One of the dreaded phrases a trucker hears is “pull around back and bring in your paperwork.” An experienced professional takes this in stride, with the confidence that the truck is mechanically sound and all driver related requirements are in order. You comply with the order and meet a DOT officer who is also an experienced professional; however, his expertise is an in-depth understanding of the regulations that he enforces, several times daily. His job is to ensure your compliance with all of the safety regulations, the serious and not so serious, but required none-the-less.
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. The regulation reference and the associated CSA severity weight points are shown in parentheses:
- Medical Certificate (§391.41) (CSA – 1 pt)
- The original or a copy must be on a driver’s person when on duty. 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.
- Exception – Effective 01/30/2012, if a driver has medical qualification indicated on the CDL a medical certificate is not required to be on the driver’s person; however, the CDL must continue be on the driver’s person. [§391.41 (a)(2) and §383.71(h)]
- Must have the [legible] full name of the issuing Doctor. (§391.43). If the Doctor’s name is not legible, it will not satisfy the requirement.
- Driver’s Record of Duty Status. (§395.8) CSA – 2 pts)
- If the shipper’s document number or the name of shipper and commodity is not entered on the log sheet, you could be cited for a logbook form and manner discrepancy.
- Seat Belt Use. (§392.16) (CSA – 7 pts)
- When a driver is pulled over to the side of the road, it is a common practice to unbuckle the driver’s seat belt to reach for papers while the LEO is approaching the cab door. You would likely be cited for not wearing your seat belt, particularly if the engine is still running. Keep the seat belt fastened until directed to produce your license and registration.
- Corrective Lenses [§391.43(f)] (CSA – 1 pt)
- If a driver only meets the visual acuity requirement of 20/40 while wearing corrective lenses, that fact must be indicated on the Medical Examiners Certificate and on the driver’s CDL. Drivers have been cited for not wearing their glasses when entering a scale house or otherwise in the presence of an LEO.
- Periodic Inspection Documentation. (Often called a DOT Inspection) (§396.17) (CSA – 4pts)
- Each commercial truck and trailer must undergo an annual periodic inspection and carry documentation in the vehicle. The document may be either the inspection report or a decal or sticker which contains the following:
- The date of inspection
- Name and address of the motor carrier
- Information unique to the vehicle, i.e. truck number or VIN
- A certification the vehicle has passed the inspection.
- HAZMAT shipping papers [§177.817(e)] (CSA - 3 pts)
- 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. If, upon being directed to do so, you bring those papers into the scale house without leaving a copy in the truck, you could be cited for a violation of the regulations.
- If the driver leaves the truck, the hazmat shipping papers must be either in the holder in the door or on the driver’s seat.
- In addition, when in the truck, at the controls, the hazmat shipping papers must be with reach of the driver when restrained by the seat belt.
These are a few of the thousands of regulations with which a driver must have a familiarity as required by §390.3(e). This statement may be the biggest “Gotcha” in the regulations because it states, in part: Every driver…shall comply with all applicable regulations in this subpart. Therefore, not being knowledgeable of the regulation could also be viewed as non-compliance.
Do you have a memorable “DOT Gotcha?” Add it to this short list in the comments below and help your fellow drivers avoid a citation, a fine, and the accompanying CSA severity weigh