Question about DOT officers and GPS systems.
Posted by 0263111771@reddit | Truckers | View on Reddit | 47 comments
#1. Why do DOT officers target Car Haulers more than other truckers?
#2. Is there a trucker dedicated GPS system that tells you if roads are on is "no trucks allowed" and will also warn you of bridge hight before you get close to the bridge?
Existing_Inside5200@reddit
Trucker Path is my Bible. Hasn't steered me wrong!
Ancient_Cucumber2573@reddit
Have you been to Philly,Pittsburgh,Bronx if your using trucker path everywhere but the northeast it’s only good for finding parking and weigh station status and taking to truck entrance.
Ancient_Cucumber2573@reddit
Use Google Maps street view to plan and it will warn you of detours but Truckmap,trucker path,hammer will warn you of low bridges ahead but they aren’t always plug and play and detours mess them up cause in certain areas once you go off the route it gives you it will send to the worst area possible.
planetbuster@reddit
yeah, several of them, i use garmin DEZL 810 and as a backup an app called hammer on my tablet which also runs my ELD (motive)
that way i dont get screwed if the tablet loses cell connection in the mountains
sunnypolarbear@reddit
Idk 1 but 2 is trucker path if you're willing to pay. There's also the usual Garmin and Rand McNally. There's some others floating around, but I'm not sure about those
0263111771@reddit (OP)
Thank you.
sunnypolarbear@reddit
You're welcome. I will say I do agree with the others. It'll help you get where you're going, but actually watching the road ahead helps as well. Maybe even get yourself an atlas as well and a cb. It'll give you much more details than what you would think. It's old school but it still works.
RestoWolf629@reddit
Would recommend Garmin Dezl. You can buy used or refurbished not necessary to buy from a truck stop or brand new. Would not recommend trucker path because you have to pay forever.
AgapeAnus@reddit
.
Existing_Inside5200@reddit
I'm obsessed with Trucker Path. I gladly pay with my accumulated points each month. It's an awesome app for sure!
ParticularArrival111@reddit
If youre following a GPS blindly it doesn't make a difference if its a trucker GPS or not, you will not make it in this industry.
heartatpeace@reddit
Can I ask why without getting attacked by you hahaha I’m a new driver and tend to depend on it a lot, but I also do pay attention to signs.
SaltAndBitter@reddit
If I had a dollar for every time my GPS tried telling me to leave the interstate for no fucking reason and immediately rejoin it, tried to force me onto an Interstate solution when a US highway was more direct, tried to send me on wacky ass roundabout bullshit, tried to send/not send me down a road I wasn't/was supposed to be on, incorrectly flagged weight limits, and otherwise just generally fed me bullshit that would've gotten me into trouble if I hadn't just elected to ignore it and do the right fucking thing, I'd be richer than Jeff Bezos.
ParticularArrival111@reddit
Im not attacking you but I am being stern. You need to understand that you are driving a 75 ft long and almost 14 foot high vehicle. Even the best trucking GPS will screw you eventually and best case you have a awkard time backing up to a safe place to turn around. Worst case you have to get a winch out and lose your job. All I'm saying is plan your route ahead of time, use the GPS as a tool not a guide. If youre not sure about a road you can always check an atlas too. The GPS is great for satellite imagery and reminding you to turn. You can also use the GPS and just follow the path before you start the trip look around you'll know what a good highway is and what looks questionable.
heartatpeace@reddit
I appreciate your response, I did order the 2026 Randy Mcnaul atlas. I’m starting orientation tomorrow. So I’m green as green poop. I am trying to be serious about this career and what you mention does make me nervous so I appreciate the advice.
ParticularArrival111@reddit
As long as youre going to a decent company they will teach you route planning in orientation to their standards and the trainer after that will teach you real world planning as long as they are a good trainer.
Pitiful-MobileGamer@reddit
I just ran with a load of Porsches, and a 2 week rookie with an identical load from a sea terminal offload point to a bunch of dealerships.
I did this during blitzweek. I got away unscathed, however my rookie didn't. What's crazy we were matching loads, I built these load identical and had each of us loaded to the centimeter, and we were within 100 lb of each other.
We were in touch with each other during the entire 1400 mi run. I know we're legal, I know we're dimensional compliant.
So we got to a Port of Entry scale, not going to say where, I roll through first, scalemaster puts me on the pad. 30 seconds on the red light I'm thinking I'm about to go get a full court press, I get the green. So I slow roll out while my rookie gets on the pad behind me. He catches the same red, but they send him off to the inspection light.
No biggie, this POE has parking so I put it over in the parking and walk over to lend my hand being the experience member of this drive.
So scalemaster says that he's 1400 on his drives over, produces a scale print out from their scale that shows his gross weight to be over 1400 of my gross weight, but also showing 1300 lb over to the cat scale we got 6 hours before. We were full at the scale, and we were full from a fuel stop 15 minutes before.
So now this is where the bullshit happens. He tells us that my rookie is over dimensional, 59 in over the back light, where the max allowed is 48.
But my load is compliant, even though I'm showing him that our vehicle positioning is identical through photos. He would not bring out the length stick and proof the citation. I got this on a recording cuz I had my phone going.
So I offer to grab mine, to when I get told point blank is if I put it on the ground on state property they're going to arrest me. Okay. Aren't these guys being fun. I find out what do we need to do to be legal and compliant, we need a rearward signaling device.
Luckily, I have a magnetic red light. Rig up a compliant signaling device, pick up the $325 overweight citation. And roll.
One and a half miles down the road, there's a cat scale. We go on it. He is 100% fine. I go and take out my measuring stick, he is 46 in off the back. Like mine
Fun way to spend 3 hours on a Wednesday.
