DOT Bumper

It's damaged. You want to put that into the shop and get another lease trailer.

Don't pick that thing up, you might be left holding the bag for that pre-existing damage.

 

Did you hook up to the trailer and leave with it? If so, just write it up and be on your way.
If it was at the leasing company, I wouldn't accept it, but if it's leased to your company already and dropped somewhere, just write it up and take it where you were told to.

 

I do not believe they would put you out of service, but you definitely run the risk of getting a ticket. The trailer pictured is out of regs, on both height and width. I may have pulled this down the block, but only after being certain to document the damage before hand. I would NOT have taken this trailer down the highway under any circumstances.

 

I don't take damaged trailers as a rule. There are so many times Ive had a trailer given to me by another driver who hurt it in some way and is afraid of being detected or fired. Trailer goes to shop while we get dispatch to arrange a replacement. It's a pain. But necessary so that if you take a damaged trailer and give it to another driver the company might think YOU are the one who did it.

It wont be the first or last time I ripped a ICC Bumper here and there.. That is one reason I favor the old middle frame designs over the full width edge ones shown here in this thread.

 

That bumper look like one of those things you can skewer your food on to cook and the way people drive I think I would not have hooked it without bending that piece off.

 

According to Dot requirements, it must be within 305 mm or 12 inches of the rearmost surface, so that right corner is probably bent too far. I also read where a DOT bumper damaged in an accident must be repaired, so it should be a violation. Luckily you only had to go a mile.

 

What if the icc bumper is straight but one of the inner supporting bars is badly bent? Would the DOT give a citation?

 

That really depends on how bent out of shape the officer gets. Some will probably let it slide and not bother you.