New CDL Rules in Ohio

[lxt]

heres the thing, getting a CDL & learning pre trip/post trip & going through all the hoops n stuff is much different than the real thing!!

driving a 10, 13, 18 speed or even a 20 deep Mack is just the start....In my modest 22yrs of having & operating CDL equipment there is one thing I have learned.............if they wish to find something wrong they will!!!!

I was fresh outta school for commercial transportation technology (wanted to be a Dot man) I thought I could muster any inspection....Hmmmm sliding tandems to get your weight right??? door seal broken/improper........fire extinguisher expired inspection, broken reflective triangle....just to name a few!!

I was then humbled & embarassed............I could drive anything & repeat & show you a proper pretrip inspection in a military manner that Sgt Carter would of been proud of.......its the other things they hit ya for!!!!

A buddy of mine from Oh...said he got hit for improper load securement, lose dunnage & the fact he had gasoline, 2cycle oil, regular oil & hydraulic fluid with antifreeze & window washer fluid in the same box......no msds sheet!!!!!! Im thinking they`re not worried about 18 wheelers....they want the lawn/landscape types.............which includes Tree care!!!




LXT.................

 

[pdqdl]

No, that's not what is going on. They want MONEY! LOTS of $$$


Every DOT fine in our area is $200 for a defective vehicle. Anything they find wrong is "defective", every truck they write a ticket to is another $200 in their coffers. So...Inspect everybody for everything. If a truck is otherwise safe and proper, well...DAMN IT! Just FIND something obscure and write a ticket anyway. Somebody has to pay for this operation.

They called one of my pickup trucks "out of service", dangerous, unsafe to drive.

Because...


The little red light on the dash didn't come on when you set the parking brake.

Necessary repair? Pop the little button switch a few times to clean the contacts!


There went another $200. Of course, I feel bad for endangering the public that way, and I don't really mind being reminded to correct my sloppy, negligent ways of running my business. It's a good thing they were there to protect the general population from my dangerous truck.

 

[treevet]

heres the thing, getting a CDL & learning pre trip/post trip & going through all the hoops n stuff is much different than the real thing!!

driving a 10, 13, 18 speed or even a 20 deep Mack is just the start....In my modest 22yrs of having & operating CDL equipment there is one thing I have learned.............if they wish to find something wrong they will!!!!

I was fresh outta school for commercial transportation technology (wanted to be a Dot man) I thought I could muster any inspection....Hmmmm sliding tandems to get your weight right??? door seal broken/improper........fire extinguisher expired inspection, broken reflective triangle....just to name a few!!

I was then humbled & embarassed............I could drive anything & repeat & show you a proper pretrip inspection in a military manner that Sgt Carter would of been proud of.......its the other things they hit ya for!!!!

A buddy of mine from Oh...said he got hit for improper load securement, lose dunnage & the fact he had gasoline, 2cycle oil, regular oil & hydraulic fluid with antifreeze & window washer fluid in the same box......no msds sheet!!!!!! Im thinking they`re not worried about 18 wheelers....they want the lawn/landscape types.............which includes Tree care!!!

LXT................what a rush.

Yeah I agree. It also has a little to do where you run. I stay very local with a few exceptions and know most of the cops and went to hs with the police chief. If you constantly are getting on the highways....law of averages is gonna catch up with you and they gonna take some bucks from you and make life miserable.

Missed your old sig so indulged in momentary resurrection lol,.

 

[lxt]

Pdqdl...that I believe is true to.....certain states need the money!! wisconsin should be fun to operate in.....it seems that as we move forward it only gets worse....states on the verge of bankruptcy are needing to find ways to generate revenue.......everyone has to drive or most anyway!!

here the big thing is the grant funding for additional officers to curb road rage violators..........LOL, tailgate, flip someone off or just rude behavior behind the wheel will get you a fined.............Hmmm....the hell with the guy robbing the convenience store.....this sob just stuck his tongue out!!

Im thinking other than money the officers are happier cause doing this is much safer.........one guy here from pizza hut said it best....cops wanna catch criminals? deliver some pizzas undercover!! lmfao

hopefully in ohio that bill gets repealed!!




LXT...............

 

[pdqdl]

That's not how it works around here.

Kansas City, Mo. has a "special" DOT unit, just to enforce DOT regs inside the city limits. They are funded at least in part by a Federal grant, and...you guessed it...the city gets to keep all the fines.

About 4 years ago, the Missouri Highway Patrol cornered the KCPD DOT unit, and conducted "training" for a solid week. Same spot, every day, just 1/4 mile east of my shop. The prim and proper highway patrolmen were standing on the watch, while the KCPD cops were doing all the flagging down of trucks and crawling around inspecting.

