Truck Trailer Seals

You can’t check your load securement throughout your trip with a seal on the trailer, therefore I never use them unless forced to

 

Is that right?

 

I run for Old Dominion Freight Lines and I had a bolt sealed load with corrosive placards that I picked up at our Detroit terminal that came out of Canada. I got pulled into the Monroe Michigan scales and got pulled around for a DOT inspection. They grabbed a pair of bolt cutters and opened the trailer door to find pallets of unsecured batteries had fallen over. I had no way of knowing what the load looked like since it was bolt sealed. I had to surrender my license on the spot in lieu of bond and was cited for an unsecured load. The officer actually cut me some slack since he knew it wasn't my fault and didn't cite me for an unsecured hazardous materials load.

 

Does California still require a seal or lock on any trailer on the road?

 

The company I work for told drivers a couple of years ago all CA Haz-mat either had to be padlocked or bolt sealed.

 

Back in the day I hauled a load of computers stuff from their warehouse to the air freight terminal 30 miles maybe. Broke the seal and backed in as they unloaded it they realized it was for international freight. Thats on the other side of the warehouse literally right thru the chain link fence we were looking thru. So we put everything back on and 5 minutes later I was backed in at the correct side. What a #### show it created because of the broken seal. I said go see them right thru the fence they will say I was just over there. Finally everyone got on the same path. Got back to our terminal and the boss said oh ya we forgot to specify and you could have just dropped the whole trailer and bob tail here. REALLY!!!! Glad the pay was great for doing next to nothing all night.