Tightened DOT Enforcment...

[Dejanh]

Has anyone else notices more DOT's around than usual. I have seen more of them from Texas where I was at last week, all the way to Ohio where they are constantly raiding rest areas it seems with 3-4 white SUV's with blue lettering on their side. Pennsylvania was also very hot as well New Jersey this past week.

States must need more money to fight their shortfalls. In the new issue of trucker, one one of the last pages there is column by a trucking attorney warning all drivers of this phenomenon. We just may be a target no matter how legal we are just because we have a job i think, i dont know.

Has anybody else noticed this?

[GMAN]

I was in Pennsylvania this week and they were very active. According to a friend of mine they have been concentrating on brakes all week. It was supposed to be a national push by the feds. In reality, it is more than likely just a fundraiser.

[Malaki86]

The scales on I-79 around the 141mm in West Virginia were inspecting all week, as well.

[GMAN]

Hopefully, they have had their fun and raised enough revenue by now to settle down.

[Malaki86]

What's really bad is that the scales I mentioned are about 2 miles from our shop. We had 3 trucks shut down at those scales last week. 2 were mechanical, 1 was because the driver was 15 minutes over on his logs - he had to spend 10 hours there.

[Orangetxguy]

Has anyone else notices more DOT's around than usual. I have seen more of them from Texas where I was at last week, all the way to Ohio where they are constantly raiding rest areas it seems with 3-4 white SUV's with blue lettering on their side. Pennsylvania was also very hot as well New Jersey this past week.

States must need more money to fight their shortfalls. In the new issue of trucker, one one of the last pages there is column by a trucking attorney warning all drivers of this phenomenon. We just may be a target no matter how legal we are just because we have a job i think, i dont know.

Has anybody else noticed this?


Ummmmmmmmmmm.

It was an advertised "National Brake Check", all week long.

[Dejanh]

Ummmmmmmmmmm.

It was an advertised "National Brake Check", all week long.
Yeah, I didnt know that.

[Double R]

The scales on I-79 around the 141mm in West Virginia were inspecting all week, as well.

Open north when I was going south last thursday morning to Fairmont. Open south when I was going north out of Fairmont later that morning. I68 break stop was dead on top of Copper's. Just rolled through. 79 in PA all the way up to the 54 was a ghost town at the scales. Not much of an enforcement.

By the way Malaki, what color is your truck? I'll wave to if I see on a thursday. I cover Morgantown, Fairmont, and the back woods to Mannington. I'll let you know that you're number one.:rofl:

j/k

[GMAN]

I got pulled in for a level 1 in Maryland today. I don't think that I have ever been inspected by them before. In fact, I think this is the first level 1 that I have gotten in at least 2 or 3 years, perhaps longer. They were courteous, but apparently they think brake week is still going on. :D

[Hawkjr]

Hell I Ran Up 81 Last Monday DOT had one at the 1 mm rest area.. then another at the 78 rest area... then Wednesday i seen one at those little pull offs on the PA turnpike with a Grocery Haulers Truck then another 20 miles later with a trash hauler and then a few more at the Breezwood Toll Plaza... Yeah PA was active and me and a couple of other drivers were talking about it Saturday Morning.. So it was highly noted!!

[bentstrider]

Well, as long as everyone's got their things in order, I see no reason to sweat it.

Now if you're unfortunate to be driving for one of "those" outfits, then I could understand the panic.

[Malaki86]

Open north when I was going south last thursday morning to Fairmont. Open south when I was going north out of Fairmont later that morning. I68 break stop was dead on top of Copper's. Just rolled through. 79 in PA all the way up to the 54 was a ghost town at the scales. Not much of an enforcement.

By the way Malaki, what color is your truck? I'll wave to if I see on a thursday. I cover Morgantown, Fairmont, and the back woods to Mannington. I'll let you know that you're number one.:rofl:

j/k

I drive a red Columbia (yuch)...

Who do you drive for again? I live in Mannington. I'm sure I've seen your truck.

[Dejanh]

I got pulled in for a level 1 in Maryland today. I don't think that I have ever been inspected by them before. In fact, I think this is the first level 1 that I have gotten in at least 2 or 3 years, perhaps longer. They were courteous, but apparently they think brake week is still going on. :D

Did everything work out OK for you....I hope it did.

Now am jealous, you got one of them CVSA stickers now, and I dont.

[geeshock]

DOT Inspections suck but if you really wanna think of something scary, imagine if they didn't do inspections at all! imagine the companies that would NOT fix brakes till it was to late or other problems for that mater.

[Double R]

I drive a red Columbia (yuch)...

