Banning Scale Shenanigans

[palidian]

While I have never been pulled in for inspection here there have been a few drivers at my terminal who have been pulled in. The latest incident, the driver was going threw the empty line, and was flagged in for inspection. During the inspection the driver was asked for the log book, and it was noted that the driver logged 15 minutes for pretrips. The inspector then said you log 15 minutes for pretrips, I want to see you do that, and got out a stopwatch and said you may not use a check list, and if you miss one thing or cannot do it in 15 minutes you'll get 7 tickets for false logs. Needless to say the driver did not pass, however the inspector said ill just give you a warning.

I have several issues with this, first I can do a pretrip every day with a check list, and preforming under pressure is unreasonable. DOT says 15 minutes is good for a pretrip and even if it went 20 minutes you may still log 15.

If I was there I would more then likely just say, wright me the tickets and we can go talk to a judge, about this. Can one be expected to preform under the additional stress? I can find where a DOT officer can ask you to do the 7 point break test, however preforming a full pretrip I cannot find.

I drive threw the Banning scales at least twice a week, and lately they have had there prepass turned off.

What do you all think about this?

[doug33]

A lot of places are turning off the the pre-pass,it is a pain but I guess some staes just really need the money from poor truck drivers .

While I have never been pulled in for inspection here there have been a few drivers at my terminal who have been pulled in. The latest incident, the driver was going threw the empty line, and was flagged in for inspection. During the inspection the driver was asked for the log book, and it was noted that the driver logged 15 minutes for pretrips. The inspector then said you log 15 minutes for pretrips, I want to see you do that, and got out a stopwatch and said you may not use a check list, and if you miss one thing or cannot do it in 15 minutes you'll get 7 tickets for false logs. Needless to say the driver did not pass, however the inspector said ill just give you a warning.

I have several issues with this, first I can do a pretrip every day with a check list, and preforming under pressure is unreasonable. DOT says 15 minutes is good for a pretrip and even if it went 20 minutes you may still log 15.

If I was there I would more then likely just say, wright me the tickets and we can go talk to a judge, about this. Can one be expected to preform under the additional stress? I can find where a DOT officer can ask you to do the 7 point break test, however preforming a full pretrip I cannot find.

I drive threw the Banning scales at least twice a week, and lately they have had there prepass turned off.

What do you all think about this?

Is this true or a CB story.... I do not buy it. I have been running California for the past 5 years. I have had Level 1,2, and 3 inspections at Dunsmuir, Wheeler Ridge, Fairfield, Banning and some rest areas. I have never been asked to do a pre-trip by a CHP inspector with or without a stopwatch. Whenever I have dealt w/CHP it has been very professional and polite.

I smell :dung:

[allan5oh]

I smell :dung:

Horse or Bull?

[doug33]

Does it matter,they both stink

[BanditsCousin]

I could take 30 minutes on a pre-trip if I had to, and probably would to inconvenience the officer 8)

[palidian]

I could take 30 minutes on a pre-trip if I had to, and probably would to inconvenience the officer 8)

Yes however, the driver had been logging 15 min for pretrips, and if the driver cannot do it in that time, the inspector said he would issue false log tickets.

[got mud?]

While I have never been pulled in for inspection here there have been a few drivers at my terminal who have been pulled in. The latest incident, the driver was going threw the empty line, and was flagged in for inspection. During the inspection the driver was asked for the log book, and it was noted that the driver logged 15 minutes for pretrips. The inspector then said you log 15 minutes for pretrips, I want to see you do that, and got out a stopwatch and said you may not use a check list, and if you miss one thing or cannot do it in 15 minutes you'll get 7 tickets for false logs. Needless to say the driver did not pass, however the inspector said ill just give you a warning.

I have several issues with this, first I can do a pretrip every day with a check list, and preforming under pressure is unreasonable. DOT says 15 minutes is good for a pretrip and even if it went 20 minutes you may still log 15.

If I was there I would more then likely just say, wright me the tickets and we can go talk to a judge, about this. Can one be expected to preform under the additional stress? I can find where a DOT officer can ask you to do the 7 point break test, however preforming a full pretrip I cannot find.

I drive threw the Banning scales at least twice a week, and lately they have had there prepass turned off.

What do you all think about this?

good thing the CHP didnt have fuel pumps to time his fueling! I also smell :dung: of the bull kind

[Uturn2001]

The tickets would not hold up in court. All the regs say about "pretrip" inspections is that the driver is required to ensure the vehicle is in safe operating condition before starting the trip for the day.

[aztrucker]

S really getting deep in here.....Better turn your cb off for a while dude..

[Fredog]

S really getting deep in here.....Better turn your cb off for a while dude..

it's okay, I saw the mother ship come and pick up this d.o.t. guy, he wont be bothering anymore earthlings. funny thing is, the leader made him do a pretrip on the saucer without using a checksheet.

[Useless]

I would be able to "go through the motions" of a pre-trip in 15 mins., as long as nothing needed to be corrected.

In reality, I could not do a thorough pre-trip in that amount of time, though. Do bear in mind that when it came to checking tire pressure, I was never contented to use a thumper; I always used a pressure guage.

