travel in one of my slack adjusters. Took it straight to the shop and the mechanic said there was nowhere NEAR the travel as what the officer claimed...it was actually well within spec. That FMCCO was training a rookie that time too.
     
    GoldDot40, Dec 26, 2018
    GoldDot40, Dec 26, 2018
    #1
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  3. Dec 26, 2018 #2
    Snailexpress

    Snailexpress Road Train Member

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    Let me guess, New Mexico?
     
    Snailexpress, Dec 26, 2018
    Snailexpress, Dec 26, 2018
    #2
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  4. Dec 26, 2018 #3
    BCV

    BCV Light Load Member

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    The red flag was him not showing you.
    Get a mechanic to write up nothing wrong w brake line and it turns into a big waste of time for you.
     
    BCV, Dec 26, 2018
    BCV, Dec 26, 2018
    #3
    Texas_hwy_287 and Dave_in_AZ Thank this.
  5. Dec 26, 2018 #4
    Dave_in_AZ

    Dave_in_AZ Road Train Member

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    There's a way you can contest that inspection through the company's link to the FMCSA.

    A guy showed me where I keep my truck.

    Your safety guy should know how to do it.
     
    Dave_in_AZ, Dec 26, 2018
    Dave_in_AZ, Dec 26, 2018
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    Texas_hwy_287 Thanks this.
  7. Dec 26, 2018 #5
    stayinback

    stayinback Road Train Member

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    DO NOT sign those level 1-2-3 inspection reports until you've clearly seen evidence of a violation.
    He don't want to show you? No Problem..Go Look for yourself,Thjen If you are correct, Show the fficer- Ifd Officer Will Not Comply- Beat the dead horse as long as you can, Appeal the decision with your company So they can properly file an appeal with the state.

    Too Easy for these DOT comrades to Make things up- And Too many drivers fall victim to a cops "Opinion" on violations,
     
    stayinback, Dec 26, 2018
    stayinback, Dec 26, 2018
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  8. Dec 26, 2018 #6
    D.Tibbitt

    D.Tibbitt Road Train Member

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    Hahaha that was my first thought also, they are pricks down there , i guess nothing else to do in that boring ### state
     
    D.Tibbitt, Dec 26, 2018
    D.Tibbitt, Dec 26, 2018
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  9. Dec 28, 2018 #7
    snowwy

    snowwy Road Train Member

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    Usually when something is on that don't normally belong. It's because you're hiding something. Pull the tape off and call it fixed.

    Even though you can't physically hear any leaks. You probably would have had that problem no matter what state you were being inspected in.

    I got wrote up in Cali. Just because some skin had chafed off the blue coiled line to the trailer. It wasn't much at all. And had barely scraped the surface. The line was a long way from actually leaking.
     
    snowwy, Dec 28, 2018
    snowwy, Dec 28, 2018
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    Texas_hwy_287 Thanks this.
  10. Dec 28, 2018 #8
    mtoo

    mtoo Road Train Member

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    The tape was probably put on when someone replaced the can, so he could remember which hose went where.

    This is the very reason many of us shut down during blitz week.

    Anyone that has been out here for years, has had this kind of BS inspection.

    To be fair I have had a hand full of inspectors bend over backwards for me. Of course that was years and years ago. Back when mutual respect between truckers and the DOT man was not uncommon.
     
    mtoo, Dec 28, 2018
    mtoo, Dec 28, 2018
    #8
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  11. Dec 28, 2018 #9
    Ridgeline

    Ridgeline Road Train Member

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    Did you pull the tape off?

    If you didn't, then do so and tell us.

    I had a truck in a fleet I bought that had 3M the selfsealing electrical tape type 23 on many hoses, I knew it was 3m because of the 10 rolls of new tape stuffed into the tool box on the truck. I pulled a couple off and the hose was leaking, so it could be used as a quick fix for a leak.
     
    Ridgeline, Dec 28, 2018
    Ridgeline, Dec 28, 2018
    #9
  12. Dec 31, 2018 #10
    Just passing by

    Just passing by Road Train Member

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    Why was there tape on the line? Officer saw a red flag and acted on it. I say you did not pre-trip your trailer or you would have seen it and investigated further. N'est pas?
     
    Just passing by, Dec 31, 2018
    Just passing by, Dec 31, 2018
    #10
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