Will it pass a DOT inspection?
Photo or description — Rig Pig checks it against DOT out-of-service criteria.
At the window?
Show the officer a summary card — latest check, measurements, credential status. Big text, read-only, phone stays in your hand.
Just hooked a trailer somebody else dropped?
The second you pull it, its defects are your record. Two-minute photo walk — check each off as you shoot.
Shoot anything questionable before you move — a timestamped photo is the difference between their defect and your violation.
Measure it — some calls are a number, not discretion
Some defects aren't judgment calls — CVSA puts a hard number on them. Measure before you roll. (CVSA OOS Criteria + 49 CFR; revised every April.)
- Strap webbing cuts. Total up cuts, burns, holes through the webbing: over 3/4 in. (4-in. strap), 5/8 in. (3-in.), 3/8 in. (2-in./1-3/4-in.) — defective. Also 25%+ stitching separated, any knot/splice/repair. (CVSA Tiedown Defect Table.)
- Brake hose chafing. Hose resting on a component: fine. Chafing that reaches the outer reinforcement ply: violation, out-of-service territory. Worn cover, no ply showing: discretion zone.
- The 20% brake rule. 20%+ defective service brakes = out of service. Since April 2026, a disconnected service gladhand counts toward the 20% instead of automatic OOS.
- Rims. Missing rim material over 3 in. in the bead area = out of service (April 2026).
- Rotor rust (air disc brakes). Severe rust on the rotor friction surface = defective brake (counts toward the 20%).
- Air suspension. Deflated air bag = out of service, even if the truck sits level. Cracked/broken/loose/missing suspension parts violate 49 CFR 393.207.
- Missing WLL tag. Unmarked strap: U.S. default = 1,000 lb per inch of width (49 CFR 393.108); Canada = zero. Can't read the tag? Don't rate it full.
Everything else: officer's discretion. When a number exists, the tape measure settles it.
Brake stroke — the test the camera can't do
Brakes are the #1 OOS category (39.1% of vehicle OOS orders, CVSA 2026 Roadcheck). Pushrod stroke is invisible in a photo — do the officer's two-minute test:
- 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 (helper or pedal prop); measure chalk mark to chamber face = applied stroke.
- Compare to the limit for that chamber size — stamped on the chamber or 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. | — |
Past the limit: out of adjustment (49 CFR 393.47). 1/4 in.+ past the limit = defective brake (20% rule). Auto slack adjuster keeps going out of stroke? Something upstream is worn — don't keep hand-adjusting. Flag it for the shop, write it on the DVIR.
This coach covers the mechanical side. For the air side: in the Study Guide — the automatic-fail procedures, plus the daily-driver versions.
Evidence pack — built for DataQs
Why keep your own records?
DataQs = FMCSA's system for challenging bad inspection data (it feeds your CSA score). File a Request for Data Review (RDR) when your record is wrong.
Burden of proof is on you. Winning filings attach one or two decisive, dated documents — a photo from that morning, or that day's DVIR.
Rough timeline (Sept 2026 reform; check FMCSA): state opens it ~7 days; decision ~21; reconsideration ~21 more; final review ~45. Evidence must be attached up front.
E-DVIRs legal since March 23, 2026. Carriers keep DVIRs only 3 months — keep your own copy. Email each pack to yourself in case the phone is lost.
This pack supports your filing — Rig Pig files nothing and promises no outcome.
Your evidence records (this phone only)
Every DOT check auto-saves here — date, description, verdicts, photo. Or save the current one as a standalone record. Works offline.
CDL Study Guide
Most-memorized, most-failed part of the CDL skills test.
Practice Tests
From the CDL manual. Pick a test, get your score.
Driver gear worth your money
For people who live in the seat. Links earn Rig Pig a small commission — no cost to you.
Garmin dezl — truck GPS
Knows your height, weight, and hazmat class — won't route you under a 12'6" bridge. The trucking standard.
Check price on AmazonPurple seat cushion
Ten hours in a stock seat adds up. Grid cushion takes tailbone pressure off without going flat.
Check price on Amazon12V portable fridge
Ice runs get old. 12V compressor fridge off truck power — pays for itself in skipped meals.
Check price on AmazonTrucker Bluetooth headset
Holding a phone in a CMV is a federal violation. A noise-cancelling headset keeps you legal.
Check price on AmazonDash cam
Your word against theirs is a losing game. Settles fault arguments in minutes.
Check price on Amazon12V food warmer
Hot meals at rest areas, no sit-down prices. Plug in before your break.
Check price on AmazonSleeper mattress topper
Stock bunks are punishment. Memory foam = actual sleep.
Check price on AmazonTPMS — tire pressure monitors
Slow leaks become blowouts. Cab display catches drops first.
Check price on AmazonPortable jump starter
Dead batteries at 3 a.m., nowhere. Lithium pack starts a diesel — no waiting.
Check price on AmazonNo junk, no paid placements — if it's here, drivers use it.
Where to drive
Carriers that hire new CDL grads. Pay changes — verify on each company's site before signing.
How to read a job offer
- CPM is half the story — ask practical vs. HHG miles.
- Accessorials — detention, layover, tarping, extra stops. Strong accessorials can beat high CPM.
