Should I ask for an inspection so brokers will work with me?

None of the brokers I dealt with ever required a safety inspection in my 1st year. 6 year later, I had some random ones but never level 1. I'd never volunteer for one on the account of a broker unless a longer, lucrative, dedicated run would be at stake. I naturally prefer not to enter scales and the prepass helps me with that too. $17 per month is well worth it. On the other hand, I don't see why it would be so bad to get one just to see if everything is ok...sort of like a consultation Inspection. If as a result you could get a sticker, that's all good. Yoy just have to know that you go there with good brakes, good tires, good lights, good tie rods, tie rid ends (the last two, I read, would be the main theme of the oncoming blitz) and make sure there are no excessive oil leaks or windsheld cracks and you should be all right.

 

Because the chances are extremely high they will find something. We all know they WILL find something even if there isn't really anything if they want to. With a single truck or small fleet the numbers hurt you big time. It's not like we have hundreds of trucks to spread out the average. We don't have that kind of percentage. Why take the chance? Letting your customers run your business is bad news and a surefire way to go bankrupt.

 

This is what’s wrong with this country
Heck the right lawyer could probably go after your patents for having you if you have the right wreck

 

I had one tell me today “I can’t use you guys”. Me guys is just me, I’m an owner operator, I asked him why - I’m getting close to 2 years of my own authority. He said that bs, that I have one truck and no inspections (true), so it looked to him that I was trying to double broker this load. Not sure what I would need to sell it for, it was barely paying enough for me to take it…

That being said, it crossed my mind that’s why I googled the tread, but I’m not going to volunteer either.

 

Isn't there something they can see if we have no inspections that we passed at the very least the initial DOT audit? "pass status"?

 

That's hilarious. It is easy not to get inspected for a long time.

 

I don't know, but wondered that myself. My audit is underway, so I'll keep an eye out if it changes.

 

Can't say that I ever had this specific circumstance. We got plenty of inspections and lessons at the School of Hard Knocks the first few years. If you're lucky, you'll get the diesel cop that's willing to educate while writing you up. That's the minority that's trying to do the safety thing, versus meet a quota or pump up the stats for the latest blitz.

I did, however, have an almost 4 year stretch with zero inspections on two trucks. We weren't trying to avoid it, just circumstances. Running regular lanes through many eastern states where there's always at least one scale open somewhere anytime. After the second year I did have a few question that. I'd say most were satisfied with a copy of the recent annual, one or two was just a hard no. Fine. Plenty of others that will hire my trucks. Eventually one of us got pulled in for a clean level 3 and the inspection drought ended.

@Dadetrucking305 thanks for that remark about double brokering. I hadn't thought of that. I just figured it was some stupid lawsuit avoidance angle. Usually they accomplish this with the truck vin and verify with the shipper when you pick up. I recall one asking for a picture of the truck though. That was unusual, but I get it and it wasn't a big deal.

When I'm doing that, I guess it depends on how much a "tad" is. This is more than a tad and no doubt ended with an inspection too.



That, and how much driver attitude and truck appearance brings attention to the inspection decision. It's been my experience DOT are lazy as anyone. if they pull me around for a weight violation, they aren't going to invite double paperwork on themselves if there isn't a reason for it in front of them.

I don't know. Most of them look like they could put away some pizza. Maybe bring more than one? Definitely don't bring salads.

 

Salad = 'Rubbing or chafed air line"

Pizza = "Clear Level One inspection, with reccomendation for city council position".