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DOT inspection checklist
- Thread starter brynbaily
- Start date
Red Bank
Senior Member
Check with your state and get a CDL handbook, it should have the basics covered on what will be checked, mainly everything in the pre-trip inspection. Also, I don't recommend this unless you are in your family car and do not give them your name
, but if you see one out at a store getting coffee or something, strike up a conversation and ask them, however if they are like NC, if you ask five of them a question, you get five different answersAlso you can use a Federal Inspection form as a guide as to what will be checked, just remember that along with the basics they will check weight depending upon what you are driving/hauling.
, but if you see one out at a store getting coffee or something, strike up a conversation and ask them, however if they are like NC, if you ask five of them a question, you get five different answersAlso you can use a Federal Inspection form as a guide as to what will be checked, just remember that along with the basics they will check weight depending upon what you are driving/hauling.
brynbaily
Well-Known Member
I've got my class A, so I pretty much don't worry about to much (not to mention its been quite awhile since I've seen that book lol). My dad had asked me about it, so I looked it up on the PUCO site and its pretty veg. I'd assume that's so they have plenty of loop holes to do what they want depending on how their day is going...:beatsme
My dad is a retired cop that now has his own excavation business on the side. Funny he asked some of his other cop buddies and you get 10 different answers
The state cops around here can be pretty strict...even if your dads a cop trust me
Basically we just don't want to be caught with our pants down; some of those guys would ticket their own mother!
My dad is a retired cop that now has his own excavation business on the side. Funny he asked some of his other cop buddies and you get 10 different answers
The state cops around here can be pretty strict...even if your dads a cop trust me
Basically we just don't want to be caught with our pants down; some of those guys would ticket their own mother!
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busdrivernine
Well-Known Member
This might answer yorur question
Roadside Inspections
Definition:The roadside inspection program consists of roadside inspections performed by qualified safety inspectors following the guidelines of the North American Standard, which was developed by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance in cooperation with the FMCSA. Most roadside inspections by the states are conducted under the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program(MCSAP) a grant program administered by the FMCSA. There are five levels of inspections including a vehicle component, a driver component or both.
A roadside inspection occurs when a MCSAP inspector conducts an examination on individual commercial motor vehicles and drivers to determine if they are in compliance with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) and/or Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMRs.) Serious violations result in the issuance of driver or vehicle OOS orders. These violations must be corrected before the affected driver or vehicle can return to service. Moving violations also may be recorded in conjunction with a roadside inspection.
Driver OOS Rate: The percentage of driver inspections that found serious violations and resulted in the issuance of a driver OOS order.
Vehicle OOS Rate: The percentage of vehicle inspections that found serious violations and resulted in the issuance of a vehicle OOS order.
Roadside Inspection Levels: The North American Standard Truck Inspection procedures have identified six levels of inspections. The Inspection types identified in the table are defined according to the level of inspection that was conducted.
LEVEL I - North American Standard Inspection - An inspection that includes examination of driver's license, medical examiner's certificate and waiver, if applicable, alcohol and drugs, driver's record of duty status as required, hours of service, seat belt, vehicle inspection report, brake system, coupling devices, exhaust system, frame, fuel system, turn signals, brake lamps, tail lamps, head lamps, lamps on projecting loads, safe loading, steering mechanism, suspension, tires, van and open-top trailer bodies, wheels and rims, windshield wipers, emergency exits on buses and HM requirements, as applicable.
LEVEL II - Walk-Around Driver/Vehicle Inspection - An examination that includes each of the items specified under the North American Standard Inspection. As a minimum, Level II inspections must include examination of: driver's license, medical examinees certificate and waiver, if applicable, alcohol and drugs, driver's record of duty status as required, hours of service, seat belt, vehicle inspection report, brake system, coupling devices, exhaust system, frame, fuel system, turn signals, brake lamps, tail lamps, head lamps, lamps on projecting loads, safe loading, steering mechanism, suspension, tires, van and open-top trailer bodies, wheels and rims, windshield wipers, emergency exits on buses, and HM requirements, as applicable. It is contemplated that the walk-around driver/vehicle inspection will include only those items which can be inspected without physically getting under the vehicle.
LEVEL III - Driver-Only Inspection - A roadside examination of the driver's license, medical certification and waiver, if applicable, driver's record of duty status as required, hours of service, seat belt, vehicle inspection report, and HM requirements, as applicable.