- Home time: get the schedule in writing — "weekly" vs. "34 hours every 10 days" are different lives.
- Training contracts: "free CDL training" = you owe 9–12 months. Leave early, owe thousands. Read the contract.
- Lease-purchase as a rookie: you take the expenses, they keep the control. Drive company first.
Carriers that hire new grads
Swift Transportation (Knight-Swift)
Dry van, reefer, flatbed. Own driving academies, hires new grads at scale.
driveforswift.com →Prime Inc.
Reefer, flatbed, tanker · Springfield, MO. Paid training with an instructor. Lease program: read the fine print.
primeinc.com →J.B. Hunt
Intermodal, dedicated, truckload. Strong dedicated accounts — regular routes, regular home time.
jbhunt.com →Maverick Transportation
Flatbed (glass, lumber). Thorough securement training. Hires new grads.
maverickusa.com →Stevens Transport
Refrigerated. Own driving school; reefer freight runs year-round.
stevenstransport.com →Questions to ask any recruiter
- Practical or HHG miles — and average weekly miles for new drivers?
- Training contract length — what do I owe if I leave early?
- Exact home-time schedule — in writing.
- Pet and rider policies.
- Detention/layover pay rates and when they kick in.
- Benefits cost per paycheck?
Rig Pig takes no placement fees from any carrier here.
Your credentials — the other pre-trip
Your paperwork needs a pre-trip too. At the window, the violation lands on whoever's holding the wheel. Missing/expired medical card = #1 driver OOS category (Roadcheck 2026, ~27–28%). Two minutes here beats getting parked.
DOT medical card
Paper-card era is over: NRII exemption ended October 12, 2026. Your result must show in your state's electronic CDL record — passing the physical isn't enough if it never transmitted.
State record doesn't show it? Call your examiner and licensing agency before you roll. You can't argue a missing record at the window.
Cab documents audit
Slip-seat? Check the trailer you just hooked. Its sticker and paperwork are your problem the moment you hold the wheel.
The chain-up coach
Carry-it-or-else, by state, plus the how-to for a tandem tractor. Compiled October 2026 from published sources — not field-tested. Rules change; check the state DOT or 511.
Chain season is open
Colorado carry mandate on (since Sept 1); Montana and B.C. open; Washington opens Nov 1. Pick a state for its rules.
State chain-law lookup
Carry = on board. Use = on the tires. No discretion discount at a chain checkpoint.
Running somewhere else? The Land Line 2025 U.S./Canada chain-law guide covers the rest state by state.
Where the iron goes
Each state's rule for a tractor-trailer. Tandem tractor: all four tires of the primary drive axle get chained.
California — 8 chains on an 18-wheeler
Single drive axle: all four tires. Duals: outside tires of each drive axle. Trailer: one tire each side. Nothing on steers. (Caltrans)
Oregon — 6 chains
Primary drive axle: all four tires. Both powered: outside tire each side of each. Trailer: two tires, staggered. (ODOT)
Washington
Outside tires on both drive axles + one tire each side of each trailer axle. Wide-base singles: every drive tire. Steel only — no plastic; cables OK. (WSDOT)
British Columbia
All four tires of the main drive axle. No trailer requirement. 11,794+ kg: steel chains only — no socks or cables. (gov.bc.ca)
Wyoming — Level 2 controls
Level 2 posted: chains on two drive wheels, opposite ends of the same axle. (WHP)
The physical how-to
Per BC CVSE and manufacturers. Practice in a dry lot before you need it in a storm.
- Stage it right. Pull fully in, hazards on, brake set. Lay chains untangled, traction side down. Gloves on. (BC CVSE; KÖNIG)
- Drape. Chain over the tire, fastener outside. Keep hooks clear; tuck excess under. (BC CVSE)
- Inside first. Inside fastener as tight as possible, then outside. (BC CVSE)
- Drive-on and re-hook. Roll until hooks are at axle height. Inner first, tight, then middle, then outer. (BC CVSE)
- Tension it. Tighten the D-cam. No cams? Spring/bungee tensioners — loose chains beat up fenders. (BC CVSE)
- Roll and retighten. Roll ~100 m (KÖNIG) to a quarter-mile (via Overdrive), stop, retighten. Chains loosen like fresh wheel nuts — retighten at your next stop too. (KÖNIG; Overdrive)
- Run slow and smooth. 30 mph max. Gentle accel, early braking — no wheelspin. Spinning chews tread. (Overdrive)
- Get them off dry pavement. Controls lifted and pavement bare? Pull over, take them off — dry pavement destroys chains fast. Reverse to remove: tensioners, outer hook, inner hook. (KÖNIG)
What it costs to get it wrong
Fines, as reported — check current schedules
- Colorado: ~$50 not carrying · $500 not installing · ~$1,000 + ~$156 blocking the highway. (CDOT)
- Montana: $250 min; $750 if you close the highway.
- Oregon: $880 Class A violation. (ODOT)
- Wyoming: up to $250; $750 if lanes close. (WHP)
- California: CHP cites at active checkpoints — no confirmed figure. Check first.
2,700+ Colorado CMV chain citations in one season (CSP) — closures trigger the biggest fines.
Chain-up checklist
Saved on this phone, works offline.