Posted 2009-09-17 10:08 PM (#110823) Subject: DOT in MN
Elite Veteran
Posts: 792 Location: East Tennessee, USA, Planet Earth
D.O.T pulled my friend over when he was hauling hay home. He was told anything over 10,000 lbs is subject to D.O.T inspection. He gott an "out of service tag" on his truck and trailer. BTW....this was a personal truck.
Posted 2009-09-17 10:23 PM (#110825 - in reply to #110823) Subject: RE: DOT in MN
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 544 Location: Claxton, Ga.
If the hay was only for himself he should be fine. If he boards horses though, they are correct. They classified him as a business. What a pain in the rear.
Posted 2009-09-18 10:35 AM (#110835 - in reply to #110823) Subject: RE: DOT in MN
Regular
Posts: 83
If you are going to haul a large trailer, know the rules. There must have been a reason they tagged him "out of service". I don't think inspecting large loads is a bad thing. We've all seen unsafe loads of hay flying down the highway. That said, some of these DOT officers can get out of control with fines and etc.
Posted 2009-09-18 11:29 AM (#110839 - in reply to #110823) Subject: RE: DOT in MN
Elite Veteran
Posts: 714 Location: Minnesota
To be put "out of service" he had to be unsafe, i.e. brakes or lights. If he was only missing a fire extinguisher or some other thing, or even just not having a DOT sticker they would have given him a ticket and/or repair order and he would have been on his way.
Sometimes DOT does us all a favor when they put "out of service" stickers on.
Posted 2009-09-18 3:15 PM (#110844 - in reply to #110823) Subject: RE: DOT in MN
Veteran
Posts: 197 Location: MT
The state of MN is very strict on everything I once got a speeding ticket and it was outrages. If you ever go through MN I suggest that you follow the rules to the T. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think I saw a sign that said littering was a $500 fine.
Posted 2009-09-20 11:36 PM (#110912 - in reply to #110844) Subject: RE: DOT in MN
Expert
Posts: 2615
Well,those guys would have a stroke if they just drove down the .7 mile from our house to the highway where I live.Probably could rack up about 1mil in fines if they could CATCH them.
Posted 2009-09-21 11:01 AM (#110929 - in reply to #110823) Subject: RE: DOT in MN
Elite Veteran
Posts: 714 Location: Minnesota
brew26- Yes the fine for littering in MN is UP TO $500. We like to try and keep our state clean.
I just left our DOT inspector after having our busses get their annual inspection. Talked to him about the OP. He reiterated to me unless there is a major violation they would not red flag a vehicle. Example: If less than 80% of brakes operate properly it will fail. If you have four brakes like a pickup, one bad, you fail. Eight brakes like a pickup and tandem horse trailer, you can get by if two are bad. If you don't have brake lights and/or turn signals you will fail. Just having a burnt out bulb will not cause you to fail. Another possibilety is the vehicle may have been over weight or operating in an unsafe manner. They needed a reason to stop the vehicle in the OP.
Like I said before, these guys are out there to protect all of us, sometimes even from ourselves.
Posted 2009-09-21 11:24 AM (#110931 - in reply to #110823) Subject: RE: DOT in MN
Member
Posts: 42 Location: MN
You know I have hauled my hay every year on my car hauler. I hauled 160 loose bales 1st cutting and a guy cut me off my load came loose. I was on hwy 55 the sherrif stopped helped me re load the trailer and got me on my way. I keep my brakes, my lights, and my tires serviced been in MN all my life never had a problem unless I was doing something wrong or in Minnetonka ( a whole different issue) For the most part out in the country in MN they leave you alone unless your not follwoing some major safety rules.
Posted 2009-09-22 11:18 PM (#111014 - in reply to #110823) Subject: RE: DOT in MN
Member
Posts: 32 Location: chatfield mn
When a DOT inspection is done in most states they should be using the Federal Motor Carier Safety Standards. Part of those standarts in called the OUT OF SERVICE CRITERIA. If an inspector finds certain violations then the vehicle or combination of vehicles is out of service. It is up to the inspector depending on the danger to the public if the vehicle is fixed at the site of the inspection or allowed to go to the nearest repair facility. One of the most common out of service violations on small trailers is the brake away brakes. On most trailers the battery is either dead or the wires broken off and the trailer is then out of service until repaired. The inspector doesnt really have a choice weather to declare that vehicle out of service because when he lists certain violations on the inspection in his computer it automatically lists that vehicle as out of service. Weather he writes any tickets for the violations is up to the inspector.
DOT in MN