LEVEL IV - Special Inspections - Inspections under this heading typically include a one-time examination of a particular item. These examinations are normally made in support of a study or to verify or refute a suspected trend.
LEVEL V - Vehicle-Only Inspection - An inspection that includes each of the vehicle inspection items specified under the North American Standard Inspection (Level I), without a driver present, conducted at any location.
Roadside Inspections
Definition:The roadside inspection program consists of roadside inspections performed by qualified safety inspectors following the guidelines of the North American Standard, which was developed by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance in cooperation with the FMCSA. Most roadside inspections by the states are conducted under the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program(MCSAP) a grant program administered by the FMCSA. There are five levels of inspections including a vehicle component, a driver component or both.
A roadside inspection occurs when a MCSAP inspector conducts an examination on individual commercial motor vehicles and drivers to determine if they are in compliance with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) and/or Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMRs.) Serious violations result in the issuance of driver or vehicle OOS orders. These violations must be corrected before the affected driver or vehicle can return to service. Moving violations also may be recorded in conjunction with a roadside inspection.
Driver OOS Rate: The percentage of driver inspections that found serious violations and resulted in the issuance of a driver OOS order.
Vehicle OOS Rate: The percentage of vehicle inspections that found serious violations and resulted in the issuance of a vehicle OOS order.
Roadside Inspection Levels: The North American Standard Truck Inspection procedures have identified six levels of inspections. The Inspection types identified in the table are defined according to the level of inspection that was conducted.
LEVEL I - North American Standard Inspection - An inspection that includes examination of driver's license, medical examiner's certificate and waiver, if applicable, alcohol and drugs, driver's record of duty status as required, hours of service, seat belt, vehicle inspection report, brake system, coupling devices, exhaust system, frame, fuel system, turn signals, brake lamps, tail lamps, head lamps, lamps on projecting loads, safe loading, steering mechanism, suspension, tires, van and open-top trailer bodies, wheels and rims, windshield wipers, emergency exits on buses and HM requirements, as applicable.
LEVEL II - Walk-Around Driver/Vehicle Inspection - An examination that includes each of the items specified under the North American Standard Inspection. As a minimum, Level II inspections must include examination of: driver's license, medical examinees certificate and waiver, if applicable, alcohol and drugs, driver's record of duty status as required, hours of service, seat belt, vehicle inspection report, brake system, coupling devices, exhaust system, frame, fuel system, turn signals, brake lamps, tail lamps, head lamps, lamps on projecting loads, safe loading, steering mechanism, suspension, tires, van and open-top trailer bodies, wheels and rims, windshield wipers, emergency exits on buses, and HM requirements, as applicable. It is contemplated that the walk-around driver/vehicle inspection will include only those items which can be inspected without physically getting under the vehicle.
LEVEL III - Driver-Only Inspection - A roadside examination of the driver's license, medical certification and waiver, if applicable, driver's record of duty status as required, hours of service, seat belt, vehicle inspection report, and HM requirements, as applicable.
LEVEL IV - Special Inspections - Inspections under this heading typically include a one-time examination of a particular item. These examinations are normally made in support of a study or to verify or refute a suspected trend.
LEVEL V - Vehicle-Only Inspection - An inspection that includes each of the vehicle inspection items specified under the North American Standard Inspection (Level I), without a driver present, conducted at any location.
tuney443
Senior Member
I guess then level 6 is what I got last January:The bend over,touch your toes routine with the blue powder coated nalgene gloves treatment,followed by pulling my trailer out of service because the tires were inadequate for the load--so he said.Same tires,same backhoe,different scales and DOT ********.Cost me over $2K in tires,diesel,fine--all to make the state of NY richer.
Turbo21835
Senior Member
From what I see around here it really depends on the truck you are driving. Around here Dot likes to inspect Single axle dumps, pulling tandem axle equipment trailers. These are quick inspections, and its usually pretty easy to find something wrong with the set up. The ones DOT avoids are our Michigan Trains. Combined with tractor, trailer, and pup, you are looking at 11 axles. These are time consuming to inspect so DOT usually just looks the other way.
