New Driver, First Time Getting Pulled Over, What Now?

Topic 31670 | Page 1

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Not I.'s Comment
member avatar

So I do CDL B Hazmat , I only have like 4 months experience. I got pulled over for not stopping properly at a railroad, along with/for having a right front turn signal and right front hazard bulb out. Long story short as much as possible, I got warnings for all three, not cited or fined, but the thing that concerns me is on the paper he marked it and it says failure to stop at a railroad along with the bulb stuff.

Now I have tried to ask around other places how this all works with warnings, and ask is this bad, and tons of people all said I will probably never get hired anywhere for a long time from this, and basically that I better pray that this job works out. So a warning for these things my record is ruined? Just want to know what to expect from this.

I took this into my manager and he said DOT are *******s, and signed off on it since the bulbs were repaired that day and I haven't heard nothing since. I just don't know what's going on here when I got people who been doing this forever talking like I am probably gonna be fired or never work again kind of thing. So...where do I go from here, is that failure to stop at a railroad thing going to ruin me if I need to find another job with it just being a warning?

CDL:

Commercial Driver's License (CDL)

A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:

  • Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
  • Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.

HAZMAT:

Hazardous Materials

Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations

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.

PackRat's Comment
member avatar

When at all possible, never take a warning citation; always request a ticket. A warning goes onto your record and cannot be removed or contested in court. No points assessment, but it's on your record for at least three years before dropping off.

Not I.'s Comment
member avatar

When at all possible, never take a warning citation; always request a ticket. A warning goes onto your record and cannot be removed or contested in court. No points assessment, but it's on your record for at least three years before dropping off.

Ok, now I can't seem to get a clear answer on how that part works. So some say it effects my current employer/their record, but some folks say a new place if I was to look for a new job down the road in this time frame they see I have points, but can't see the actual violations....is this true at all, or some of it?

PackRat's Comment
member avatar

No points on a warning.

Future employers will see this on a background check, and on the application you fill out. In a couple of months, this will show on your DAC report.

This is not even close to being a black mark of banishment from driving jobs. List it, then when asked, explain what happened, what you did wrong, then how you would have done it correctly.

DAC:

Drive-A-Check Report

A truck drivers DAC report will contain detailed information about their job history of the last 10 years as a CDL driver (as required by the DOT).

It may also contain your criminal history, drug test results, DOT infractions and accident history. The program is strictly voluntary from a company standpoint, but most of the medium-to-large carriers will participate.

Most trucking companies use DAC reports as part of their hiring and background check process. It is extremely important that drivers verify that the information contained in it is correct, and have it fixed if it's not.

Bobcat_Bob's Comment
member avatar

I assume you were had placard displayed when crossing? Which one out of curiosity? Did you come to a complete stop and look bothways before crossing? I always make sure to come to a complete stop for a few seconds before crossing that way there is no doubt.

When at all possible, never take a warning citation; always request a ticket. A warning goes onto your record and cannot be removed or contested in court. No points assessment, but it's on your record for at least three years before dropping off.

Normally I'd agree, but since this is Hazmat a conviction is a minimum 60 days license suspension and probably immediate termination. A warning in this case might have been the better option.

This is not even close to being a black mark of banishment from driving jobs. List it, then when asked, explain what happened, what you did wrong, then how you would have done it correctly.

This I agree with, places that carry Hazmat might pass on you but someone else will take a chance. Just keep out of futher trouble, the longer you keep a clean record the less of an effect this will have.

HAZMAT:

Hazardous Materials

Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations

Not I.'s Comment
member avatar

Yes I had all placards up, wasn't anything to do with that, it was cause he said I stopped too late. The railroad was on a major highway, 65mph, I was trying to be cautious and not sudden stop at those speeds due to traffic. Which I guess he understood in some sense for just the warning.

I am curious also do these exact violations show in the database? From my research other companies can't specifically see what they were for on my profile, just actual points, is this true or am I misinformed?

HOS:

Hours Of Service

HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Banks's Comment
member avatar

Yes I had all placards up, wasn't anything to do with that, it was cause he said I stopped too late. The railroad was on a major highway, 65mph, I was trying to be cautious and not sudden stop at those speeds due to traffic. Which I guess he understood in some sense for just the warning.

