Inspection Citations Question?

[13aradox]

I received a citation yesterday for the first time at the CA border protection site entering from Las Vegas. The rear trailer upper running lights were out. I knew of this before the inspection, and had already contacted the breakdown team before hand. They told me that it wasn’t a DOT violation, I was ok to drive until I got it fixed.

With that said, I know there is carrier violations and driver violations. What’s confusing or what I dont understand is how that shows up on a PSP, and how other companies look at that later on.

Im also not sure what or whom to trust at my company when it comes to breakdown or violation issues. Yesterday the white light came on the trailer while my teammate was driving yesterday. We created a DVIR, and are DM said it was OK to drive. I don’t think that’s true, since that means there is an airleak in the trailers tires and brakes. But being inexperienced i don’t know.

Anyway, depending on what people say. I’ll have other questions to further devolve into the issue. I’ll post pictures of the violation,and the message I got from breakdown team. I tried to crop it to leave out any personal information. Thanks in advance for the help.

P.S. is Oldschool still around? He used to work at the company i currently working for, so figure he might have some insight on the situation.

[13aradox]

[PJerrold]

The citation you got for the lights should be made out to the company, just send it to your DM. That is your call to drive with a known violation or not, not your DM’s. That will come with experience on you knowing better how to make that call.

I’m more concerned about an air leak. If you get inspected any audible air leak is an automatic out of service. I’m not familiar with the white light you mentioned. My equip is older and I don’t have anything like that.

DM’s job is too get loads moved. They come in all experience levels. Many have never been in a truck, and don’t know what is allowed or not. Them telling you lights being out were not a DOT violation was BS!! as you found out the hard way.

You are the one responsable for that equipment being legal. Anytime you have contact with them make sure it is over your company messaging system, IE: in writing. If something goes wrong it won’t absolve you of any responsibilty, but you have documented proof others were involved in the decision. You being new and inexperienced could save your job. Office folks will say alot of stuff to drivers but if they won’t put it in writing you know domething is wrong. They will throw a driver under the bus in a micro second. Always make sure you cover your own butt!!!

[13aradox]

The message is from the breakdown team. Ifill out a DVIR. The breakdown team contacts me on what to do for a repair. This is either going to the nearest TA, or going back to the terminal for the repair. This is dependent on the repair.

So does the violation go on my PSP, or is it just the carrier that’s hit with the violation?

About the white light, so all the trailers have a white light that is on the front left of the trailer. You can easily see this from the mirror. Now if the light is on longer than 10-15min. It means there is a leak in the trailer air system. This can be either the main lines that run down the trailer, the lines that supply air to the tires, or the tires have a big enough leak to make the light stay on.

Most of the time there is a small leak in a tire, and when the trailer sits it loses air. The light will come on when connecting to the trailer, but then turns off after the tire fills back up with air.

With that said, i drive on a team. My teammate was driving, and I was sleeping. When I got up, I noticed the white light was on, and when I asked him how long it has been on. He said about an hour, so I said I we had to pull over and create a DVIR. We pulled into a pilot and did just that. After creating one, I went out and tapped the tires. The tires were fine, and then I was listening for leaking air. The air lines in the tandem frame had an audible air leak. I could easily tell that’s where it was coming from.

Anyway, after stating this in the tablet messages. That’s when my DM called me, and said if the trailer is able to be driven to the destination. Then it is fine to drive it there, and they would fix it later. This is after I asked him a few weeks earlier about if other issues were legal to drive. He said yes, which is why I’m not sure how the violations work, and if it’s going on my record or just the carriers.

In short, I have no issues finding the problems, and then reporting them. I just don’t know what is true or not when contacted by my DM or the breakdown team.

For example: I had an ABS light come on my trailer, and had a torn off mudflap at a pilot in Palm Springs CA. I submitted a DVIR, and was told by the breakdown team to drive back to the terminal in Bloomington CA to get it fixed. I then asked is it legal to do that, and what if I get inspected? Will I get a violation?

He said no, that he would send me a message in the tablet stating I’m going back to the terminal for repairs. Which was roughly 50 or so miles. Seems legit, but then again I’m not sure.

The problem isn’t really is my DM just full of it, but then if the breakdown team is full of it too. Then who, and what too if I have a problem? I know on monday I’m going to contact the safety coordinator about this, and see what she says. I just wanted to get an outside opinion, because I know people here will be honest. Along with no one here is gaining anything by telling me wrong information just to get me to drive.

[PJerrold]

Your DM wants the load delivered on time. As long as it rolls that is all they care about. They don’t want extra work to reschedule the delivery.

Breakdown who knows. They know whatever a problem is they can fix it cheaper. All the major truck repair places charge the daylights out of large carriers and they all know it. Just the wsy it seems too be.

When it comes to repair issues you need to look at it and determine if it’s a safety issue or not. Air leaks happen, can it maintain to a point it will still safely go down the road?? If so determine what the odds are of you getting caught from where you are too where they want you to go. If there is a scale house between you I wouldn’t take the chance. Just me. My luck is I would get pulled in and inspected. Also DOT has those companies on their radar because of past issues. You really need to know how your company stands in that regard.

Bottom line is its up too you what your willing to do. Your the one answering for it while your in transit. We all make judgement calls everyday. You will figure that out as you gain experience. I’m not sure on the PSP thing. I’m an O/O and own my equipment. Everything goes against me one way or the other.

I would be more concerned with your co driver. Going down the road an hour or so without checking an air leak out that they knew was occuring. I would have a big problem with that judgement.

[PJerrold]

As far as breakdown sending you a message directing what they want you to do, DOT could care less. If there are violations then your the one answering for it.