[Splitter]

I fail to see how that DOT inspector could prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the driver didn't perform a satisfactory p/t. Or, that the truck was not in a safe operating condition from 7 previous days.
All my dealings with DOT, have been very polite, and courteous.

[Useless]

All my dealings with DOT, have been very polite, and courteous.

Agree 100%!!

In any event, I always logged a 30min. pre-trip, and with very few exceptions, I would fuel up either before I began driving, or before I shut down.

I never had any trouble with DOT either. My experience was that the DOT guys met you with whatever attitude you brought to them!!

[drippy]

It seems to me...and I am relatively new to this...that your presentation at the scales...e.g. clean dash, seat belt on, passenger window down to hear...etc...bears a bit as to how the scalemasters treat you. If you look as if you know what you're doing, and present the profession well, chances are you will not be accosted.

However...there are those scales that do not abide by rationalism. It's all HOLLYWOOD....ya got to make them believe....

[ALASKACVEO]

Palidian,
I don't think this is a true story, sorry. But there are jerks in every field of work, so who knows. But if this really happened and happens again ask the officer to show you what regulation entitles him to make you do a pre-trip in a certain amount of time. There is none and this guy was either ignorant or a power tripper. You can do a pre-trip in less than 15 minutes on most rigs imho. All the regs state is:

Pretrip Inspections §392.7, 396.13

Although the primary requirements for inspections are in Part 396, the first such driver requirement is in §392.7 which charges the driver to "satisfy himself/herself" that basic parts and accessories are "in good working condition" prior to driving the vehicle. Although not required to be in writing, this pre–driving determination shall include the following parts and accessories:

1. Service brakes, including trailer brake connections

2. Parking (hand) brakes

3. Steering mechanism

4. Lighting devices and reflectors

5. Tires

6. Horn

7. Windshield wiper or wipers

8. Rear–vision mirror or mirrors

9. Coupling devices

§392.8 requires a driver to "satisfy himself/herself" that the required emergency equipment (§393.95) is in place and ready for use. This includes:

1. Fire extinguishers

2. Spare fuses

3. Warning devices

The final pre–driving requirement is in §396.13, requiring a driver to review the last vehicle inspection report (§396.11) and sign it when defects or deficiencies were reported.

You should be easily able to do this in 10 minutes or less. BTW I am new here, I am the ENEMY guys! Alaska Commercial Vehicle Enforcement. Nice forum here and some very knowledgeable people also. I will soon be moving to the truck driving world so I thought I would join a forum and see what the other side has to say about trucking life. But again for the moment, I am the enemy, muuhhhaaaaa. See ya on the road soon.

[Hat Rak]

BTW I am new here, I am the ENEMY guys! Alaska Commercial Vehicle Enforcement. Nice forum here and some very knowledgeable people also. I will soon be moving to the truck driving world so I thought I would join a forum and see what the other side has to say about trucking life. But again for the moment, I am the enemy, muuhhhaaaaa. See ya on the road soon.

Well, cool! 8) I suppose all that experience on the other side of the scale will come in handy when the time comes

A lot of places are turning off the the pre-pass,it is a pain but I guess some staes just really need the money from poor truck drivers .

The scalemaster on I-71 near the 50 yard sticker in Ohio has screamed to differ. He is determined to tell every truck driver that the scales cannot turn off the Pre-Pass system ... But then again, this was right after a truck plowed into the pre-pass input/output antenna a mile north of the scale in turn making the Pre-Pass there completely off-line; he could be making excuses for a convenient accident.

[ALASKACVEO]

It really will help Hat. I was going to drive once I retired from the Military, but did not have the experience. I would have been hostling for about a year and no way I could afford that. But getting this job first was the better outcome. I got paid to learn the rules. Now when I get on the road it will be much easier. A lot of drivers have to learn some of the rules the hard way. I am really looking forward to driving again. Being a scalemaster is too boring.

[Skywalker]

In all the years I have been doing this.... I have heard more "BS" about Banning than anywhere else on the planet. Yet, for all the times I crossed Banning....I never once got inspected, nor have my logbook looked at.

I know drivers who have been inspected there....and had no complaints about the inspections.

I vote for the initial post to be classified as a TRUCKER'S STORY!!

The original poster should edit it and insert the following verbage to the beginning of the first sentence: NO @#&* MAN, THIS IS THE TRUTH!!!!

[Skywalker]

BTW I am new here, I am the ENEMY guys! Alaska Commercial Vehicle Enforcement. Nice forum here and some very knowledgeable people also. I will soon be moving to the truck driving world so I thought I would join a forum and see what the other side has to say about trucking life. But again for the moment, I am the enemy, muuhhhaaaaa. See ya on the road soon.

Actually Sir, you are not the "enemy". I for one am happy to see you participating here!! It is your knowledge and experience when shared with many of the potential drivers who will visit this site...that will help produce better, wiser, and "safer" drivers who will properly comply with the FMCSR's.

I hope you join us often and share your knowledge!! It would certainly be good to have some one around here like you!! Welcome!!!