I am curious also do these exact violations show in the database? From my research other companies can't specifically see what they were for on my profile, just actual points, is this true or am I misinformed?

It's because you had placards. You're only required to stop if you have placards.

Your employer can put it on your DAC report if they choose to. If you apply to another company and they pull up your DAC, there's a chance it can be there.

DAC:

Drive-A-Check Report

A truck drivers DAC report will contain detailed information about their job history of the last 10 years as a CDL driver (as required by the DOT).

It may also contain your criminal history, drug test results, DOT infractions and accident history. The program is strictly voluntary from a company standpoint, but most of the medium-to-large carriers will participate.

Most trucking companies use DAC reports as part of their hiring and background check process. It is extremely important that drivers verify that the information contained in it is correct, and have it fixed if it's not.

HOS:

Hours Of Service

HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.

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.

Not I.'s Comment
member avatar

double-quotes-start.png

Yes I had all placards up, wasn't anything to do with that, it was cause he said I stopped too late. The railroad was on a major highway, 65mph, I was trying to be cautious and not sudden stop at those speeds due to traffic. Which I guess he understood in some sense for just the warning.

I am curious also do these exact violations show in the database? From my research other companies can't specifically see what they were for on my profile, just actual points, is this true or am I misinformed?

double-quotes-end.png

It's because you had placards. You're only required to stop if you have placards.

Your employer can put it on your DAC report if they choose to. If you apply to another company and they pull up your DAC, there's a chance it can be there.

So if my manager just turned the signed paper in for it being resolved with the bulbs out it won't show in the system for me? Companies/my company can sign and turn these warnings/reports in without actually reporting my violations into the system or something to effect me? Maybe I am misinformed, just trying to understand this all and how my future will be effected if at all.

DAC:

Drive-A-Check Report

A truck drivers DAC report will contain detailed information about their job history of the last 10 years as a CDL driver (as required by the DOT).

It may also contain your criminal history, drug test results, DOT infractions and accident history. The program is strictly voluntary from a company standpoint, but most of the medium-to-large carriers will participate.

Most trucking companies use DAC reports as part of their hiring and background check process. It is extremely important that drivers verify that the information contained in it is correct, and have it fixed if it's not.

HOS:

Hours Of Service

HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.

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.

G-Town's Comment
member avatar

One more reason why it’s important to trip plan using a truckers Atlas and/or local map. Know the route; especially if you are placarded so RR grade crossings can be noted and not a surprise.

Not I.'s Comment
member avatar

Still curious on how this works...

double-quotes-start.png

double-quotes-start.png

double-quotes-start.png

Yes I had all placards up, wasn't anything to do with that, it was cause he said I stopped too late. The railroad was on a major highway, 65mph, I was trying to be cautious and not sudden stop at those speeds due to traffic. Which I guess he understood in some sense for just the warning.

I am curious also do these exact violations show in the database? From my research other companies can't specifically see what they were for on my profile, just actual points, is this true or am I misinformed?

double-quotes-end.png

double-quotes-end.png

It's because you had placards. You're only required to stop if you have placards.

Your employer can put it on your DAC report if they choose to. If you apply to another company and they pull up your DAC, there's a chance it can be there.

double-quotes-end.png

So if my manager just turned the signed paper in for it being resolved with the bulbs out it won't show in the system for me? Companies/my company can sign and turn these warnings/reports in without actually reporting my violations into the system or something to effect me? Maybe I am misinformed, just trying to understand this all and how my future will be effected if at all.

DAC:

Drive-A-Check Report

A truck drivers DAC report will contain detailed information about their job history of the last 10 years as a CDL driver (as required by the DOT).

It may also contain your criminal history, drug test results, DOT infractions and accident history. The program is strictly voluntary from a company standpoint, but most of the medium-to-large carriers will participate.

Most trucking companies use DAC reports as part of their hiring and background check process. It is extremely important that drivers verify that the information contained in it is correct, and have it fixed if it's not.

HOS:

Hours Of Service

HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.

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.

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