DOT INSPECTIONS - insane

[PROCUT1]

They could do away with the program and just add a tax to trucks.

Not that I support that, but thats all this program is. Its not about safety. Just tax every freakin truck $1000 a year and let us do our jobs without what I see as nothing more than harassment to extract money.

Change truck safety inspections to 2 or 4 times a year at a repair shop. We already have one a year.

Hold the owners and repair shop severely accountable.

You drive an unsafe truck and cause an accident.......You're going to need to mortgage your house to pay the fine, not to mention the lawsuit.

You inspect an unsafe truck and pass it. You lose your repair shop license.

There you go.

Same problem solved. Keep unsafe trucks off the road. And without the daily harassment.

 

[PROCUT1]

Re-reading my posts I realize I come across like I drive unsafe junk and Im bitter about it. Ha

Thats not actually the case. I dont have any major problems when we hit the inspections.

My major problem is the way the program is run.

My problem is the pressure the inspectors have to "find SOMETHING"

Hell. I know if my job was to spend 45 minutes inspecting a truck freezing my butt off in the middle of winter, I would make sure it was worth it. Im not going to report back to my boss that I inspected 10 trucks that day and didnt write a ticket.

I dont blame the individual inspectors. The bosses want to see tickets and revenue.

Most guys dont try like hell to avoid DOT because they are driving unsafe junk.

They do it because when you get pulled in, you know they are going to do everything they can to find something to write you up for.

All the while you just sit there not making any money. Or worse, in my situation, Im paying 10-12 guys to sit in a couple crew cabs for an hour.

 

[Extendahoe]

Re-reading my posts I realize I come across like I drive unsafe junk and Im bitter about it. Ha

Thats not actually the case. I dont have any major problems when we hit the inspections.

My major problem is the way the program is run.

My problem is the pressure the inspectors have to "find SOMETHING"

Hell. I know if my job was to spend 45 minutes inspecting a truck freezing my butt off in the middle of winter, I would make sure it was worth it. Im not going to report back to my boss that I inspected 10 trucks that day and didnt write a ticket.

I dont blame the individual inspectors. The bosses want to see tickets and revenue.

Most guys dont try like hell to avoid DOT because they are driving unsafe junk.

They do it because when you get pulled in, you know they are going to do everything they can to find something to write you up for.

All the while you just sit there not making any money. Or worse, in my situation, Im paying 10-12 guys to sit in a couple crew cabs for an hour.

Procut, You are so right in many ways. I suppose anytime you have $$$ changing hands it causes many problems. The Federal Gov. has millions of dollars to give to states willing to train or impliment a Comm. Veh. Inspection program. With that money states agencies have an obligation to turn out the production the feds want, such as Total number of inspections, type of inspections lev.1,2,3 how many violations you find how many drivers you place out of service and how many trucks or units you place out of service. All these things play a hugh role in the success of the program. Unfortunately so many agencies become very dependant on these fed funds to help run their department. The fact is many times you see departments will "through together a so called inspection team" just to get the money.
I personally am not willing to stuop to some of the practices your sometime encouraged to do, In my state and particularlly in my area just because you find some simple violation doesn't mean you issue a ticket for that... it may simply be listed as a violation on the inspection. If there were multiple violations or oos violations or driver oos violations then that would warrant a citation. All of these things are usually left up to the inspector... within keeping the thought sometimes you just have to do your job and sometimes that means give a ticket to someone who you really don't want to. I personally hate the system and the way its set up just as Procut mentions above... it could be done much better.

 

[amscontr]

Years ago in Illinois I was driving a brand new Mack Granite tandem dump for an environmental co. and one of the "geniuses" in the office tried telling me that the registartion for the truck was valid, instead of explaining and arguing with him that in Il. the registration in a year in advance so if it's 2009 the reg. will say 2010. Anyhow I was cruising down the interstate and the DOT and portables were set up and I was empty and the truck was brand new, the inspector checked my paperwork and told me the reg. was expired so he decided to weigh the empty truck which was around 23,000 lbs. and told me the fine would be .10 cents per pound for no registration plus the truck would have to be towed and impounded until the fine was paid and a new valid registration. Luckily I played dumb and it was a week into the new reg. period and they let me go back to shop and park the truck with a warning.
So if anyone in Illinois tries to run without a paid license plate just keep in mind they'll charge you by the pound. In 2003 it was ten cents with the current government it might be a dollar nowadays.

 

[Greg]

Procut,
Just tax every truck a $1000.00 a year? We already pay Heavy Duty Truck Excise Tax on every truck above 50,000 pounds gross weight every year.

