Inspection authority

(a) A person having inspection authority shall mean any motor vehicle inspector, appointed by the commissioner in accordance with Section 14-8 of the General Statutes, or any state or municipal police officer, who has satisfactorily completed forty hours of on-the-job training and a course of instruction as prescribed by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Office of Motor Carriers, in federal motor carrier safety regulations, safety inspection procedures, and out-of-service criteria. As used in Sections 1 through 12, inspection authority means authorization to enter upon and perform inspections of motor carriers' vehicles in operation, to record the results of such inspections, and to declare a motor vehicle or its operator "Out of Service" as provided in the Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 395, Section 395.13, and Part 396, Section 396.9. (b) A person having inspection authority as defined in subsection (a) of this section may enter upon and inspect the lands, buildings and equipment of persons subject to the provisions of Section 1, in accordance with law, to determine compliance with such provisions. Such persons subject to the provisions of Section 1, including motor carriers, may be required by the commissioner to submit for inspection and copying their accounts, books, records, memoranda, correspondence and other documents, as such documents relate to the requirements and standards of Section 1. (c) In order to maintain inspection authority motor vehicle inspectors shall annually receive in-service training in current federal motor carrier safety regulations, safety inspection procedures, and out-of-service criteria. The type and extent of such training shall be as determined by the commissioner.