Will it pass a DOT inspection?
Snap a photo of the rig — or just describe the issue. Either way, Rig Pig checks it against DOT out-of-service criteria.
🪝 Just hooked a trailer somebody else dropped?
The moment you pull it, its defects become your inspection record. The Drop-and-Hook 5 is the two-minute photo walk that keeps you from inheriting somebody else's out-of-service. Check each one off as you shoot it — the analyzer above and the evidence pack below work on these same photos.
Photograph anything questionable before you move and save it as a dated record in the evidence pack below. A timestamped photo taken at the hook is the difference between "their defect" and "your violation."
📏 Measure it — some calls aren't discretion, they're a number
Most of a roadside inspection is the officer's judgment. A short list of defects isn't: CVSA's out-of-service criteria put a hard number on them, and the officer will measure. If your photo shows one of these, run the same measurement yourself before you roll. (From CVSA's North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria and 49 CFR; CVSA revises the criteria every April — check the current edition.)
- Strap webbing cuts. Add up every cut, burn, and hole through the webbing along the strap's working length. Over 3/4 in. total on a 4-in. strap, over 5/8 in. on a 3-in. strap, or over 3/8 in. on a 2-in. or 1-3/4-in. strap — the tiedown is defective, no judgment involved. Same verdict for more than 25% of the stitch pattern separated, and for any knot, splice, or repair. (CVSA Tiedown Defect Table.)
- Brake hose chafing. A hose resting on a component isn't a violation by itself. The line is the outer reinforcement ply: chafe damage that reaches or goes through it is a violation and out-of-service territory. Worn cover alone, no ply showing — that's the discretion zone.
- The 20% brake rule. If 20% or more of the service brakes on the vehicle or combination are defective, the whole rig is out of service. Since April 2026, a disconnected service gladhand counts toward that 20% instead of being an automatic out-of-service by itself.
- Rims. Missing rim material over 3 in. in the bead area is out of service — added to the criteria in April 2026, matching the long-standing 3-inch crack rule.
- Rotor rust (air disc brakes). Severe rust over the rotor's friction surface counts as a defective brake — rust is the visible tell that the brake isn't doing its share of the work, and it feeds the 20% count above.
- Air suspension. A deflated air bag is out of service even if the truck still sits level, and suspension or axle-positioning parts that are cracked, broken, loose, or missing are violations under 49 CFR 393.207 — hardware included, not just the bag itself.
- Missing WLL tag. In the U.S., an unmarked strap loses its printed rating and gets the lower default working load limit instead (49 CFR 393.108 — 1,000 lb per inch of strap width). In Canada, an unmarked tiedown isn't legal at all and counts as zero. Either way: if you can't read the tag, don't count the strap at full rating.
Everything not on this list is still officer's discretion — the measured list stays short on purpose. When a number exists, the tape measure settles what a photo can't.
📐 Brake stroke — the test the camera can't do
Brake problems are the #1 out-of-service category there is (39.1% of vehicle out-of-service orders at CVSA's 2026 Roadcheck), and the deciding measurement — pushrod stroke — is invisible in a photo. So Rig Pig doesn't pretend to see it. Do the two-minute manual test the officer does:
- Build air to 90–100 psi, engine off, parking brakes released.
- Chalk the pushrod right at the brake chamber face, brakes released.
- Fully apply the service brakes (a helper on the pedal, or a pedal prop) and measure from your chalk mark to the chamber face with a tape. That distance is the applied stroke.
- Compare it to the limit for that chamber size — stamped on the chamber or in the table below.
Readjustment limits — clamp-type chambers (49 CFR 393.47(e)):
| Chamber type | Standard stroke limit | Long-stroke limit |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | 1-3/4 in. | 2 in. |
| 20 | 1-3/4 in. | 2 in. (2-1/2 in. if marked 3-in. rated stroke) |
| 24 | 1-3/4 in. | 2 in. (2-1/2 in. if marked 3-in. rated stroke) |
| 30 | 2 in. | 2-1/2 in. |
| 36 | 2-1/2 in. | — |
How to read it: past the table limit, the brake is out of adjustment (49 CFR 393.47). At 1/4 in. or more past the limit, CVSA counts it as a defective brake toward the 20% rule above. And if an automatic slack adjuster keeps going out of stroke, the adjuster is the messenger, not the disease — something upstream is worn. Repeatedly hand-adjusting it just hides that. Flag it for the shop and write it on the DVIR.
