Your personal experiences good bad and ugly with the DOT

They're cool with me, I'm cool with them.
I was a lucky participant of a level 1 inspection a few years ago. I pulled around back. A DoT officer met me at the truck and told me to bring in my logs and my paperwork. I asked him how I log this in the comment section (as far as location goes). He gave me a polite answer. I logged it like he told me. Brought my paperwork in. He looked everything over. Typed up his report. We chatted a bit while he was finishing up. He said everything looked good and sent me on my way.

Oh this was in FL on I-75 a little bit before Wildwood (heading south).

 

Florida is good for that

 

Wyoming Port of Entry around Christmas time, the lady brought in a bunch of home baked goodies for the drivers!

 

Noticed them doing roadside inspections on several van trailers the other day in KY and Tenn. Somebody said that Nashville to Louisville is a major drug corridor and this is what they're after. Had one driver cuffed and was busting the seal on his trailer at Bowling Green.

 

Sounds more likely he was looking for that paint scheme / company truck? Perhaps some one else blew through there and pissed him off so badly that he figured they were all like that. Your e-logs saved you, no easy way to fake them.

 

every diesel bear that i talk to was polite. it don't do any good to get them mad at you. a 10 to 20 min. stop could last all day, so be polite back at them even if they are having a bad day.

 

Bazerk Wizz Bang, your e-logs definitely saved you. He had it out for you. Paper logs, he can always find something wrong. I heard the log book violation is now up to $1,400. And believe it is going to get worse. I think there will be court appearances, and lawyers needed in the future. I run the qualcomm. And now going back to 10hrs driving. O/O will be sitting more than driving. Company drivers will stay closer in there areas. Industry falling apart.

 

In 4 years of driving I have been inspected about 8 times. Once in arkansas by a trooper who pulled me over to do a "paperwork" check. He was unprofessional with an attitude. Then in nevada same thing, pulled over for "paper" check. This guy was real cool. Another time in arizona, and they also were nice guys. The rest of the inspections were at cali scales and they were cool. I passed all the inspections except arizona got me on a bald trailer tire, and that happened in the first 2 months of my driving career.

 

my 1st time i had a level 3 was about 3.5 yrs ago. I was nervous as ever having not know how it was goin to go down. But the officer was very nice and helped me through the process. Even when i had forgetten to bring in the trailer regis. he let me run back out to get it. past with fine colors and had no problems.
The issue was not that im scared or nothin of the officers of any dept.
I respect them and and am very courteous. I even wave at some as i go driving by. you should see their faces when that happens. It baffles them like crazy. Now im sure some of you guys and gals out there wonder why. I dont respect them just becuz their cops or dot or any other branch, but for their job position. Just like us they have a job to do. But when you give them a courtesy tho you might have foaled up, they respect the fact that you take responsibility for your mistakes.
Yall may think im crazy but having a small history in security and several other fields, the best thing to do is be nice but firm and always be on your guard.