First Time Pulled Over

Well me and my trainer were driving back from Odessa TX. Cruising along when all of a sudden a state trooper is behind us. Pull over and he says he is going to do an inspection. I said sounds good. My trainer had all of the papers ready to hand him should he ask me for them. He checked the whole rig. Didn't find anything. I did exactly what he told me. And when it was over he said " y'all are good to go, I am giving you a citation, a warning, for not having your papers visible when I got to your truck. " I said " thank you stay safe" but idk where I was supposed to keep the papers. If they would have been in the door he still couldn't have seen them because he came on the passenger side. Does any one know if a warning is points on my license? I had everything ready in arms reach.

Hazmat? The papers should have been placed on the passenger seat, first thing he would have seen. It's a bit of a nit, but I think that was his point.

Interesting - as G-Town said - if it's not HazMat - there is no specific location for your papers to be.

A warning is not points on your license. It will go on your PSP, and on your carriers CSA.

If you are hauling HM, then the following applies:

When you are behind the wheel, keep shipping papers within your reach (with your seat belt on) or in a pouch on the driverʼs door. They must be easily seen by someone entering the cab.

When not behind the wheel, leave shipping papers in the driverʼs door pouch or on the driverʼs seat.

If they were in the drivers door - then they were legal - even if he entered through the passenger door.

Typically, with HM paperwork, if you're getting inspected - you want to leave them on the drivers seat. Though technically, seat or door pouch is legal.

Rick

Hazmat? The papers should have been placed on the passenger seat, first thing he would have seen. It's a bit of a nit, but I think that was his point.

Except for the fact that the trainer was sitting in that seat.

Rick is right - papers in the driver's side door pouch are legal, regardless of where the officer entered the cab. I think the officer was simply wrong about that.

It seems like the papers were in neither place...passenger seat or door pouch. Big Holli, where were they?

"My trainer had all of the papers ready to hand him should he ask me for them. "

Sounds like they were in his hands, while he was sitting in the seat. Hmph. Almost sounds like the trooper couldn't find anything to "bust" you on, so he just got creative to scold you on something.

I would go to court for this one...

Unless other facts surface.

It seems like the papers were in neither place...passenger seat or door pouch. Big Holli, where were they?

We had the papers in a clear pouch next to my seat on the floor board. Within arms reach. When the trooper was walking to the passenger side , my trainer grabbed the paper work and had it all ready on his lap by the time the trooper got up to the window. I get my own truck Monday and will be putting a pouch on the driver door. Even though he still wouldn't have been able to see them. His exact words were " I should be able to see them as soon as I climb up. " It seemed to me that he wanted to argue. I just said "yes sir you have a good one" And yes it was a Hazmat load.

I would go to court for this one...

Unless other facts surface.

No recourse for warnings. This is how they get away with banging you for PSP/CSA points.

Rick

I called the Texas state police and the Louisiana state police (where my liscens is from) and confirmed that no points where taken for a written warning. I could have argued with the officer. But honestly he seemed to want that. And My hours were slowly ticking away. So I was nice took the ticket and left.