Come on guys it could have happened to any of you and you all know it.
Actually, I can say with all certainty that it would not have happened to me. While it can happen to anyone that a lamp seen working during a pre-trip can stop working while you are driving, it would not happen to me that it would happen a second time.
If I got cited for a defective lamp and then saw the lamp working again when nothing had been done, that would tell me that I had an intermittent problem that needed diagnosis and repair. Such problems are usually caused by bad wires or bad connections. I would have jiggled wires, traced circuits, cleaned up connections, and changed the bulb until I had either found the cause or satisfied myself that the circuit was sound.
The TA mechanic saw a functioning light and saw no reason to proceed. That did not make the intermittent problem go away and the receipt he issued does not become a permission slip that absolves you of responsibility.
Even if you do not have the mechanical skills and tools to troubleshoot the problem yourself, if you have a light work sometimes and not work at other times, and a mechanic tells you the light is OK, the on-again, off-again experience with the light will tell an alert driver that the light is not OK, even if the mechanic says it is. Failure to pursue the problem resulted in additional citations.
Then a broken strap on a fire extinguisher. That was another failed DOT! Come on, the top holder was secure and the bottom strap was secure. As long as it was secured why would it matter that 1 of the 2 straps was broken. Not even completely broken, just almost?
One might just as easily ask, if the strap was broken or worn, why did you not do something about it before the cop cited you? He did not install a bad strap in your truck and then cite you for it. It was there and you let it be.
Then reflection tape another failed violation. How many of you have reflection tape on the TOP and BOTTOM of your bumpers. I made it a point to look at other trucks and very few have any reflection tape at all on their bumpers moreless top and bottom. There was reflection tape on the top how did I know it had to be on both?
As others have indicated in this thread, you may have grounds to contest that particular citation. Members here are not clear about the rule itself. As far as "how did I know it had to be on both?" You would know by reading the regulations. They are available online and in the green FMCSA handbook carriers give you in orientation (I presume). If you don't have one, they can be purchased at truck stops.
The new CSA rules are prompting drivers of all stripes to learn more about the rules. Even those with zero or low CSA points are going back to the rule book to read them again. How do you know what the rules are? You read the rules.
Another failed DOT was the tag was bent, I kid you not, the guy put it as a violation that the freaking tag was bent where the wind was whipping at. That happens to these straight trucks all the time. Get real.
Actually it does not happen to straight trucks all the time. On our straight truck, we had a solid plate installed on which to mount the tag. The wind is not an issue. It happened on yours because your owner did not install such a plate. You got the citation because you accepted the truck in that condition and drove it.
Another one was the back DOT bumper had been bent. Paaahleeeese! Everyone take a look at all the truck around you and see how many have bent dot bumpers! Get real!
So, are you saying that because other trucks have bent bumpers it is OK for yours to have one too? What about bad tires and brakes? Lots of trucks have bad tires and brakes. Is it then OK for you to have them too?
Another failed DOT was wiring coming from the blinkers! Officer said if you could see a wire when walking up to a truck it was a violation!
I believe an exposed or unsecured wire is a violation. If the cop could easily see it so could you. Why was the wire left alone before you got to the scale?
If all these piddly little things were violation then why did they all come from different officers during different DOT inspections in under 2 months, actually about a 6 week period? Why didn't the first DOT inspection name everyone of these violations the first time instead of each one coming up with some piddly little thing
Piddly or not, they are violations to which CSA points are attached. The CSA points are not piddly and for that reason alone the items should have been fixed before you accepted the truck.
This is such a DUH situation and u guys know it. But if it makes you feel good to say "Oh I am the great driver it would never happen to me" then go right ahead.
I just did, but not to say I am a great driver. I said what I said and cited my example so newbies reading this thread will know that there is a great deal that can be done to keep one's CSA score low. And so they will know that the excuses you offer carry no weight. Nothing you have said changes the fact that the driver is responsible for the truck and you chose to drive a junker truck while demonstrating no concern for having defects repaired before they were cited.
Just don't be honest about it and hide it under your belts because I would just bet each of you truck drivers (doubt the vans as you don't have to put up with crap like this) have something that has happened.
It does indeed happen to drivers that a defect develops after a good pre-trip is done and the driver is cited for the defect after it develops. It does not commonly happen to these same drivers that they rack up 100+ CSA points in a short period of time. Some of those 100 points may not be deserved but they are all yours now.
It was quite clear DOT wanted that truck off the road. There was NOTHING mecanically or safety wrong with the truck. DOT could not find anything so they nit picked it! It happens. That is why we are NOT IN THE TRUCK! We returned the truck because it was being targeted by DOt AND IT WAS OBVIOUS! Excuse me for believing in a company and thinking they would come through for us. I reported it after the first with the wiring! And might I add I fixed every little thing they could come up with. How were we two know it was going to keep happening. The weekend with the 3 DOTs, one friday one saturday and one sunday was the final straw we called the company and told them if they could not come up with another truck we were returning their truck and we did report it to our carrier! These DOTS happened in a very short time it is not like it was a long drawn out affair!
If these points do not end your career as a truck driver, I can only hope that you have learned the importance of being knowledgeable, proactive and self-responsible for keeping your CSA point score from growing higher.
You have complained about nit-picking cops and piddly violations. You have used the TA receipt as a permission slip to continue when you should have further pursued the problem. You plead ignorance of the rules as a defense. You also used the defense that everyone else is bad so I should be free to be bad too.
Nowhere in your statements do I see you taking responsibility for the fact that you accepted a junker truck in the first place, and after doing so, failed to get the defects repaired before they were cited.
If you continue with that it's everyone else's fault and not my fault approach, you will find that DOT will not only work to get your bad truck off the road, it will work to get you off the road too. That's what CSA is all about and your recent batch of points puts you squarely in DOT's cross hairs.
