Thanks for the info brother! You can find more info @ www.truckingwins.com/

I was in Miami once at a small pilot. I was lucky enough to get a parking spot. There were flatbed trucks beside me cooking out and drinking beer. I was invited so we were sitting in chairs drinking beer with chicken on the grill cooking when the highway patrol came through and saw us. He got out and talked to us for a few minutes and the only thing he said was when we went to get in the truck to go to bed to get in on the passenger side.

If you're a company driver then you don't own the truck and the police can call your company and ask permission to search the vehicle and most companies will give them permission.

You should not EVER NEVER EVER help the DOT!! You have a 5th Amendment right to not incriminate yourself and you definitely don’t have to help them do their job! I tell my drivers if they get pulled in to ports, side of the road inspections or pulled over that they tell the officer they won’t answer questions without an attorney present! I also tell them to be polite but politely refuse to help them do their jobs! They don’t turn on headlights, step on brakes or anything else DOT requests except their license & paperwork. We have started fighting back, it’s time ALL truckers start fighting back as well.

I do my pretrip religiously every day. ✅️-Fuel ✅️-Trailer still attached Hammer down

Can they just focus on English proficiency for once?

Everyone should shut down I am off all week .

It’s a good week to drive at night. Or put your truck in the shop & take an xtra day off.

When a law enforcement officer asks you to follow them to the next exit for an insp. Reply my company doesn't allow me to deviate from route except for fuel or rest & hand them the keys. Watch how fast they back pedal. Know your rights, truckers.

Truckers should get a $1,000 bonus for every passed inspection.

If I sat around wondering how the DOT was going to ruin my life I'd have high blood pressure....oh wait I already have high blood pressure from just dealing with my dispatcher

I realize that you haven’t driven as long as some of us out here but checking the tractor protection valve is part of a Level 1 inspection. It’s not typically done as this guy is describing. Usually they chalk your tires and with the engine off and the brakes released they (DOT) will ask you to “pump the brakes down” and they wait for the air pressure to drop and for the brakes to set. It’s done quite frequently.

He’s right on point. Know your rights. I have a family member that’s a DOT officer for Texas State Trooper he says he only check tires and brakes. He say that he’s not hard on Truckers because people have families to take care of. He mostly tell them and school them on what they need to be fixed and give them a verbal warning instead of putting it in the system.

mother truckers with newer truck models, if you do the dashboard "air loss test" push the yellow in, press the service brake pedal, and test for airloss to make sure no air leaks without having to step foot out the truck. to my knowledge you can test each of the protection valves for tractor and trailer seperately and thus, not having to chalk the wheel since you can just hear for airleak from inside and confirm with the PSI loss like a regular airloss test of 60 seconds. i usually incorporate it with my airloss test. check for leaks first, if none, then release both tractor and trailer brakes by pushing valve in. the trailer protection valve usually activates around 50psi. once it does, i hold the brake until i know theres no leaks. after that, keep pumping the brakes until the yellow tractor protection valve also pops out above 20psi.

Another benefit of driving at night. 21 years OTR and night driving the last 9 years. Use your CB to let other drivers know what is going on at the scales. We would know ways around to dodge scales and DOT when they are on the hunt. I've never been shutdown or put out of service.

I was driving a truck that has 1100 miles on it a air line had some overspray on that looked cracked. DOT red tagged me made me change it even after machinic told him it was paint. Screwed my CSA score up fuck them !!

Hey Alex I’m here to set some things somewhat straight. As a former CDL-A instructor. There’s a test called a in cab test that’s part of the pre trip inspection. During this test one of the things that is gone over is air brake and valve test. Where as the driver has to chock the wheels (or make sure they are on flat ground) and press in both valves. After pressing in both valves the driver is suppose to feather the pedal down to 60 psi which the low air warning light is to come on. When this light comes on the driver has to continue feathering the brake pedal down til the pressure gets between 20 and 40 psi, which should at that low of psi pop out the service and emergency brake valves indicating too low of pressure in the air tanks (which will apply all brakes). I’m not sure which driver this former state police officer has interviewed, also I’m not here to discredit him but there’s a lot of false information being put out there. Even when I went to CDL-A school 6 years ago we had to do the same in cab air brake and valve test. Now whether or not a driver does this daily or weekly is up for speculation but the conversation regarding valve tests not being apart of the pre trip or it’s not being taught is false news. I can name 2-3 schools on the east coast alone with more than several locations that apply these tests for every single student as a prerequisite for graduating.