Who do you drive for again? I live in Mannington. I'm sure I've seen your truck.

PM sent.:thumbsup:

[Double R]

Hell I Ran Up 81 Last Monday DOT had one at the 1 mm rest area.. then another at the 78 rest area... then Wednesday i seen one at those little pull offs on the PA turnpike with a Grocery Haulers Truck then another 20 miles later with a trash hauler and then a few more at the Breezwood Toll Plaza... Yeah PA was active and me and a couple of other drivers were talking about it Saturday Morning.. So it was highly noted!!

PA always seems to be active in the centeral part of the state(81). I ran up there last tuesday and the 78mm was loaded on both sides but not open when I went north and then south. For some reason, the western part of the state seems to lack enforcement.

[Dejanh]

PA always seems to be active in the centeral part of the state(81). I ran up there last tuesday and the 78mm was loaded on both sides but not open when I went north and then south. For some reason, the western part of the state seems to lack enforcement.

I disagree. I've seen both sides on 58mm open recently, many times. Got my logs checked.

[Windwalker]

I disagree. I've seen both sides on 58mm open recently, many times. Got my logs checked.
Just logs? When they check me there, I get checked stem to stern. Passed every time, but if it keeps up, we'll be on a first-name basis. It really makes me look forward to retirement... No more DOT. That, I can live with.

[GMAN]

Did everything work out OK for you....I hope it did.

Now am jealous, you got one of them CVSA stickers now, and I dont.


Yes, everything went well. They got me in and out in about 30 minutes. There were two of them who did my inspection. Both were very professional. I have had inspections that have taken over an hour.

[wanderingson]

I have had inspections that have taken over an hour.

Yeah, I've heard of level 1 inspections taking up to 2 hours if only one inspector is doing it. I've never had THAT pleasure. Level 2 is all I've ever had. Call it luck I guess.

Speaking of DOT crackdowns, look out if you are traveling I94 around Chicago. They had the portable scales out today. Don't see that too often.

[bentstrider]

Yes, everything went well. They got me in and out in about 30 minutes. There were two of them who did my inspection. Both were very professional. I have had inspections that have taken over an hour.

When I was Swift, the only two times I got inspected took 20-30 minutes.
Did my job, they did theirs, and both parties were happy.

Back in October of last year, I got pulled in with the "other" outfit and had to wait for a tire-repair guy due to the boss at the yard not wanting to get it repaired at the center I picked the container up at.
Paid it out of my own pocket and had to wait for reimbursement.

[Malaki86]

Ohio's working hard today on the northern half of I-71 and on I-76/I-80 (not the toll section). Pretty much any place a truck could park, they were inspecting them.

[GMAN]

Ohio's working hard today on the northern half of I-71 and on I-76/I-80 (not the toll section). Pretty much any place a truck could park, they were inspecting them.


I don't think that it is a good idea for the DOT to set up in rest areas and other places drivers tend to rest. It could encourage some to push longer than they normally would just to avoid the hassle of being harassed. Those states who have permanent weigh stations have no reason to get away from them. They must REALLY be hurting for revenue.

[Malaki86]

I agree 100%. If I hear that they're working the rest areas, I'll keep going.

[Rev.Vassago]

I got pulled in at the scale on 270 south on the north side of DC yesterday. They did a full paperwork inspection. I got about an hour down the road, just south of DC on 95 in Virginia, and there was a cop who was finding reasons to pull people over. He used the excuse that he didn't like how my license plate was displayed to pull me over, and he did a full paperwork inspection on me too.

The funny part of it was, he was questioning my off duty time. "Driver, you got a lot of off duty time here. What gives?" Ummmm, sorry Mr. Officer, but my business practices and what rate I'm willing to haul for are not subject to FMCSA regulations.

[RostyC]

Maryland is hurting for revenue, I avoid the scales here whenever possible. I had a DOT guy pull behind me at a place I was picking up at not long ago. He said "Sir, I noticed this truck smoking a lot so I'd like to do a smoke test" I never heard of such a thing but he did test my truck with a meter. It passed, and since I was already pulled over he did a level two. I had a light out at that time though so I didn't pass that.

I was talking to a driver that got inspected a few days ago in MD, and he over heard two DOT guys talking to one another about how they generated 39,000.00 so far that day. He said the way the conversation sounded it was almost like they had a competition going.

The 70 east bound scale has a terrible reputation.

One thing that always boggles my mind in MD is why they put me on the scale when I'm empty. My blood boils when they do that, especially when they let me sit there while they run my numbers. F**kin power trippers.

[RostyC]

"Driver, you got a lot of off duty time here.

