Quote:
Originally Posted by chris1
They do. It's called the ISS selection system.
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Well. Unfortunately, there are more than a few of these new DOT inspectors, employeed by city's and county's, whom do not understand certain types of dangers.
I personally do not care whether my truck and the trailer I am pulling is inspected by the DOT, as long as the inspection is done at the "scales". Once DOT officers start stopping me along the shoulder of the road, so they can fullfill their daily qouta, then I start having issues, especially when the tank is loaded with nasty stuff.
Last year, I was west bound through Tuscon and was pulled over by a city DOT inspector. I had a tank, loaded with haz-mat, and was stopped about 400 feet west of a TSMT truck that had explosive 1.1 placards, whom was also pulled over by a cith Inspector. Not wishing to fail the inspection and get issued a citation, I held my tongue. Had an AZ Inspector not arrived, and explained to both city Inspectors, what it was they both did wrong. I would have done so....after the inspection was complete.
I was handed my paperwork back by the state Inspector, and told to have a safe trip. The TSMT truck was passing by, as he handed me back all of my paperwork.
It is ok to have an Inspector pull trucks over on the shoulder for inspection. For the most part, when wayward cars end up under those trucks, as they do from time to time, it is preferable that those trucks not be laden with hazardous materials. It doesn't matter if those trucks are pulling a flatbed, van/refer, or tank. Hazardous Material laden trucks should only be pulled in for inspection, at "scales" or "rest areas", not on the shoulder of a highway.
I am on this particular speel....because thursday morning I was pulled over on the I-610 loop in Houston, with a tank loaded with 45K of 95% solution Formic Acid, by a Houston city Inspector.
That (shoulder of 610 loop) is not the place to be inspecting any truck, let alone a hazmat laden truck. Before he got to far into how important a man he was (my first words to him were "What is wrong Officer? Do you see a leak? Was I driving in an unsafe manner?"), I had dialed 911, and was speaking with Texas Department of Public Safety, explaining the situation to them..and the local commander at the DPS office, was quickly speaking to Mr. Houston DOT. I was stopped on that shoulder, about 4 minutes.
CSA is a good idea. Increased and tougher inspections, good idea. However. Train those Inspectors to recognize the dangers involved with the cargos they are delaying. Some things are worse than others.