📁 Evidence pack — built for DataQs
Why keep your own records?
DataQs is FMCSA's system for asking for a review of inspection and violation data — you file a Request for Data Review (RDR) when you believe something on your record is wrong. That data feeds CSA scores, so a wrong violation follows you and your carrier.
The burden of proof is on you, the driver filing. Under FMCSA's reformed DataQs process, unsupported challenges can be rejected — the filings that win attach one or two decisive, dated documents: a photo from that morning that refutes the violation, or the DVIR (inspection report) from that day. A dated record made at the time beats a memory written weeks later.
Rough timeline (as of the September 2026 DataQs reform; check FMCSA for current timelines): the state typically opens a request within about 7 days, an initial decision comes in about 21 days, a reconsideration about 21 more days, and a final review about 45 days. Requests now get multi-level independent review — but only if the evidence is attached up front.
Electronic DVIRs are expressly legal under FMCSA's rule effective March 23, 2026 — and a carrier only has to keep a DVIR for 3 months. A copy you keep yourself outlives that. Save a download of each pack somewhere off this phone too (email it to yourself), in case the phone is lost.
This pack supports your own DataQs filing — Rig Pig does not file anything for you and does not promise any outcome. You file at FMCSA's DataQs site, with your evidence attached.
Your evidence records (this phone only)
Every DOT check you run is saved here automatically with its date/time, your description, the verdicts, and any photo you attached. You can also save the description and photo you've entered above as a standalone dated record — no analysis needed, works offline.
CDL Study Guide
The pre-trip inspection is the most-memorized, most-failed part of the CDL skills test. Learn it here.
Practice Tests
Modeled on the CDL manual sections. Pick a test, answer, get your score.
Driver gear worth your money
Picked for people who live in the seat. If you buy through these links, Rig Pig earns a small commission at no extra cost to you.
🗺️ Garmin dezl — truck GPS
Car GPS will route you under a 12'6" bridge. The dezl knows your height, weight, and hazmat class, warns about sharp curves and steep grades, and shows truck stops and parking ahead. It's the standard in trucking for a reason.
Check price on Amazon🪑 Purple seat cushion
Ten hours a day in a stock seat adds up. Purple's grid cushion takes the pressure off your tailbone without going flat like foam — a lot of drivers swear by it for long hauls.
Check price on AmazonMore gear gets added as it's tested. No junk, no paid placements — if it's here, it's because drivers actually use it.
Where to drive
An honest starter guide to the big carriers that hire new CDL grads. Pay and policies change — verify current numbers on each company's own site before you sign anything.
📋 How to read a job offer
- Cents per mile (CPM) is only half the story. Ask whether miles are practical (actual route) or HHG/shortest (zip-code math that pays fewer miles).
- Accessorial pay: detention, layover, tarping, extra stops. A lower CPM with strong accessorials can beat a high CPM.
- Home time: get the actual schedule in writing (e.g. "home weekly" vs "home 34 hours every 10 days" are very different lives).
- Training contracts — the big gotcha: "free CDL training" usually means you owe 9–12 months. Leave early and you owe thousands. Read the contract, not the brochure.
- Lease-purchase: be very cautious as a rookie. You take the expenses; the company keeps the control. Most experienced drivers say: drive company for a year first.
Carriers that hire new grads
Schneider
Van, reefer, tanker, bulk · One of the largest US carriers. Runs paid CDL training academies and tuition reimbursement for school grads.
schneiderjobs.com →Swift Transportation (Knight-Swift)
Dry van, reefer, flatbed · The largest US truckload carrier. Operates its own driving academies and hires new grads at scale.
driveforswift.com →Prime Inc.