Four years ago, the Georgia CDL test tested the protection valve. Procedure was slightly different. Instead of removing the glad hands, we pumped the brake pedal until the protection valve opened.

I got were I liked getting dot inspection Cause I'd get a 100 dollar bonus All I had to do was pass the inspection Keep my logbook caught up Make sure everything matched And the vehicle was safe and working like it should And the cargo was properly secured 😊

Make sure your dirty draws are thrown about the entire cab. #InspectThis... 😳😳

I love you, MUTHA! You’re our top G.

CHOCK wheels, not chalk. Chalk is for blackboards in school. Chocks stop wheels from rolling.

For 39 yrs I only have had a sleeping bag and a pillow. Been inspected many times all over the usa never heard of this bedding regulation

Road Pirates are out enforce !! PS I got pulled across the scale in Des Moines Iowa last night and 3/4 of the people in the office policing me could not pass to get a health certificate and I could tell by looking at them

14 yrs driving and never had a Inspection during the 72 dot Inspection

They should shut down trucks with drivers that cannot communicate verbally in English without a phone.

I will never unhook a glad hand with air pressure in the lines,have you ever seen the explosion of air whwn those glad hands come apart,thats a safety thing here

Just had a Level 1 last month. The most annoying part was the fact that to check the TPV you had to get in and out of the truck with the valves in and the key on (to read the gauge). These stupid new trucks have the horn honking the whole time you're doing this. The inspector isn't too thrilled with this feature either.

Was pulled over in Indiana by a she Bear during inspection week. She told me to break my seal on the trailer. Looked in and let me go. I asked her if she would sign my bills for breaking the seal. She refused to

I just got pulled over and told to follow to next exit for a Level 1. Although it was a level 1, it was more like a 3. Yes they went under and checked my brakes but never asked to see my logs or if I had extra logs in case my eld failed.

I have an air shift transmission. When it gets down between 60-70 the transmission becomes inoperable. That’s how I know there is an air problem.

Alex!!! I think it is the way he is explaining it. Everybody knows when you keep pressing the brake pedal the knob has to pop out when the air pressure gets low. About 60 psi the lights and buzzer sounds, and 20 or so the knob pops out. Unless I have totally missed what he was talking about.

Thank you for all the information and thank you trucking wins

If you are hauling DOD or Hard liquor, with a bill of lading stamped EXEMPT, no DOT, State,County or local police can open your trailer doors. They must have a Federal Marshall on site approving load inspection.

A driver got inspected in Missouri, he’s saying make sure you have “Clearing House” account or you will be out of service. Even he said they checked his fridge.

More like the biggest money scam in 24 hrs

I hope that by him explaining this is his penance for being a former tyrant.

Thank you for the advice. I'm on the road and I'm hoping for the best this next tree days. Good luck to everyone.

Just. Stay in compliance 🎉🎉 as in just another day on the job

Yes. That's similar to the "button test" in CDL school. We are late comers as of November 23. We're not 'old school' Button should pop after 60psi warning light no less than 20psi.

That something that I never check , that a good thing to check, Alex after over 40 years , checking that never came up, but now that going to be check once a day for safety ,your channel is the first and only channel that I know that broadcast the truth,and again I learn something new today, thank you Alex

Hell yess! Good video man ! Get this guy back on! I was hooked up in Michigan for my legal handgun Bc I didn’t tell him since he jumped up on my grill like a madman and didn’t let me talk Then he asked if there was weapons and I said yeah my Glock, pulled me out flipped the whole rig upside down and slapped with a felony illegal firearm spent the night in jail and charges were dropped Now that’s on DOT notes or something bc they ask for consent to search my truck every time I deal with them

I'm at home till blitz is over.

Do they want to inspect my 🥜 too and make sure I showered?

EXTREMLY IMPORTANT INFORMATION....GREATLY APPRECIATED.

Thank you, Alex, for the update. This is really helpful

It is nice to see the ex officer on the show. I want you guys all the time we are towing company basically getting our heavy duty tow truck ready we always watch a show to get updates. Thank you for all the things that you put out there all those some of the stuff does not pertain to us but good information.