 

[Dwan Hall]

Extendahoe, What kind of Hoe you looking for? Are you going to road it or trailer it? If you trailer it and ever come to Alaska I would give anything to watch you go through our DOT inspection. Good luck on finding what you want. Now is a good time price wise to buy.

 

[Extendahoe]

Extendahoe, What kind of Hoe you looking for? Are you going to road it or trailer it? If you trailer it and ever come to Alaska I would give anything to watch you go through our DOT inspection. Good luck on finding what you want. Now is a good time price wise to buy.

Well at one time several years ago prior to the job I do now, I was a backhoe operator for about 7 yrs. I ran a Case 580E, thats the only backhoe I've ever ran... and thats the extent of my heavy equipment experience. Except for tractors on the farm that is. So I think I would be happy with a Case, from some of the other post here... i may need to stick with a 580 E, early M or super L. I would like to start with just the hoe and use it locally then trailer it a little later, want to pay as i go... don't want to go into deep debt, this will be a side line job until I retire got about 10 more yrs. for that though.

 

[darinray]

Well I actually have a 2002 Case 580M cab with heat, extenda hoe, 4wd, real good tires, 3300hrs, no leaks, great looking and running. $25,500 or real close offer.

Darin

 

[Orchard Ex]

Darin, I assume that 580 is your personal machine right? Not the dealerships? I know that you wouldn't go against the forum rules on advertising...

 

[darinray]

Oh shoot. My intentions were to help a fellow member that is looking for something and do realize that I did display what piece of equipment he was looking for with a price but thought (or didn't think) that would be tolerated. Kindly delete my previous post as it's too late for me to do it. Sorry for this.

Darin

 

[Extendahoe]

Well I actually have a 2002 Case 580M cab with heat, extenda hoe, 4wd, real good tires, 3300hrs, no leaks, great looking and running. $25,500 or real close offer.

Darin

Thats a great looking machine, im sure thats the going price... I've got wishful thoughts of having one that nice, in reality I'm sure I can only afford something not quite so nice. I'm tryiing to look at as many hoe's as possible so when i do see a deal hopefully I will be able to recognize it.. and jump on it.

 

[Extendahoe]

Can you elaborate on the problems of the later model M's... I see some post here that recommend the early M's rather than do the later?

 

[rino]

Extendahoe: We have 2 municipalities here in OH that have their own scales! One is NE from Akron, and one is NW from Akron! I never had a problem with the one NW but the NE one we have been screwed by them more times then a hooker during a convention! We were rebuilding an intersection in the town and were milling for the asphalt part to be put down. The milling company had been told by my boss to keep the loads light because of the local scales! The City asked for a load of the milling's, to be taken to the city garage (where the scales are)! Our driver took this load over to them, and a cop was in the driveway. He stopped our truck, and told him that load needed to be scaled. He went down on the scales, and got out thinking the cop would tell him his gross. He was 10,000 over, and the cop wrote him a ticket! About an hour later another truck was pulled in 8,000 over. Every time I have been in there I have been told to "dump off " what I thought was my overload, because they couldn't let me go down the road overloaded! And NO I didn't get reweighed! Seems funny this municipality NEVER has to pay for aggregate! There are 3 big washed gravel pits around this town, and there are 2 big limestone yards close by! As well as 2 asphalt plants, and a concrete plant! I have NEVER had been told to dump off my overload at any other scale EVER!

Also I know these cops were listening to our CB traffic, and once I was sure they were getting ready to hit another truck, I mentioned on the radio, that I was going to ask my State Police friend if the city was DOT certified! Within 10 minutes, there were No cops around us! Makes me wonder about their DOT cert!

 

[Extendahoe]

Extendahoe: We have 2 municipalities here in OH that have their own scales! One is NE from Akron, and one is NW from Akron! I never had a problem with the one NW but the NE one we have been screwed by them more times then a hooker during a convention! We were rebuilding an intersection in the town and were milling for the asphalt part to be put down. The milling company had been told by my boss to keep the loads light because of the local scales! The City asked for a load of the milling's, to be taken to the city garage (where the scales are)! Our driver took this load over to them, and a cop was in the driveway. He stopped our truck, and told him that load needed to be scaled. He went down on the scales, and got out thinking the cop would tell him his gross. He was 10,000 over, and the cop wrote him a ticket! About an hour later another truck was pulled in 8,000 over. Every time I have been in there I have been told to "dump off " what I thought was my overload, because they couldn't let me go down the road overloaded! And NO I didn't get reweighed! Seems funny this municipality NEVER has to pay for aggregate! There are 3 big washed gravel pits around this town, and there are 2 big limestone yards close by! As well as 2 asphalt plants, and a concrete plant! I have NEVER had been told to dump off my overload at any other scale EVER!

