Dot Little Know Facts You Might Not Know.....
Topic 3075 | Page 2
I was under the impression that the bulb that is your flasher, is also your brake light...so if your flashers work, the bulbs are good...but that doesn't do much for the foot brake compression indicators...jat.. I followed a Teepee truck across the bridge the other day that had either a loose light line, or he needed to spread some pins in his plug in...I usually don't pass trucks going that way, cuz I get off at the first exit....but he was driving me crazy...I did 80 across the bridge to get by him, and leave him all the room he wanted..lol
OOS:
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.
I was under the impression that the bulb that is your flasher, is also your brake light...so if your flashers work, the bulbs are good...but that doesn't do much for the foot brake compression indicators...jat.. I followed a Teepee truck across the bridge the other day that had either a loose light line, or he needed to spread some pins in his plug in...I usually don't pass trucks going that way, cuz I get off at the first exit....but he was driving me crazy...I did 80 across the bridge to get by him, and leave him all the room he wanted..lol
In this case talking about the side marker/flasher on the side on the trailer in the middle. Not the back of the trailer.
OOS:
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.
Well, I will figure out a way to wedge the brake because I am of the anal class too. If the lights ain't shinning, I got to fix it before driving.
The newer trucks have a light cycler. In my International the worklight switch activates it with the key on. You just hold it down for a few sec onds and it starts up. Cycles through all the lights. I love that feature.
Here is one that is probably even more obscure....
When is it not required to have marker lights at the top of your trailer.
Answer: When you have an open top trailer.
I.E. When you have a flatbed or stepdeck with side kits etc.
Friend of mine lives right next door to the federal DOT rep for the state.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Stepdeck:
A stepdeck , also referred to as "dropdeck", is a type of flatbed trailer that has one built in step to the deck to provide the capabilities of loading higher dimensional freight on the lower deck.
Here is one that is probably even more obscure....
When is it not required to have marker lights at the top of your trailer.
Answer: When you have an open top trailer.
I.E. When you have a flatbed or stepdeck with side kits etc.
Friend of mine lives right next door to the federal DOT rep for the state.
Really? I mean really? I understand it but really? Not sure what to say. I am pretty sure flat beds and step decks do not fall in open top trailers .........*coughs and clears throat and whispers like Peanut from Jeff Dunham show*.......They don't have tops to the trailers and therefore could not put lights up top.
The lights are to mark where the edges of the trailer is and in this case like a flatbed should be. Has the same amount of marker lights as the bottom of a dry van and refer.
Now if you meant flatbed and step decks fall into the "Open Deck Trailer" category then you would be totally correct. But even so they still don't need light on top cause they have no roof.
I was seriously could not stop smiling while responding to this post. It also made me laugh a little bit.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Dry Van:
A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.Stepdeck:
A stepdeck , also referred to as "dropdeck", is a type of flatbed trailer that has one built in step to the deck to provide the capabilities of loading higher dimensional freight on the lower deck.
Lol....
We asked because I made a side kit that would allow us to haul tires. We deal with a lot of used tires and we had to take a load to SC. Well that side kit ended up being 13'6" and we were able to get over 1300 car and light truck tires on a 48 foot stepdeck. We asked because we were just as big as a dry van.
Other trailers such as belly, side and end dumps do not have lights either. I can't remember at the moment but I don't think grain haulers do either.
Dry Van:
A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.Stepdeck:
A stepdeck , also referred to as "dropdeck", is a type of flatbed trailer that has one built in step to the deck to provide the capabilities of loading higher dimensional freight on the lower deck.
Lol....
We asked because I made a side kit that would allow us to haul tires. We deal with a lot of used tires and we had to take a load to SC. Well that side kit ended up being 13'6" and we were able to get over 1300 car and light truck tires on a 48 foot stepdeck. We asked because we were just as big as a dry van.
Other trailers such as belly, side and end dumps do not have lights either. I can't remember at the moment but I don't think grain haulers do either.
The pic clearly shows the back of the trailer with all the lights in frame. The two lights I am pointing out in the post is the top two outsides light along the header at each corner.
So while the other trailers you mentioned don't have corner outside marking lights it's cause most of those don't have top corners and are not the widest part of the trailer but you will notice that at the widest part on most tankers have the lights and some even have them of the side of the trailer up towards the middle of the belly on the side.
Dry Van:
A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.Stepdeck:
A stepdeck , also referred to as "dropdeck", is a type of flatbed trailer that has one built in step to the deck to provide the capabilities of loading higher dimensional freight on the lower deck.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Speaking of tires...A few years ago I was hauling a full load of new tires and the DOT was cracking down on load securement and bills of Laden and wanted to give me the once over. He asked about my load and then asked if the number of tires was correct on the bol. I told him I had no idea. It might be. Could not tell ya for sure.
Now keep in mind this was a trash load of tires. Blow outs. Pieces of tires. Old recaps. Basically anything that came off and was replaced with new tires. Anyway we went out and he asked me to open the door and I said I couldn't cause I was not supposed to due to insurance reason and also I had signed the bills saying I would not. He got a bit angry and said he would do it and I set back knowing what would happen next. Every opened a trailer full of old tires that have spent the last month in 100 degree plus heat? The hot air that comes out is enough to makes Jabba The Hut stand up and say Wtf was that. After the air was released I still sat there and started feeling sorry for him cause the bills specifically stated the tires were pack in the trailer under pressure with a compactor. He stood there looking at the wall of tires and right then the trailer decided to throw up on him. He barely escaped as about 4000 lbs of rubber fell where he had been standing. Was he ****ed. Wanted to write me up for an uunsecured load and of course I argued the load was secured until he opened the trailer. The bills stated it was loaded with a compactor and was to be unloaded with a compactor. There was a one foot circle hole in the center of the trailer doors. Half on each door that a compactor arm would go into and hold back the tires so the doors could be safely closed and opened. At the time the trailer was built specially for this type of load. Re enforced and all. Not my fault they opened a trailer that clearly said do not open without proper equipment. Needless to say they had to get a second trailer to come out cause there was no way I was picking up a thing even if it would have fit back in the trailer. Which it would not have without a compactor.
OK this was a meaningless post except makes for a good story to tell.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
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Believe it or not not every truck has a hand brake(manual brake handle on the dash). I have a 2 foot crowbar that I use to stick between the seat and on the brake pedal.