Post Trip Inspections

Regularly inspecting your equipment will save you a lot of time and trouble over the road. Finding problems while parked with services near by is safer, cheaper, and easier than being rescued from the side of the road, especially after regular business hours, when your wait time will be longer and after hour charges apply.

We’re required to do pre trip and post trip inspections every day. FMCSA rules state:

§ 396.11: Driver vehicle inspection report(s).

(a) Equipment provided by motor carrier. (1) Report required. Every motor carrier shall require its drivers to report, and every driver shall prepare a report in writing at the completion of each day’s work on each vehicle operated, except for intermodal equipment tendered by an intermodal equipment provider. The report shall cover at least the following parts and accessories:

  • Service brakes including trailer brake connections;
  • Parking brake;
  • Steering mechanism;
  • Lighting devices and reflectors;
  • Tires;
  • Horn;
  • Windshield wipers;
  • Rear vision mirrors;
  • Coupling devices;
  • Wheels and rims;
  • Emergency equipment.

The inspection is pretty straightforward. It’s important to conduct your inspections and report any defects and have them repaired. It’s especially important to report any defects once your entire trip is complete. Leaving it to another driver is not professional. Having repairs done while the equipment is sitting allows for more up time.

Keeping up with inspections helps us plan maintenance and makes us more efficient. It’s necessary for us to be as efficient as possible in a competitive industry, such as, trucking.

For more articles on inspections check out the following

https://lenduboistrucking.com/blog/the-spring-safety-blitz-is-just-around-the-corner-pretrips/

https://lenduboistrucking.com/blog/pre-trip-inspection-what-to-look-at-inside-the-cab/

https://lenduboistrucking.com/blog/pre-trip-inspection-what-to-look-at-on-the-tractor-and-trailer/

https://lenduboistrucking.com/blog/pre-trip-inspection-what-to-look-at-under-the-hood/

https://lenduboistrucking.com/blog/what-drivers-need-to-know-about-the-cvsa-break-safety-week/