Okay so who’s paying us for the labor during this inspection and when did it become law to help officers with an investigation.

In canada to get your CDL(class 1) you have to do a 6.5 hour air brake course memorize the steps show an examinor you know how to do it by memory. You also have to explain to the examinor the steps and what number the warning light will come on(60psi), what psi the buttons will pop(60-40psi for the trailer supply, and 40-25psi for the tractor, then you do a build up test from 50-90 psi and make sure it gets to 90 before 3 minutes, then make sure the governor cuts off at 125-135 and tell the examinor that range. You have to memorize each number and each step in order or you will fail the practical exam. It takes 15 minutes at the maximum Everyone should be doing it every day before driving anywhere. You also have to show the driving test examinor that you remember how to do it as the last step of the pre-trip before you head out on the road. Its your brakes we are talking about, which I think is one of the most important things to inspect besides your load being secured. If you check anything on your pre-trip do your full air break check from chocking your tires to adjusting your slack adjusters.

Very good info Alex, 👍🏼🚚

I went jail because of CDL not being valid because my sr22 DMV insurance. and was pulled in at the scale in south Dakota. ended up in federal prison for 5 years for a hand gun.

From this comment section I can clearly see that we have a lot of unprofessional drivers on the roads today. Your equipment is your responsibility, so you should want everything to be on point correct? We aren't driving our personal vehicles around, we're driving potentially a 40 ton vehicle that can hurt a lot of people if not properly maintained, so we should be doing daily inspections ourselves to ensure that our equipment, which we are responsible for, is safe to be on the roads. Get your stuff together drivers and be the professional that you profess to be.

Government way too big now. Shit is ridiculous.

i 100% believe it, my company sent me to take a random drug & breathalyzer test today before heading out from hometime

I'm starting my first trucking job on monday after graduating from truck driving school. Some of this ive never even heard of before. Thank you for the information!

Was pulled over in Illinois for a headlights being out. They asked if they could inspect the inside of my truck. I said yes . When they saw my wife in the sleeper birth, they cussed and let me go. What did that mean?

The tractor protection valve is easy to test, and easy to fix. Inside there's springs and "O"-rings that get gummed up and the valve sticks pushed in. When you push in the red valve, the air pressure holds it in against a spring. When the air pressure drops to the point where the spring is stronger, the valve pops out. If the "O"-rings inside the valve are not kept lubed, it will resist the pressure of the spring and either let the air pressure get too low or not pop out at all. If you are bobtailing, you can check it using an extra gladhand that's set up for airing your tires.

*A SHAME HOW THEY TREAT 🚚 DRIVER'S LIKE CRIMINALS*

If you are able to work on your feet and thinking of going to truck driver school change your plan and check out welding school. You're welcome.

Here in Texas the air brake test is a normal, every time I’ve been inspected they do that exact test . Tires , oil leaks , wiper fluid level and the amount of fluid that sprays on the window . Be safe out there drivers.

When I took my test over 25 years ago we fan down the brakes with the truck off. Is that not the same thing as removing the air lines and possibly someone getting injured! Let the DOT officer pull the airlines and have something fly in their eye!

I got a level one last night 5/14/24 while it was poring down raining. My break lights were not working on trl. Luckily, DOT officer allowed me to find and fix the problem. (It was a fuse), i also had exspired trailer inspection, and was doing 5 over the speed limit. I was blessed and got no tickets or violations, just a warning. The entire inspection lasted 2:46 mins. Make sure your 100% in compliance on everything the officer who got me left no stone unturned.

In short that airline protection valve check is just to see if both of your brake knobs pop up. Similar to that sale test.

How about unhook the 2 airhoses.THEN push in parking brake and trailer air supply button.

Why aren't they pumping their brakes down to check the tractor protection valve🤔

In Canada they will strip inside your truck if they choose.I’m a female and seen my monthly supply and asked what that was for

I’ll be honest I work for the state of Georgia as a commercial cdl instructor, when I got my cdls back in 2014 we were actually doing this. Most drivers don’t know what it’s for. It’s on our test that every driver know this.

Thank you

Thank you for the information 👍🏾

Meanwhile near Starke Florida, they have a DOT cop who looks like Elmer Fudd writing violations like "No DOT and MC number displayed" as he is looking directly at a NEW DOOR DECAL that has all that information on it. I'm so sick of theses idiots.