Reefer, flatbed, tanker · Springfield, MO. Well-known paid training program (earn while you train with an instructor). Also runs a lease program — read the fine print.
primeinc.com →Roehl Transport
Van, reefer, flatbed · Wisconsin-based. Known for paid on-the-job CDL training ("get your CDL while getting paid") and newer equipment.
roehl.jobs →J.B. Hunt
Intermodal, dedicated, truckload · One of the biggest US carriers. Strong on dedicated accounts (regular routes, regular home time) for newer drivers.
jbhunt.com →Werner Enterprises
Dry van, dedicated · Omaha-based giant. Hires new grads and runs its own training; big dedicated-account network.
werner.com →Maverick Transportation
Flatbed (glass, lumber) · Known for thorough flatbed securement training — a real skill that pays. Hires and trains new CDL grads.
maverickusa.com →TMC Transportation
Flatbed · Iowa-based, the black Peterbilts. Respected new-driver training program; performance-based pay structure.
tmctrans.com →Melton Truck Lines
Flatbed · Tulsa-based. Hires new grads with in-house training; known for decent equipment and a driver-focused culture.
meltontruck.com →Stevens Transport
Refrigerated · Dallas-based. Runs its own driving school and hires new grads; temperature-controlled freight runs year-round.
stevenstransport.com →❓ Questions to ask any recruiter
- Is the pay per practical or HHG mile — and what's the average weekly miles for new drivers?
- What's the training contract length, and what do I owe if I leave early?
- Exact home-time schedule — in writing.
- Pet and rider policies (matters more than you'd think).
- Detention/layover pay rates and when they kick in.
- What does the benefits package actually cost per paycheck?
Know a company that treats new drivers right? This list grows — the goal is honest info, not ads. Rig Pig doesn't take placement fees from any carrier listed here.
Your credentials — the other pre-trip
The truck gets a pre-trip every day. Your paperwork needs one too. At the inspection window, the violation lands on the driver holding the wheel — even in a truck you didn't choose. A missing or expired medical card is now the #1 driver out-of-service violation category (Roadcheck 2026, roughly 27–28% of driver out-of-service violations). Two minutes here beats getting parked at a scale.
🩺 DOT medical card
The paper-card era is over. The FMCSA NRII paper medical-certificate exemption ended October 12, 2026 — your medical examiner's result now has to show up in your electronic CDL record with your state, and that record is what counts. Passing the physical isn't enough if the result never transmitted.
If your state record doesn't show your medical result, call the medical examiner's office and your state licensing agency before you roll. Drivers are being sidelined right now for records that never transmitted — and a missing record isn't something you can argue at the window.
🗂️ Cab documents audit
Drop-and-hook / slip-seat? Check the trailer you just hooked — not the one you wish you had. Its inspection sticker and the cab paperwork become your problem the moment you're holding the wheel. Physically look at each one, then check it off.
⛓️ The chain-up coach
Carry-it-or-else, by state — plus the physical how-to for hanging iron on a tandem tractor. Compiled from published state DOT and manufacturer procedures (October 2026), not field-tested by the author — Robbie runs local in the Southeast and has never chained up. Rules and fine schedules change; check the state DOT or 511 before you roll.
🌨️ Chain season is open
It's October: Colorado's carry mandate is on (since Sept 1), Montana's and B.C.'s carry seasons are open, and Washington's opens Nov 1. Pick a state below for its exact rules.
State chain-law lookup
Carry = what you must have on board. Use = when you must put them on. Chain law is mostly carry-it-or-else — either the chains are on the truck or they aren't. There's no "officer's discretion" discount at a chain checkpoint the way there can be at an inspection window.
Running somewhere else? The Land Line 2025 U.S./Canada chain-law guide covers the rest state by state.
Where the iron goes
Placement rules differ by state — here's what each one's published rule says for a tractor-trailer. The common thread for a tandem tractor: all four tires of the primary drive axle get chained.
