Don Hummer Trucking

Tips for Improving Inspections

Posted on August 22, 2018 at 4:12 PM by Blog Committee

Iowa Council of Safety Managers

 

Officer inspects truck driver's paperwork

This week I became a member of the Iowa Council of Safety Management (ICSM). This division of the Iowa Motor Truck Association sponsors numerous award and recognition programs, safety education courses, and hosts monthly meetings designed to provide professional networking. ICSM proudly sponsors numerous outreach events, most notably the Iowa Road Team and the Iowa Truck Driving Championships. In addition, the ICSM works to develop public truck safety policy.

This week ICSM members spent a few hours at the Dallas County Iowa Weight Station. We learned the scale system is completely automated regardless of whether or not you have a PrePass. Driver and equipment inspections are performed randomly unless of course, you roll onto the scale with obvious visible issues. One major item of note is that if your paperwork (trailer registration and inspection, permit book, CDL, medical card, etc.) is organized and easily accessible, the officers are appreciative and doesn’t hold up drivers. The one driver that blamed his company for not having the annual trailer inspection in the registration box did receive a violation for 396.17c Operating a CMV without proof of a periodic inspection as it pertains to the pre-trip and post-trip inspection. 

 

Here are some tips for making your next inspection hassle-free:

  • Weigh in motion, follow speed limits.
  • Keep documents up-to-date and readily available. Permit book, CDL, Medical card, trailer inspection and registration.
  • Be professional and courteous to your inspector.
  • Keep your truck clean and know where everything is kept.
  • Be aware of the “Out-of-Service” criteria.

 

 

Written by Greg Edwards, Safety & Training Manager

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