Post your positive DOT experiences

One of my inlaw is a CHP that does patrol in my area and my cousin a CHP Commercial Vehicle Inspector. So far, I havent run into them.

Their advice to me and other truckers is to be polite and show respect. They are not there to get us. They are there do a job and to promote safety in public roads.

 

I cannot recall very many positive (Or negative interactions with DOT over my lifetime. I will however present one that has a little bit of a mixed thinking.

I stopped in Midway Center on the T-pike eastbound to grab that Sbarro (Over priced but so good...) and a couple of other things because we will be moving freight in that trailer tonight.

Rolling east downgrade in a steepish valley, DOT stepped off the shoulder into my travel lane (Right) and indicates he wants me to stop right here.

Here i am with jacobs going redlined about 70 and he wants me to stop? Sure after I run him over first. /snarky.

Anyway he did a complete inspection. My food, drinks and so forth were all over the doghouse all over the dash (Cabover, doghouse is a center covering over engine inside, it's a family table top for everything else) and so on. Coffee in Stanley thermoses plural etc.

He did not find anything. Noted I had alot of food. Told him planning on lumping that load off in the night it might be mid morning until was finished. He stated there is no restriction on being ine trailer unloading. You could be back there a thousand years but cannot drive a inch until 10 hour rest.

 

For a short while I pulled AFFES trailers and picked up a loaded one late at night in dallas. It had placards on it and no one to call. They knew I had no hazmat n my authority, so assumed it was a mistake and the placards had just been left on it. lol
I pitched them and proceeded to Tracy Cali.
At the check station the guy ask what I had on, I told him it could be anything between rubbers and riding mowers, at which point he got a little huffy, NOOOOO sense of humor at all. Now he wants to see the bills, I told him fine, but they wouldn't mean anything to him, it was just numbers. lol
Now he says, pull over there and we will find out what you have on.
Now, this thing has a big bolt type seal and an electronic seal, and I wasn't sure what happened when you raised the door with that electronic seal, but he did it anyway.. Skulls and crossbones all the way to the ceiling, my knees got week, but he picked up the bills laying in the back of the trailer and proceeded to jump my arse, telling me thay had to be within reach IN the cab at all times. I ponted to the license plate, and told him, If I ask what I am hauling, I get the same exact answer I gave you, when I see these trailers they are loaded and sealed, they do not want me to know what I am hauling, and probably don't really want you to know either. He threw the bills back in and shut and sealed the door and llet ne go onmy merry way, but I sure thought I was busted for sure there for a minute. lol

 

None have been what I would call "positive". Every single one, regardless if it was clean or not, cost me time. And time is money.

But I've never had a bad experience with any officer involved situation. Treat them with respect and they pretty much do the same.

 

Local cop in St. Louis had me at 65 in a 55.

I explained why, dodging a bad situation.

Said his Dad was a trucker, and he got it - no violations or warning - have a safe day.

Always drive the limit through his town now.

And multiple good experiences in scales.

Attitude has a LOT to do with it. They have their bad days, just like us.

 

About ten years ago, one summer afternoon in Florida on my usual local run. Saw a DOT officer sitting where he usually sits on a four lane just south of Jacksonville. He pulls in behind me, pulls me over, and does an inspection. No big problems, I was sure. Finishing up , he said he would be right back, and he goes back to sit in his car and write up the report. I knew there was nothing wrong, and watched him in my mirror. He sat in his seat about 5 minutes writing, then got out and went to the passenger side of his car and opened the rear door, like he was clearing out a place for me to have a seat, and haul me to jail.My mind raced, what had I done to be arrested ?? He walked back up to me, and told me to get out of my truck. I was worried. His next words were " GOD TOLD ME TO STOP THIS TRUCK, AND GIVE YOU A BIBLE". I was relieved,as he explained, " I knew I had one in my back seat, just had to find it". That was the reason for him to be moving stuff around in his rear seat, he was looking for the bible to give, not arrest me. He then 'preached' to me for about ten minutes about religion, then let me go. I was relieved.
Telling this story to others, many said I should have complained to his bosses, but I didn't. He was doing what he thought was right, but was going against his procedures, I am sure. Not being real religious, it made me think some.

Last week I mentioned this story to another, older DOT officer,and he said the officer who did the preaching to me that day had been terminated long ago, and that I was not the first he had tried to give Bibles to, but that many did complain.Cost him his job. I guess he did a good thing, just unusual.

 

Florida I-75 southbound scale at Ocala. Old guy there cut me a break one day when my cab card was expired. Let me get in touch with office and waited (got there 5min before he closed...) until a valid card was emailed to me.

 

northbound I-95 in CT, the first scale in Greenwich. i got the "enter" sign, then once on the scales i get the "bring your papers inside" sign

i go inside, walk up to the counter, and some jerkwad driver is mouthing off to them.

CT trooper asked "what the hell was i doing there"?

told him, "sign said come on in".

tells me, "Go, we got this jerkwad to deal with"

substitute the word jerkwad for another word for butthole......if you know what i mean.

 

Well I would tell you about it. However, it seems like I do not remember it. I kinda feel good DOT experiences are an old truckers tale.

 

We got a new scale man at the scales that I have to go through in my lo truck, rookie new hire type.
The first time I pulled in he had me stop to weigh the trailer tandems and then came out with the creeper. They generally close the scales here and inspect us right on the scales.

I am looking in the mirror, and it literally looked like a high school kid coming. I am thinking this is not going to be good, because a lot of new guys are pretty gung ho for a year or two. My log truck is old but I keep it up and even cosmetically it looks good too. He ask something, and I told him it is and old truck, when he had me turn on the WW, I just did the drivers side, at which point, he said it doesn't work on the other side.
I told him it will if I turn it on and did. he couldn't belive it had two switches, and I told you it is old, they all used to have two. lol
I wound up with stickers and have been dealing with him every since,great young guy, but did give me one ticket when I got a little carried away with a load.