🇺🇸 California — 8 chains on an 18-wheeler
All four tires on a single drive axle; on dual drive axles, the two outside tires of each drive axle; one tire on each side of the trailer (front axle, rear axle, or staggered all pass); nothing on the steer axle. (Caltrans chain-requirements diagram)
🇺🇸 Oregon — 6 chains
Tandem-drive tractor: two tires on each side of the primary drive axle — all four tires of the main axle. If both axles are powered, one tire on each side of each drive axle (four chains, outside tires only). Trailer: two tires, one each side, staggered (outside tire of the front axle + outside tire of the opposite rear axle). (ODOT, via Land Line)
🇺🇸 Washington
Dual-axle tractor: the outside tires on both drive axles, plus one tire on each side of each trailer axle. Wide-base singles: chain every tire on every drive axle. Chains must be two-sided hardened metal with a cross-chain touching the road at all times — no plastic, cables allowed. (WSDOT)
🇨🇦 British Columbia
Typical tractor-trailer: chains on all four tires of the main drive axle. No chain requirement on the trailer. Vehicles 11,794+ kg must carry steel chains — B.C. doesn't recognize tire socks or cable-chains as substitutes. (gov.bc.ca; BC truck press summary)
🇺🇸 Wyoming — Level 2 controls
When Level 2 ("extremely hazardous") is posted: chains on at least two drive wheels at opposite ends of the same drive axle. (Wyoming Highway Patrol)
The physical how-to
Standard install procedure per BC's Commercial Vehicle Safety & Enforcement and chain manufacturers. Practice this in a dry parking lot before you ever need it at a chain-up area in a storm.
- Stage it right. Pull fully into the chain-up area, hazards on, parking brake set. Lay the chains out on the ground untangled, traction side of the cross-links facing down. Put gloves on — this is miserable barehanded. (BC CVSE; KÖNIG manual)
- Drape. Lay the chain over the tire with the fastener on the outside, traction side up/away from the tire. Keep the side-chain hooks out from under the tire; tuck excess cross-links under the tire. (BC CVSE)
- Inside first. Hook the inside fastener as tight as you can, then the outside fastener pulling tight. (BC CVSE)
- Drive-on and re-hook. Roll forward (or back) slowly until the hooks are at axle height — about halfway up the tire. Hook the inner chain first again, as tight as possible, then the middle fastener, then the outer rail. (BC CVSE)
- Tension it. Tighten the D-cam (cam-lock) tightener now. No cams on your chains? Use spring/bungee tensioners to take up the slack — a loose chain beats up fenders and tread. (BC CVSE)
- Roll and retighten. Drive slowly a short distance — manufacturer guidance runs from about 100 meters (KÖNIG) to a quarter-mile (per a chain-maker rep quoted in Overdrive) — then stop and retighten. Chains seat and loosen like fresh wheel nuts; retighten again at your next stop, and make retensioning part of your pre-trip whenever you're running chained. (KÖNIG manual; Overdrive)
- Run slow and smooth. Manufacturers call for about 30 mph max on chains. Accelerate gently, brake early, no wheelspin or locked brakes — spinning hones sharp edges into the links that chew your tread. (Overdrive)
- Get them off dry pavement. The moment controls lift and you're on bare pavement, pull over at the next safe turnout and take them off. Running chains on dry pavement destroys them fast — and the road with them. Removal is the reverse: tensioners off, outer hook, inner hook, pull the chains clear. (KÖNIG manual)
What it costs to get it wrong
💸 Fines, as reported (check current schedules before you roll)
- Colorado: roughly $50 + surcharge for not carrying, $500 + surcharge for not installing when required, and about $1,000 + ~$156 surcharge for blocking the highway. (FreightWorks reporting; CDOT publishes current numbers)
- Montana: minimum $250; $750 if you close the highway. (Land Line 2025 guide)
- Oregon: $880 — a Class A traffic violation for failing to carry or use. (ODOT)
- Wyoming: up to $250; up to $750 if your violation closes all lanes. (Wyoming Highway Patrol)
- California: CHP cites at checkpoints when controls are active — couldn't confirm a set dollar figure from a published source, so check before assuming.
Beyond the ticket: a chainless truck blocking a mountain pass is what closes highways, and closures are what trigger the biggest fines. 2,700+ Colorado CMV chain citations in one season (Colorado State Patrol).
Chain-up checklist
Saved on this phone, works offline — tick it as you go. Kit items are pre-season; the install list is for the chain-up area.