Does the DOT target truckers?

skyraider · May 18, 2013

Does the DOT target truckers? I know there are rules, and the IRS has rules too, but hey, the Tea Party was targeted, so how do you know your not being targeted in your big rig? Does the DOT keep an electronic record of every infraction you get and can you be pulled over at a weigh station just to double check you for a previous infraction in another state?

danthewolf00 · May 18, 2013

i'd have to say yes even tho I don't drive them because they do keep records of the companeys that don't bother to keep the fleet not just looking clean but lights or tires in good shape...
I mean I KNOW how much a tire cost at $200 each for my sprinter, but come on to buy a cheap retread and wonder why it blew after 30k miles of road...yes I know you can get good retreads but I see far to many treads sitting in the road after peeling off....putting on my flame proof undies now!

skyraider · May 18, 2013

danthewolf00 said:
i'd have to say yes even tho I don't drive them because they do keep records of the companeys that don't bother to keep the fleet not just looking clean but lights or tires in good shape...
I mean I KNOW how much a tire cost at $200 each for my sprinter, but come on to buy a cheap retread and wonder why it blew after 30k miles of road...yes I know you can get good retreads but I see far to many treads sitting in the road after peeling off....putting on my flame proof undies now!

I did not know that retreading of tires was still done, mercy

Monty · May 18, 2013

A business man that does not retread his good carcasses is simply wasting money.

Retreads are a viable option, especially if you own both tractor and trailer. Moving those tires from steer to drive to trailer can cut costs dramatically.

danthewolf00 · May 18, 2013

True but not every retreaded tire is done right or we would see less peel offs...

BigCat · May 18, 2013

danthewolf00 said:
True but not every retreaded tire is done right or we would see less peel offs...

I have had brand new tires last 10k miles and then shred. Nothing wrong with recaps.

zorry · May 18, 2013

I was taught MANY years ago that the most dangerous tire is a brand new tire. The first few thousand miles.
Hopefully better manufacturing processes have changed this.
With the new measuring and x-ray techniques used in retreading I wouldn't be afraid of retreads.
No matter what you run, an air pressure management program will improve your tire life and fuel mileage.

purgoose10 · May 18, 2013

Seems like it takes me a couple of times to get a response through. Anyway back to targeting.
Back in 02 or there abouts a scale man told me even though I have pre pass they would more than not pull me because our company carried hazardous. He also said if the company has a bad safety record they would also pull them and take a close look. I would say thats targeting.

zorry · May 18, 2013

Targeting, yes.
Justified, I'd say yes.

This is different from profiling where they pull in all guys that have long hair or flames on their trucks.

If the carrier has a bad record they should be looked at more until they improve their record.
Hazmat should be looked at more to hopefully prevent horrific incidents.

I hauled haz-mat exclusively for 14 years. I expected to be looked at more.

zorry · May 18, 2013

The western states at one time interacted amongst themselves.
A fellow truck hauler was ticketed after Oregon called Utah I believe and asked what time the driver went through their Port of Entry,or scale.
Most likely a log book issue. Many drivers looked at them as a joke years ago. Hence the nickname Comic Books.

purgoose10 · May 18, 2013

zorry said:
Targeting, yes.
Justified, I'd say yes.

This is different from profiling where they pull in all guys that have long hair or flames on their trucks.

If the carrier has a bad record they should be looked at more until they improve their record.
Hazmat should be looked at more to hopefully prevent horrific incidents.

I hauled haz-mat exclusively for 14 years. I expected to be looked at more.

That's true and as far as Hazmat I hauled Anhydrous Ammonia for more than 20yrs and was pulled more than usual, but then again I was only messed with one time. A rookie DOT guy pulled me to the side and said it smelled like Ammonia. It took an hour to convince him it wasn't leaking it just smelled like ammonia because it was ammonia. He called his boss (who was at home) to tell him about it. Anyway I don't think he ever did it again.

danthewolf00 · May 18, 2013

i can almost see the gib slap that rookie got lol

xiggi · May 18, 2013

Call me confused isn't targeting truckers the dot's job?

Sent from my Fisher Price ABC-123.

layoutshooter · May 18, 2013

xiggi said:
Call me confused isn't targeting truckers the dot's job?

Sent from my Fisher Price ABC-123.

NO, it is not. The DOT's job is regulating transportation. Which includes, but is not limited too, trucking. They are not empowered to target anyone.

xiggi · May 18, 2013

Their job is also to enforce those regulations.

Sent from my Fisher Price ABC-123.

layoutshooter · May 18, 2013

xiggi said:
Their job is also to enforce those regulations.

Sent from my Fisher Price ABC-123.

On ALL forms of transportation. Targeting is no different than "profiling". There are just as many problems with air traffic, boats and trains as there is with trucks. Enforcement should not TARGET anyone or any type of transportation. Enforcement SHOULD be used to improve safety, nothing more. ANYTHING else is nothing more than bully tactics, likely being used to push a political agenda. Only a government agency that is out of control will TARGET anyone.

xiggi · May 18, 2013

layoutshooter said:
On ALL forms of transportation. Targeting is no different than "profiling". There are just as many problems with air traffic, boats and trains as there is with trucks. Enforcement should not TARGET anyone or any type of transportation. Enforcement SHOULD be used to improve safety, nothing more. ANYTHING else is nothing more than bully tactics, likely being used to push a political agenda. Only a government agency that is out of control will TARGET anyone.

Just as many problems that just flat out wrong. The numbers of trucks dwarfs the other categories.

Sent from my Fisher Price ABC-123.

layoutshooter · May 18, 2013

xiggi said:
Just as many problems that just flat out wrong. The numbers of trucks dwarfs the other categories.

Sent from my Fisher Price ABC-123.

Not if one considers percentages. Gross numbers are always misleading. ONE tanker running aground can do FAR more damage than a hundred tanker trucks. Safety is safety. One airliner going down in a suburb will dwarf all of the numbers of dead and injured caused by trucks.

They are either for transportation safety, OR, a arm of the executive branch pushing an agenda. Nothing in between. A drunk ships captain or a drugged airline pilot is capable of doing the damage of untold numbers of drunk or drugged truckers. An engineer on a train can kill or injure hundreds in on incident.