SaltAndBitter@reddit
Have your rookie follow the instructions on the CAT scale ticket. The ones printed at the very top of it. Either dude's getting that shit tossed, or he's getting reimbursed... either way, that bullshit ticket ain't coming out of his pocket.
PanicRevRay@reddit
Is he going to fight that in court?
Pitiful-MobileGamer@reddit
We are fighting it, I believe I have enough evidence to get it tossed as soon as the district attorney sees the evidence I have collected.
I believe what happened was he stopped abruptly on the pad and it shifted some weight on the drives. Or the scale is out of calibration.
Independent_Leg7358@reddit
Definitely argue scale is out of calibration, because they will end up tossing about every ticket from it when proven.
The other thing that can happen is when stopping as air bags adjust you can put a lot of pressure somewhere. Best way to stop on a scale is use just the trailer brakes or set just the tractor brake
bogey9651@reddit
Actually the best way is to not set any brakes. I've had dot just say let take. I've had dot just say let take your foot off the brake. Same with the catSame with the cat scales. They are perfectly level and you will not move unless you have a very strong wind.
Independent_Leg7358@reddit
Or liquid.
gizzmo1963@reddit
Contact Cat scales they'll fight the over weight ticket
jmzstl@reddit
Is he going to fight the ticket? I think CAT would be willing to send an expert witness to court as part of their guarantee.
Independent_Leg7358@reddit
Go to court or better yet send an attorney who is game for collecting his fee from the court.
RamblingswithInoki@reddit
You can get the Hammer app it’s free and paid. My husband does the paid and never had issues with it. It will only take you on truck routes specifically for your truck if you enter your truck height, weight, length, width, and what you are hauling, even hazmat. (And no, I don’t get paid by them, we pay them lol)
MoldyToblerone@reddit
I got stopped at a scale BT on Wednesday got a registration violation for some IRP shit and the dumbass officer put the state of the plates on the cab as CA when they were IN like no wonder the registration doesn’t come back. Already disputed it through DataQs and it was confirmed it was wrong now working with my company to see if the violation will appear on my record even once it was confirmed an error.
truckensafely@reddit
Yes, Garmin makes lots of truckers GPS & sold on Amazon & many truck stops, in different price ranges. Highly recommend getting one. Also, couple of truckers apps in your smart phone but not 100% accurate.
Alarming_Star_6549@reddit
I'm a car-hauler, I use a Garmin 760. You set the settings and 90% of the time its great but you still gotta pay attention for height signs and no thru truck signs. I pay attention to signs carefully, I dont tickets or damaging cargo.
Ok_Bug_6470@reddit
I’ve noticed a lot of weight limits on bridges in Arkansas that aren’t in the atlas or on the gps
up3r@reddit
I don't see DOT harassing car haulers more than other drivers. I would put Hotshot as the top prey for DOT based on what I've observed.
WMDZipperbag@reddit
Maybe specifically hotshots hauling cars. Could be some logic at play. I know there’s quite a variance of weight for vehicles in general. I recall saying “Man I know that guys got to be heavy”. Driver responded something like those cars are only 1,500 pounds each (Something along those lines). Seems it used to be like 4K, and 3K was amazingly light
0263111771@reddit (OP)
I based that first question off of several posts I have seen on this page.
hoarder59@reddit
I got a full inspection in Ontario. Only twice in about 12 years. Both times pulling a carnival ride. Just doing a favour for a friend. MTO said he pulls over every ride or game he can.
LongjumpingCat6642@reddit
Different officers target different trucks, it’s personal preference. I know a trooper that targets box trucks heavily because so many of them are CDL trucks with non CDL operators
Physics-Pool@reddit
I would only assume (because I dont drive car haulers) that they would be targeted because its easy money...lots of moving parts and additional securement/placement that needs to be correct to avoid violations. It's why I'm targeted for hazmat...
Garmin Dezl has been almost 100% for me. You can switch between car/truck mode and when in truck mode you can set your height/ weight/ haz restrictions and settings. (FYI you do NOT need the 10" one thousand dollars one to benefit from it..the small one works just as well (<- she probably won't tell you that but the boys who know will!!).
Gilgamesh2000000@reddit
There is software out there that shows your speed and where you were driving. The dot can write you tickets off that data.
Ok_Application_2292@reddit
Could be a high drug lane - but in ATL lots of “hobbist” trying to be a trucker without being fully legal. So…. They don’t call it profiling for nothing…
Jondiesel78@reddit
I don't think they do. Those trailers just have a lot of moving parts, so they get pulled in because they tend to look rough
Rand Mcnally does. You need to program your height, weight, and width into it.
groovyinutah@reddit
My Rand McNally does that and warns you on weight limits.
Justin_peacemaker@reddit
Garmin dezl, rand McNally both have truck dedicated gps.
Both have clearance and weight knowledge, both are dependent on user inputs. Neither is perfect.
I have used the dezl more than 10 years now. It has not yet led me into a place I should not have been. However, construction zones can confuse it.
DOT are civil union workers, intrinsically lazy and looking for easy prey.
Dry_Mobile1190@reddit
I think its the opposite for car haulers.. hotshot and box trucks get targeted the most but 7/9 car hauler dont really get touched. My dad runs a 9 car and has gotten pulled over twice in the last 5 years and both times were for suspicious vehicles. I run a 7 car and have yet to get inspected or pulled over
Redsit111@reddit
Also idk on 1. I have only gotten a roadside inspection once in 3 years.
Crowhop11@reddit
Yeah, just look for a trucking GPS and it has those features. Keep in mind tho, you still need to trip plan properly in unfamiliar areas because none of those trucker GPS systems are perfect. They’re mostly right, but definitely not perfect so you still have to pay attention and use your own common sense when it comes to following it blindly.
Zaphod-Beebebrox@reddit
Garmin has Truck GPS's ..
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