DOT Officer Talks Violations & Performs Inspection For Truck Drivers

As a part of our 2023 January safety meeting, Officer Fleming from the Indiana State Police provided our staff and drivers with a talk about what qualifies as a violation to a DOT officer and Officer Fleming performs a Level 1 inspection in the presence of Trans-United drivers who ask questions to create clarity and dispel myths about how DOT Officers assess violations and perform inspections.

For more on Trans-United visit the links below.

[KamionKing]

can we talk about how these bad roads are killing our equipment? who do we truckers fine about that?

[woodersonandmelbatoast]

Got my annual inspection done over the weekend. Tuesday DOT pulled me in for an inspection and tell me my axle kingpin was loose. I tried tightening it and it wouldn’t budge it was tight as hell. Went in to tell him it was tight and he goes “if you say it’s tight it’s tight….still $150 though”. After I got back home I took it to the garage I frequent to have him look at it and he goes “dude that’s not loose…” moral of the story. DOT rules are up to the officers imagination.

[brianhunt]

This is the guy that wrote me up for an "audible air leak" years ago. I'll never forget him saying "I heard it when I walked up here the first time, but I don't hear it now, so I'm still going to put it on there." I couldn't help but laugh at him when I asked him if he knew what a leveler valve was.

[cornerspeed]

How to always pass DOT inspection? By avoiding and only pass by when scales closed.

[mattsprayberry]

Best way to prevent violations
RUN AT NIGHT
Because these government agents are too lazy to work past 8pm

[thedesertdwellerfromutah]

DOT should be concerned about the failing infrastructure of the Highway system and the damage they do to good equipment. I can't imagine how many Rigs have been damaged by garbage roads and Highways that get them out out of service at the next inspection. Fix your damned roads already you road pirates.

[vicpetrishak]

State Revenue Levels :
LEVEL - 3 💰
LEVEL - 2 💰💰
LEVEL - 1 💰💰💰
State to Driver 🖕🖕🖕

[tonytorres]

They should do inspection for cars aka four wheelers because there is ten times more violation in cars than in trucks

[gilbertoavina]

I always go around that scale. I'm fact I went around it today.

[tommygibs]

I've been driving truck a few years and I've yet to figure out what it takes to not fail an inspection. I've come to the conclusion that paying fines is apart of trucking. Cost of doing business.

[paulne]

States should have to pay truck drivers for every minute, whether on the scale or inspection. I was paid by the load, no detention time. They cost me quite a bit of money, yet I never got a fine. Start pulling cars in for inspection.

[vicpetrishak]

State Free Passes :
State trucks
County trucks
Agriculture trucks
Livestock trucks
Foreigner’s trucks

[thehonksterkadunedalickyda]

The 5th amendment says you don’t have to participate in an investigation that could incriminate you

[andrewhorsch]

Can we also talk about how he, multiple times stated they are “trying to find something”….
Your job is to keep the road safe, not make your money off us truckers…. You should hope you do not find something but if you do you do.

[Bentfrombeyond]

I've been put out of service twice, once for an issue with DMV not updated my medical card when submitted, and the second was pulled over for a level 1 because of a break light/turn signal I wrote up 6 separate times, and the mechanic never fully fixed, it annoys me that I need a DOT officer's write up to get the repairs I need approved sometimes. I showed him my pre-trip sheets showing the violating items.

[markboyce]

I only had maybe 5 tickets after 40 plus years as a OTR flatbed driver, with over 4 million plus miles and never put out of service.

[fuzy]

Many times those doing the inspections have no idea what they are doing
I have trucks written up for things that do not exist and have had the most obvious OOS violations pass

[hawkinsisland]

Was a school bus mechanic in NW Indiana for a number of years and dealt with Ofc. Fleming and the crew he worked with many times. I always found Ofc. Fleming to be very reasonable and affable, as well as very good at his job. His crew was always fair-that's all you can ask for..

[whiskeyrunner]

Keep your permit book cleaned out and up to date. If you can hand him what he is asking for quickly, he figures that you know what you are doing and ends the fishing trip sooner.

[koreycowan]

Great video... been driving 24 years... and this is the first time I've ever seen a dot officer explaining how they do the inspection.