I was just curious as what the record was for being stopped by "the man" in one week. I driver local, home everynight, no weekends, so you'd think that would cut down my chances, but 2 weeks ago, I was stopped & inspected 3 times within 5 days. Mighty ridicilous if I say so myself.

 

they train dot officers at the weigh station just north of springfield, IL at the 105. I drive local and sometimes go through that weigh station 8 times a night on this little short run they have me do every now and then. I was pulled in 4 times in one night one time, even got an escort back to the terminal one time by one of the rookie dot officers for having one brake pad on the trailer 1/16" under specs.

 

I have been driving 9 years now and I have never been stopped and inspected. You might say I am just lucky, but I think it's because I always keep my truck clean, I never have anything laying on the dash.
It's those guys that have so much crap on their dash that they can barely see out the front window are letting everyone know that they are disorganized and are not taking care of their equipment. So if you think you are being stopped too much for inspections take a look at yourself and clean up your act.

 

In 4 years of driving, I was inspected most in one week 1 time. Only went through 2 full inspections, NC and VA, and 2 other times just checked log books NY state line I-81 and Tolbooths/scales MD I-95.

 

You nailed it right. I've never been stopped I keep nothing on the dash except the electronics, no log books or bags of chips. And another thing about having a presentable appearance. You look and dress like a scumbag, you'll get treated like a scumbag. You cant help a dirty truck on a long run, its going to happen but wearing a torn shirt with your "Country Pride" gut hanging out with sweat pants wont win any fans of the DOT. Its profiling but I'd bet a box of donuts, that 9 times out ot 10, they'll find something on that inspection.

I dont know how people can ride with so much crap on the dash or in the truck. I'm sure we we've seen trucks with stuffed animals , empty Mt.Dew bottles , flaming skulls and silly little stickers either on the dash, or stuck to a window.

The truck is not my home away from home, my home where my family lives, is my home.

 

One of the jobs I used to have had me running I-80 from blakeslee to bloomsburg. My truck was always spotless, and I would get pulled in and inspected at least 5 times a week. The company was a medium sized company that didn't have any beef with DOT but I was forever getting inspected. Most was 4 times in one day, each time I went by the rest area I was pulled in.

 

I drive with stuff on the dash on my volvo, I'm definitely not a slob. I don't see the problem either. It's not in the way, and it's not a mess.

 

I'll agree it helps out alot.

As I said I gotten 2 inspections in my previous post, but come to think, it was 4 times. NC and Virginal was done outside. I also was done in NY, and once more which I was put inside a building in back of the scale house. The other truck in the other bay was getting hit hard, and I got no violations. Out of the 4 times, I had to get 2 things fixed. The NC in the Cabover, and in NY, the trip that turned out to be from H@!!... After the DOT finished their inspection my drive shafted started to mess up.

First was in a Old Cabover Freightliner. I had a little bo bo and bent out the front bumper. broken off the Turn signal on the passenger side. But over all that truck was asking for a DOT.

In other trucks I drove I kept the dash board pretty cleaned off, may have the bag of chips snacking on but when not in use they were put away. Log book put away out of sight out of mind of the DOT. The second time I was DOT, they were pulling in all the Good looking trucks. One that pulling out before me was a Sharp looking Peterbuilt and covered wagon.

The time I got my log books checked in Maryland, I had no violations, but if they looked closely at me, they could tell I was tired. Luckly I had a bad feeling and had caught up my logs 1 hour before.

 

I agree this is the case for alot of instances, but along with you guys, I too keep my truck pretty much spotless on the inside. Nothing ever on the dash, and my floor is even clear of mud/dirt 95% of the time and I deliver to job sites everyday. Today is the first day of 2007 that I have came to an open scale (I-80w mm 194ish PA) and NOT got told to stop. Just kept on rolling. I'm gonna start to know them by name pretty soon.

 

I was stopped last week in Greenwood SC twice with in 10 miles of each other. Obviously they don't communicate their random stops very well. The second officer felt so stupid, he just handed back my paperwork and told me to get on down the road.

No violations by the way....