One thing i have heard that helps is keep your truck clean, and your cab in order. If you dont have piles of trash in the cab, and your paperwork in order, they usually let you go, around here at least
One thing i have heard that helps is keep your truck clean, and your cab in order. If you dont have piles of trash in the cab, and your paperwork in order, they usually let you go, around here at least
OCR
Senior Member
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2008
- Messages
- 1,195
- Location
- Montana
- Occupation
- Rancher/Farmer, Wildland Fire Fighter, State snowp
If you're pulling a full "bull rack", here in Montana... and it's during, or right after, a snow storm.... You'll never get pulled into the barn for an inspection.
LOL
OCR
LOL
OCR
dumptrucker
Well-Known Member
figurinette
New Member
I wanted to see if anyone have a rough idea about the cost of shipping a 50ft long 12ft high and 12ft wide excavator weighing about 87k lbs from Fort Worth, TX to Port of Galveston? I a getting all kind of diferent prices, but I was told that as log as it is not over 12ft wide nd over 105k lbs I do not need special permits
busdrivernine
Well-Known Member
Gross weight I am figuring that you will be over the 105,000 lbs if the excavator weighs in at 87,000
surfer-joe
Senior Member
Last spring, eastern states put on a big show for Dot inspections for several months. I was stopped several times but made it OK. Expect it every spring when snow goes off and it warms up some. Good time to take some vacation.
tuney443
Senior Member
NO--it's job security for the town,county,and state hiway truck drivers who run sanders silly.--They can't have competition from us private guys spreading a couple grains of sand here and there.
Ever see a state sanding dump truck in NY with a tarp on? I haven't.
Construct'O
Senior Member
The best you can do is try you best to keep your paper workup.Light working is a must,they will always stop if a light isn't working.
When stopped make sure if loaded you took time to get equipment chained down enough and hopfully the way they are looking for it chained down.
Lots of other things as mentioned above.Also have your overload signs and flashing light on and going.
Not last,but pray they aren't having a bad day and looking to take it out on you.Good luck:usa
When stopped make sure if loaded you took time to get equipment chained down enough and hopfully the way they are looking for it chained down.
Lots of other things as mentioned above.Also have your overload signs and flashing light on and going.
Not last,but pray
they aren't having a bad day and looking to take it out on you.Good luck:usacrash935
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 6, 2005
- Messages
- 99
- Location
- West Michigan
- Occupation
- Co-Owner of Lakeland Transportation
Theres is nothing you can do to prevent any level of inspection at the scales. Many times they work on a slected number, ie, every 10th truck gets a full blown unless they see something obvious. Roadsides usually happen because a officer noticed something as you went by. Keeping your equipment clean and maintained really does help. They dont mind getting dirty if they think they are going to find something but if it looks like you care, they tend not to look as hard. DO NOT give the officer any type of hard time, give him only the paper work he asks for, offer to help during the inspection (you dont have to but it makes it alot easier). Dont argue with him if you receive a citation, fight it in court. His mind is made up in the first 10 seconds of meeting you as to how the inspection is going to go, so dont blow it.
danhoe
Well-Known Member
Go to JJKeller.com, get all your stuff for pre trip inspections, that can tell you what they are looking for. My neighbor is a Michigan State dot cop. He keeps me in line, also keep everything clean and bright & NO TAILGATING will keep you from getting pulled over, he told me that is the first thing they will pull you over for and go from there. dan
Red Bank
Senior Member
nedly05
Senior Member
edit
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Safety Mgmt.
Active Member
(Retired Safety Auditor, from MSP in MI) I did 32 inspections a year for certification. They stop you they will check your license, med-card, insurance, registration, manifests, invoices, or shipping papers, log book if required (out side the 100 Air-Mile radius). These with be on every stop. Then if they decide to do a level one, level three or level five inspection you'll get more done. A level one is all the above plus the entire safety of the truck or truck/trailer, and all safety equipment. A level three inspection is the driver only as covered above. A level five will be the truck or truck/trailer safety inspection only without much on the driver, course they'll always ask for license, med-car and registration. They FMCSA requires all motor carrier divisions to do two brake check locations a year (usually at rest stops, not scales as too many of you skirt them). They do two seat belt checks a year, ( one Sargent sits with binoculars and let the two-three cars stop you down the road a half mile for no seat belt. All states have federal funding for these random checks and you can be subject to compliance reviews of all your company regulated files and paperwork also.