Inspections occurring due to tire blow outs leading to a targeted inspection. We have seen multiple occasions in multiple states where our truck/trailer has a blowout/Emergency shutdown and we proceed to pull over onto the shoulder and place our emergency triangles out. At some point while waiting on a roadside vendor or while the vendor is already on-site a DOT enforcement officer arrives. When the inspector notices the issue during a “Motorist Assist” interaction they begin a level 1 or 2 inspection and we have seen these tire blowouts or the damaged they caused being placed on inspection reports and placed OOS.

The purpose of a DOT inspection is to prevent unsafe vehicles and drivers from travelling on the roadways therefore increasing safety for the motoring public. In the inspections we have seen, our drivers did as they were supposed to and quit driving the unsafe vehicle immediately because of the blowout and pulled over to the shoulder/exit ramp of the highway. If this is the way that current/future inspections are conducted on drivers doing right by getting off the traveled portion of the roadways, there is no incentive for a driver to do so as they become a sitting duck for an easy “OOS” DOT Inspection and enforcement.

Add inspection guidance to Operational Policy 13 to state that if a vehicle experiences an unforeseen malfunction while driving and proceeds to stop immediately should not be cited for an unavoidable issue.

Language was added to Operational Policy 13 providing inspectors with guidance on documenting violations when a driver voluntarily pulls over to repair a vehicle defect as follows:

13. If a commercial motor vehicle that has proactively pulled over to repair a vehicle defect is selected for an inspection, that defect shall not be recorded as a violation, but documented in the notes section of the inspection report.