Lately the DOT in Jackson County Oklahoma has been setting up at the Texas/Oklahoma border on US 83 South of Altus and doing an inspection of Drivers License, Truck and Trailer Registrations and insurances as well as Log Books. This to me looks like a Class 4 Dot Inspection. Problem is that if your paperwork passes, they send you on your way with no paperwork from them showing that you received an inspection. If you have something wrong on your log or your registrations are not current/in order, you receive a DOT Violation that hits your SAFERSTAT Score.

I haven't had the nerve to demand a clear, no violation inspection report from them. Figure if I complain they will do a Level 1 and find something.

 

This is how you inflate the un-safe truck statistics. Sioux Falls POE used to do the same thing.

 

I've never been clear if they MUST give you something or not. I would like to know. If they have a "hard-on" for trucks for some reason or other, yes, they can send you to a level one. And, if they want to, they WILL find something wrong.

I've seen where, not only DOT, but U S CUSTOMS cut the seal, then said they did not have a seal to replace it with. Again, you can "request" that they reseal the load, but they do have the authority to send you on your way without one. However, with that, I never fail to inform them that if something on the load turns up missing, THEY are the ones that are liable since they signed my bills that they cut the seal.

I wouldn't mind knowing if DOT must give you something that you passed.

 

I was crossing back into the U.S. at the Sault Ste Marie entry point, the Customs Service directed me to the side, X-rayed the load, backed up to the little dock area and they inspected my load and re-sealed it, then climbed in and inspected inside the tractor. Then when they completed their inspection and gave me the go ahead, they directed me to pull over to the MI DOT officer who was waiting outside his office for me.

MI DOT officer was pretty cool about the whole thing, he noticed right away that I had a new tractor and a new "virgin" trailer, he told me he wasn't gonna bother me with a level 1, but needed to do a level 4.

MI DOT did his level 4 on me, when he completed it he went in and drew up a one page report showing the inspection and passing acknowledgement. It required my signature, then needed to be turned into my Co. for signature acknowledgement and mailed back to MI DOT.

 

Sure am glad that MI DOT didn't do that with us back when it took 7 hours to clear customs up there. One of the reasons I refused to run Canada anymore. I got to know some people up there, and enjoyed our short visits, but getting back home just was not worth it.