Tennessee dot love to search the inside of ur truck. 4 times in 35years. And every time from the 1st time to the last time their excuse was my eyes looked watery. Followed with a do I have a allergy thing going on. They all have that paged on how to screw with a driver memorized. I'm on vacation this week 😊

We did the brake check during CDL school. That DOT man is cool 😎

I was grandfathered into the CDL from a commercial operator’s license back in the “70s” I never knew a thing about the Tractor Protection Valve.

I never worry about inspections....keep my truck clean, organized, keep a positive attitude....never a problem. Let's face it..... A lot of trucks/drivers I see shouldn't even be on the road. Some probably get harassed but that comes from a bad attitude from the start.

I'm wondering how many will listen to this instead of doing their homework..

That brings a whole new meaning to the lemon law.

Great information thanks God bless you all

All it is is ine big money grab

I recommend that you put your linens and a pillow in the front passenger seat to show that you have them for use when you need them. And the measurements can be done from the outside.

The small front tank on these new 2024 freightliners have a little bleeder nipple on the front of the tank so if you hit anything like a tarp animal anything it bust it right off and you lose 100% air pressure within like two3 seconds, but they don’t say nothing to Freightliner about that And the tractor protection valve will not save you from that situation because it is the tank that it drains that that valve should keep protected from being drained

I have been doing this for 15 years and was taught to check this when getting my cdl. You can set the tractor brake and release trailer and dose the same thing

I was told to not help them with inspection

Greetings: 1) Unless the law has changed he is incorrect about The Ttr Protect Value (Tlr Supply) . He (guest speaker)states it should close at 20PSI. Wrong. By design it trips closed at 60PSI. Law requires 45 PSI. I checked mine at every VI and taught when I was a trainer. This is a vary controversial area. 2) DOT Inspection - Cab only (NOT sleeper) and only safety and tractor operation related operation. 3) Correct about the Bedding...as is the "matress" description and sleeper specifications. 4) He is correct about the CDL infraction. Also it is $10,000 fine driver and owner. 5) He is correct on the other mentioned. Thx both 4 the share.

I still carry a new white sheet in my cab. Buddy got a fine in New Mexico 20 years ago for not having a white sheet in case if accidents. And I carry multiple 1st aid kits, and don't forget your hazmat book WITHIN REACH if you have hazmat this week.

That’s no joke about searching your own truck for anything that shouldn’t be there. At Gordon Trucking I was about to seat a truck and found an orange syringe cap under the mattress. Nope….. refused that truck, what else was in there?

I ain't doing shit I'm done helping DOT

Plan alternative routes bypass scales and avoid them like the plague

Ive had them remove the red but never the blue.. and they had me get out and do it.. i guess they are hammering this TPV home

Money grab they need to focus more and ban all Chicago area trucking companies. We need more American owned and born trucking companies. Put Americans first.

My Grand dad used to do this all the time when I was a kid. I never knew why but now I know he was just following the law. And all of this was in the 1980s

I had a cop I'm Missisipy put me our of service for the tractor protection valve The trailer air pressure gauge popped out at above 20 psi,he made me use my brake pedal to bleed the air pressure, long story short I filed a data Q and they got that out of service off my safety records.

Most automatic trucks won’t even shift into gear so you can go if the psi is under 100. My international won’t go into gear until I have 100PSI

One year on an inspection blitz, I got checked six times in a day.

AT THE END... it's all about MONEY😂😂

Easiest way to check this is with your airlines unhooked supply your trailer. It will pop the supply valve out if it is good. I do this anytime I’m changing trailers and also this requires no chock blocks

Thank you both!

London ky checks the protection valve anytime they do an inspection

I’m not going to even go into the legal debate of whether or not an officer can go through your cab or sleeper. Just know this what is and not allowed in your private capacity does not have the same applicability in a commercial capacity. That is all if you need to learn more please consult with an attorney who is well versed in commercial law. Im not legal counsel or an attorney, I’m only advising.

I did the air brake test when getting my CDL pre trip test in CA for DMV...I clean out the truck everytime my company switches me off.

Problem is dot forgets an inspection is visual only. They are not certified mechanics. This current inspection violates the inspection rules per fmcsa. You do not touch anything