D.O.T. Proctology

First of all, I really wish that the state of Ohio would honor prepass. You've got the scanners and stuff, but you never ever let me by, empty or loaded. WHY?

Anyway, they also love their random stops and inspections...although for me...well maybe it's the tattoos, but it's not random.

They're nice enough about it--doing their jobs the way they're ordered to, and not out to get anybody who's not actually dangerous. It's a pain to get pulled over and hung up (about one out of every ten times I get the red light on my prepass--which is every time any Ohio scale is open...and have to take my empty trailer through there...)...but at least the guys crawling through my paperwork and truck are professionals.

Hey Prepass--don't you have some reciprocal thing with these states? What's the technology worth when a state refuses to use it? I think Ohio has a deal with construction contractors, and wants to tear up weigh stations as much as possible. Why focus on heavy trucks when you can get EVERYBODY? Dammit.

But I digress. Anyway this time the officer found a leaky seal on my drive, plus located a pesky air-leak. I was grateful. Drivers inspect their wheel-seals in a walk-around. We can't crawl under the trucks all the time, so we don't see the inside of the axles.

This (new) leak might well have gone unnoticed by me and resulted in a burned out bearing or worse.

Then, when I went to get it fixed (immediately), the mechanics found a badly scored brake cylinder and stuff, which was another bullet I dodged by getting it fixed immediately.

Because E-Trade's version of "7-10 days" is 7-10 WEEKS, I of course could not pay them out of my Business account (no checks), so I estimate that I now have a zero cash balance in my personal account...and maybe owe an overdraft fee, since I had to mail a damn check in order to transfer some money from the business account to the personal account...which is another crock of...

Anyway I guess the moral is that while the guys who set the policies for the Ohio DOT are jerks, the guys who execute them are competant pros just doing their jobs, and if you're an owner-operator they can do you favors.

WaitTilNextYear should know that the flashlight he gave me gave up the ghost after only about 2 years. I think it's the big clunky things that you slide into the tube. There were instructions but I lost them. I'm supposed to buy some more of these things, partially disassemble the thing, take the old ones out, put the new ones in, and reassemble it.

I think the companies do this on purpose, knowing that us non-technical types will never be able to figure all this out.

He should also know that my older brother has been in touch. I'll have to get caught up.

It's been rough and most of my money is in my truck. I think I've got them to stop screwing me out of loads (as badly) at the company, so I should generate some money which...in seven to ten weeks when E-Trade gets around to sending me my new debit card...I may even be able to get my hands on.

I joinded NOIDA (I think-it's the owner-operator association) because I foresee needing to get two more new tires, and the discount could save me 200 bucks. Through THEM, I'll get me a real owner-operator type truck accountant and get things transferred and shipped and rolling and stuff.

With all the losses I've taken, maybe the Comprades have accidentally included me in a bailout.

But I doubt it.