The KCPD cops haven't been such big jerks since that happened.
1. They are nicer to talk to.
2. They either pull EVERYBODY over, or they have a visible cause for stopping you. Before, they would just see you at a distance, and chase you down for no good reason at all.
3. They will actually overlook some minor infractions now, and only issue a warning if they don't really find something worth a $200.00 ticket.

****************************************************************

I used to drive a semi-truck (almost 30 years ago), and I found that among all the states I traveled in, the very best, the most professional, were the Missouri HP. Kansas is pretty good, too, but they are more inclined to be ticket writers. Ohio was the very worst for being ticket writers, and the very worst for hanging out sneaky, trying to write tickets.

Texas was absolutely the most laid back about enforcement, and New Mexico was the most corrupt. They were so bad that they had signs posted in the scale houses about the penalties for bribing the scale house officers.

 

[TreeAce]

I am just wondering....Has anyone here ever passed there CDL test, in Ohio, the FIRST time? Its seems to be like common knowledge around here that you WILL take the test twice. And...of course...pay for it twice. A buddy of mine said that was BS and he was gonna pass it first time. This was two years ago. Day after his test I called him and he reluctantly admitted he failed. He failed the driving test for going to slow. He said the dude told him to turn ahead so he did and he swears the street had no speed limit sign so he did 25. They said the speed limit on that street is 45 and he was going to slow. FAIL. When he came back a week later and did it again he had same dude. He said dude just had him go around the block real quick n that was it. Ok ...PASS. Make the check out to......

 

[Grace Tree]

I can't remember when the law was new. Seems like it was the late 80's or early 90s we were given a pass on the driving test (time served) but we took the written test along with a local tank truck lines. There were probably 30 or 40 drivers at the testing which was put on by the Ohio State Patrol. I breezed the combination and air brakes which was all I needed but I got done so soon I went ahead and took all the other cert. tests. The thing that was strange was that they took at least 5 drivers to jail while I was there when they went to the desk to register. No valid license, wants and warrants and who knows what else but they cuffed them and hauled them out. Except for driving in snow I've never considered myself a very good driver but it seems like back then I could trust the guy driving in the next lane. Not anymore. I give trucks a wide birth.
Phil

 

[treevet]

me and my foreman passed first time

 

[epicklein22]

I am just wondering....Has anyone here ever passed there CDL test, in Ohio, the FIRST time? Its seems to be like common knowledge around here that you WILL take the test twice. And...of course...pay for it twice. A buddy of mine said that was BS and he was gonna pass it first time. This was two years ago. Day after his test I called him and he reluctantly admitted he failed. He failed the driving test for going to slow. He said the dude told him to turn ahead so he did and he swears the street had no speed limit sign so he did 25. They said the speed limit on that street is 45 and he was going to slow. FAIL. When he came back a week later and did it again he had same dude. He said dude just had him go around the block real quick n that was it. Ok ...PASS. Make the check out to......

My buddy just pasted on his first try yesterday. He went to a CDL "school". They provide the truck for the test, drive a little with you and talk pretrip with you. It isn't one of those full on trucking school, they already assume you can drive, they just teach the tricks and tips to pass the test.

I can't remember when the law was new. Seems like it was the late 80's or early 90s we were given a pass on the driving test (time served) but we took the written test along with a local tank truck lines. There were probably 30 or 40 drivers at the testing which was put on by the Ohio State Patrol. I breezed the combination and air brakes which was all I needed but I got done so soon I went ahead and took all the other cert. tests. The thing that was strange was that they took at least 5 drivers to jail while I was there when they went to the desk to register. No valid license, wants and warrants and who knows what else but they cuffed them and hauled them out. Except for driving in snow I've never considered myself a very good driver but it seems like back then I could trust the guy driving in the next lane. Not anymore. I give trucks a wide birth.
Phil

I believe the CDL started in '91.

 

[epicklein22]

Interesting thread. My employee and I just got our CDL together.

I felt the whole process gave a huge amount of beneficial knowledge. I have been driving commercial rated trucks in NJ and Oh for 40 years but just bought a 25 ton truck crane and felt it was time.

We picked up a truck load of information going thru the material and road test and inspection stuff, and now no worries about being legal. Learned to drive a 10 speed Eaton in the process (not from them).

So before getting your CDL, did you just driving vehicles that require a CDL license with a normal drivers license? Consider yourself lucky if that is the case.

 

[treevet]

So before getting your CDL, did you just driving vehicles that require a CDL license with a normal drivers license? Consider yourself lucky if that is the case.

yeah, 40 years driving cranes, big buckets, 15k chipper, air brakes....nobody ever gets stopped around here. But I sense things are a changin.

My ass is covered now.

 

[ATH]

Called my State rep's office today. The aide I talked to was not familiar with HB 82...glad I called to voice my support.