Industry Opinions: DOT Inspection Pitfalls
This week Terry O’Connell at Team Run Smart went over some basic violations that can catch truck drivers by surprise while enduring inspections by state officers and at weight stations.
He created a short list of things even veteran truck drivers can get caught with, alongside the regulation reference and the associated CSA severity weight points in parentheses.
As he says in his helpful column, “It is well known, or at the very least, a common belief, that a DOT officer worth his salt can always find a defect somewhere on a vehicle or a defect related to the driver’s requirements. Here are a few of the common driver related omissions or mistakes.”
What are some of the common DOT violations that every truck driver may have to experience?
- Truck Driver Medical Certificate Violations – If you keep the medical card in the truck and happen to be outside with an LEO, he could cite you for not having a certificate.
- Truck Driver Record of Duty Status – Don’t get caught without citing a shipper’s document number and commodity on your log sheet.
- Semi Truck Seat Belt Use – Use them. Keep the seat belt fastened until directed to produce your license and registration. It’s a hassle otherwise.
- Truck Driver Eye Sight/Corrective Lenses – Drivers have been cited for not wearing their glasses when entering a scale house or otherwise in the presence of an LEO.
- Semi Truck Periodic Inspection Documents – Each commercial truck and trailer must undergo an annual periodic inspection and carry documentation in the vehicle.
- Class 8 HAZMAT Shipping – Every driver who accepts for transportation a hazardous material for which a shipping paper is required must have the shipping paper and emergency response information readily available ON the truck.
Read the whole article at Team Run Smart, from Freightliner Trucks.
The Standard Diesel Truck Pre-Trip Inspection
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