Also I know these cops were listening to our CB traffic, and once I was sure they were getting ready to hit another truck, I mentioned on the radio, that I was going to ask my State Police friend if the city was DOT certified! Within 10 minutes, there were No cops around us! Makes me wonder about their DOT cert!

Sounds like a currupt bunch. No doubt they just wanted their material free. Depts. like that need to be reported... Don't be afraid to report that and tell everybody you know. Here in my state weight issues are a state law and not regulated by federal motor carrier. So actually any agency that has scales could enforce weight laws and would not be required to be "dot certified". I've always been confused by the term DOT which is short for Dept of transportation. Inspection as it pertains to commercial vehicles... officers are required to be certified by fmc Federal Motor Carrier, dot is just a term thats "stuck" i think.

 

[CinOK]

Every one should go back emptry and ask for their castoff's or the customer you are hauling for should bill the town for the material, dependes whos paying for the material. Do the pits let you go out that heavy? I always had sign a waiver to leave heavy

 

[rino]

2 answers and 1 comment

Extendahoe: Here it's the Ohio State Highway Patrol / Motor Carrier Enforcement! They are DOT certified by the Federal DOT as to Federal MC rules and regs.! In Ohio there are only 2 DOT cops certified to dip fuel! You know, to make sure we running white not red!!!

I have also argued with local cops who think my CDL is a State License! I have corrected my local yokel at to my CDL is a FEDERAL license issued by the State of Ohio!

CinOK: The pits around here will let a straight truck out as long as they are under 80K! Because of my tare I legal at 15 tons, but could be over on a specific axle, which would be a fine! I don't think should be weighed by the axle, since we don't get the chance to weigh by the axle! I had 14 ton's on and was over 1000 # on my front drive! $400.00 fine! Since I was under gross, and was weighed, the company paid that one! The company has a fair rule; unless the boss says different we are told how much to haul. I have a max of 18 tons. As long as my scale ticket says 18.00 tons the company pays. If I'm free loading, where I don't hit the scale, the company pays. If I leave a scale, and the scale ticket shows 18.01 tons, it's my fine to pay! Most of the pits and companies don't want to tick off a municipality with whom they do business with! It's all about making money!

 

[rino]

I beat a jake ticket because the term is jake "BRAKE"! Under the FMSC and Ohio State law, "no government agency is permitted to control the brakes on any motor vehicle!" How and which brakes are used are totally up to the operators digression!

I also beat a air bear ticket under the rules of evidence in court! For the cop in the plane to tell the cop on the ground, or the cop on the bridge to tell the cop down the road, the I was speeding is "here say" evidence! There is NO court in the US that admits here say evidence; unless it's a cop telling another cop who to issue a ticket to! I simply asked the Judge to show me the law that allows a cop to admit here say evidence in a court of law! I also explained that these could not be slid in under the "excited utterance" clause, because these police officers see speeders every day, and that the crime is not severe enough to make the cop excitedly say to issue a ticket! The prosecutor was getting madder by the second! He knew that I had found the loop hole. I was found NOT GUILTY due to here say evidence!

You have to stand your ground, and remember these people make their money by legally stealing you hard earned money! Keep a cool head because the other side will try to say it is or is not pertinent to the charge! Then you have to debate that the law doesn't relate to the charge, but to how the charge came about! This is no different that your best friend telling a cop that you drove drunk about weeks ago, and getting a ticket for drunk driving!

 

[GaryKelley]

I was inspected at the Echo, UT POE on the 19th of November...got a sticker for the truck but not for the trailer (the ABS light was inop) on the 30th of November in Gillette, WY at the POE, a WDOT insp inspected me AGAIN, despite my arguments against it..and I got a sticker for the trailer..BUT...she pulled the sticker OFF the truck....turns out a TAILLIGHTwas burned out...mind you, the light is not required if you are hooked to a trailer..but..if it's there, it has to work,,,I offered to go to the gas station next door, to purchase a new bulb an replace it, to keep the sticker on the windshield..she told me I had to get the insp signed off, and resubmit the vehicle for insp.....
and they try to say it's about safety...the FDHSMV pays each state for the number and type of inspections they do..ludicrious...

 

[Greg]

When my tanks have been dipped it was done by an individual carrying an IRS badge, not a law officer of any type, state, county, local or other.

 

[Extendahoe]

When my tanks have been dipped it was done by an individual carrying an IRS badge, not a law officer of any type, state, county, local or other.

Yeah, here we has officers with the tax administration do the fuel checks... it s not very ofter you will see them though.