Need dot consultant? Dot advice

Do we, drivers have the right to watch a DOT inspection? I have asked one time but officer told me to stay inside the truck. I don't trust those officers any more. I think they may very well mess something up in the truck and them blame it on us... Then, how are we going to prove we were not in fault?

 

Rig cameras everywhere, including underneath. Upload video directly to the internet. Publicly shame them as relentlessly as they hound us.

 

That's a GREAT idea! If only this truck and trlr were mine... I think in the future all trucks will have to have cameras outside... and maybe inside too...

 

I gotta look into a system for mine just to capture some of the goofy #### that goes on every day. I had some idiot in a buick turn in front of me at 65mph today. Almost got him.

 

I've had driver's come out and watch. Doing a level 1 though, you kinda need the driver to hit the brakes, turn the lights and turn signals on etc. I always bring them out and show them what I see anyway.

 

If only all DOT officers were like you.... Unfortunatelly it seems many of them want to find anything, or even "fabricate" something to penalize driver and company.... And they don't tell driver what they found wrong before printing the Vehicle Examination Report or give driver the chance to fix problem right there.

 

I have a friend who took a picture of the item that he was marked for proving the officer was wrong.

They would not accept the picture as proof, nor would they go back out and look.

They marked it on the inspection form.

Of course, this is what he stated.

 

I know what you are saying....
Last March had an inspection. Officer said two little chips on windshield were a violation and put that on my VER. I didn't argue much. But filed a challenge via DataQ and sent them pictures with tape measuring the chips. One was less than 1/2 inch and other less than 1/4 inch. Also called DOT and FMCSA several times and after 3 months violation was removed from my records. DOT faxed a clean VER to my company and they comfirmed violation was indeed removed from my CSA card. I was lucky then, but who knows next time????

 

This reminds me of a time in 1990. I was going through Idaho, going to Canada, and was stopped at the weight station. I was not familiar with the Idaho oversize permits, and even though I checked the permit book the company placed in the truck, I did not notice anything wrong. I assumed, which was wrong, that the truck I was driving was properly permitted. Well, I got a ticket, and complained to the company. They told me to turn it in and they would take care of it.

Several months later asI was again taking a load to Canada, I was pulled into the same weight station. For some reason they seemed to be taking a long time looking my license over and checking the permits. I soon found out why when 2 big ole deputy's came in and placed me in cuff's. Seems the company did not take care of it like they said. The bond was something like $1500. So I called the terminal in Phoenix and told them the load would be late and why. Their first question was, "Where is the truck", of which I responded, " as soon as you send me bond money, I'll tell you where the truck is".

Needless to say they sent a comcheck, which the deputies took me to the truck stop to cash, and I went about my merry way.

 

Even if the driver fixes the issue right then and there, it's a violation at the time of the inspection. For instance, if I stop a truck because he has no brake lights. It's still a violation even if the driver can fix it. If he can fix it before I finish the inspection it may result in a warning, instead of a citation.