Veteran Truckers, Heres some questions from a Newbie about HOS

When I started trucking, my first few employers gave new-hires a "Relieved from Duty" card we were to carry and it allowed us to be off-duty at customers while we waited. I don't know if the regs have changed since then, or if the employers that gave them were "being extra careful" about the regs.

 

Everyone speeds and cops pick and choose when they enforce speed limits and what they enforce. Getting away with something isn't the same as being legal. If someone is asking about the regs or the laws, most of the replies are what people get away with.

 

I have NEVER seen a company that didnt, and I have worked for a lot of them over the years. Never seen a card, but it was in the policy manual that you signed at orientation for any company you go to. There is ZERO reason for a company not to.

 

Ask any cop. And I mean ANY cop. This question: "If you follow someone long enough will they do something that you can pull them over for?"

I mean jesus christ - grow up man - NO ONE is legal ALL the time. NO ONE.

Not even Jesus....

I dare you to say that YOU are... So #### and stop being a troll...

 

What are the main components to inspect for a five minute pretrip?

 

Fluids (oil, coolant) - levels and leaking. If you drive the same truck all the time you should know how often you need to add oil/coolant so anything out of the ordinary would indicate a problem. Also if after starting you hear noises that arent normal for that truck.
Tires - any flat, or damaged, anything that looks wrong such as a rust "star" from the lug nuts. Hearing any air leaking from tires or airlines.
Lights.

Anything other than that you should already know. Basically anything that sounds or looks out of place. Or feels out of place when you first start moving.

Now mind you, my truck and trailers have their annual federal inspection every 120 days by company policy, so things like brake wear, tread depth. ect. I already know about.

 

I already said I drive ALMOST 5 over the speed limit many times. I've never gotten a speeding ticket in 28 years. I spent most of my time in states other drivers claim are extra strict including OH, VA, TN, CA driving right past the cop in the median shooting radar at 5 over and never worried about getting a ticket. You can try to be perfect and if you miss still be OK. it you plan on doing whatever everyone else is doing, none of them will get you out of the speeding ticket, etc.
If you know the law says X, you ignore X, and you get a ticket were you smart to ignore X? How does whining "everyone else is ignoring X" put that fine money back in your pocket? I don't pull overweight loads, and I wouldn't take a vehicle with defects. I learned rather late that I should have been more careful during inspections. Even if it helps out the boss to break a regulation, and even if he pays the ticket he can't take the points that go on my license. If you want to let other people risk your CDL, go ahead. It takes all kinds.

 

Don't be surprised if DOT officer says I see you are logging 5 minute inspections. Why don't you pull into the inspection shed over there. I'd like to see you do a complete DOT pre-trip in 5 minutes before I start my Level 1 inspection of you and the truck.

 

I never in 33 years ever noted a post trip like you and never was asked about it. Not even in the paper comic book

 

I dont log 5 minute inspections. I log a 10 second inspection... I hit the "On Duty, Pretrip" button, and then I go. I pretrip the truck before I even touch the ELD. I mean why would you? If there is something wrong that needs to get fixed, you are burning clock time fixing it (yeah, I know "the law says..." I dont care what it says). Never once been asked about it (in 39 years), but IF I ever was asked I would point out that all I have to log for a pre trip is ON DUTY time. And ON DUTY - DRIVING is ON DUTY. If pressed I would say that I did a brake check, which involves moving the truck and hitting the brakes. Moving the truck automatically switches the ELD to driving. Then its up to HIM to prove I didnt do that... But as I said, in 39 years, the subject has never come up. And Im not even going to try to count the numbers of inspections Ive been through ... never once getting even a warning much less a ticket. So please dont try to tell me what I can and can not do. Ive been doing it many years.

And back in the paper days the rules were different. The only line you ever HAD to be on was line 3 (driving). All the other lines were "you CAN be on this line under these conditions". So my "pre-trip" was on line 3, since it was an "ON DUTY" line and satisfied the law (at the time).