This is another thing that irritates the pi$$ out of me as well. My name is "Dave" not "driver", show me some respect. I say yes sir, no sir to them, not out of fear but respect of another human being that's doing their job, I expect the same in return.

Man, you guys got me going here. I need to calm down.

[Mr. Ford95]

I think it's funny when they put me on the scales while pulling a light load or empty. Fooled one about a month while they were giving me the works. Had only 4 tons on me but I guess he thought I was running with my tarp back for the heck of it. He actually didn't believe me even though I had the scale ticket sitting right above my head on the sunvisor that he could see while interviewing me along with the tarp back.........He at least had some respect for me Rosty, he put Mr. in front of my name. Actually, I've yet to run across one who hasn't put a Mr. in front of my name once they got my license in hand.

I didn't see but 1 DOT doing an inspection going out to Ohio and back last week. Had the local yokel Stafford, VA DOT man give me the eye hard this morning as I went by him. Them boys put every truck OOS that they stop. What's worse is one is a Fire Marshal and DOT so if he can't get you on any FMCSA regs he will pull out his Fire Marshal hat and pop you on that side, problem there is he can take you to jail if he so chooses and it has happened.

[geeshock]

I think it's funny when they put me on the scales while pulling a light load or empty. Fooled one about a month while they were giving me the works. Had only 4 tons on me but I guess he thought I was running with my tarp back for the heck of it. He actually didn't believe me even though I had the scale ticket sitting right above my head on the sunvisor that he could see while interviewing me along with the tarp back.........He at least had some respect for me Rosty, he put Mr. in front of my name. Actually, I've yet to run across one who hasn't put a Mr. in front of my name once they got my license in hand.

I didn't see but 1 DOT doing an inspection going out to Ohio and back last week. Had the local yokel Stafford, VA DOT man give me the eye hard this morning as I went by him. Them boys put every truck OOS that they stop. What's worse is one is a Fire Marshal and DOT so if he can't get you on any FMCSA regs he will pull out his Fire Marshal hat and pop you on that side, problem there is he can take you to jail if he so chooses and it has happened.

That's the part I don't agree with. I understand if they are just trying to keep you compliant. I *cough* am always compliant. But to look for a reason to put you OOS, don't they realize we are just trying to do a job here?

[regor007]

They were set up Wed morning in the little westbound parking area just west of Buffalo on the NYS thruway. They were running all trucks through and over portables. I could not believe my eyes. I've been running this area for 4 years and have never seen them there. I've never even seen portables in ny before. I've been DOT'd after going through a toll booth 3 times but never seen them set up actually out on the thruway.
I guess ole David Patterson is out to raise revenue anyway he can. Screwing us with the highest taxes in the country is not enough to keep the state from going bankrupt:(

[GMAN]

I find it odd that there are so many states that are doing so many inspections at the same time. That usually doesn't happen unless it is during the blitz.

[Jackrabbit379]

I find it odd that there are so many states that are doing so many inspections at the same time. That usually doesn't happen unless it is during the blitz.

That is kinda strange..

Around Holliday, (Just a few miles west of Wichita Falls) there was a DOT man that had a truck pulled over every day this last week, when I passed through there. On the average, you might see a DOT man once a week, but he was around there every day.

[GMAN]

IT IS ABOUT SAFETY!!!! :roll3:

[Dejanh]

Maryland is hurting for revenue, I avoid the scales here whenever possible. I had a DOT guy pull behind me at a place I was picking up at not long ago. He said "Sir, I noticed this truck smoking a lot so I'd like to do a smoke test" I never heard of such a thing but he did test my truck with a meter. It passed, and since I was already pulled over he did a level two. I had a light out at that time though so I didn't pass that.

I was talking to a driver that got inspected a few days ago in MD, and he over heard two DOT guys talking to one another about how they generated 39,000.00 so far that day. He said the way the conversation sounded it was almost like they had a competition going.

The 70 east bound scale has a terrible reputation.

One thing that always boggles my mind in MD is why they put me on the scale when I'm empty. My blood boils when they do that, especially when they let me sit there while they run my numbers. F**kin power trippers.
How do you go around them scales on 70?
We have a big account in Cockeyesville,MD, just north of Baltimore on I-83 at Imerys, used to go there twice a week, now once a month...

[Dejanh]

That is kinda strange..

Around Holliday, (Just a few miles west of Wichita Falls) there was a DOT man that had a truck pulled over every day this last week, when I passed through there. On the average, you might see a DOT man once a week, but he was around there every day.
I just came thru KS on I-35 and that one was working hard as well, NB side out of OK...