[mArTmAn]

Once you get on the road, when doing your pre trip inspection is there a standard checklist on the things that need to be checked? Is there a form for this that the company provides if you are a company driver or is this something you can make on your own? How does the DOT check to make sure you have done your pre-trip if asked?

Thanks in advance for your answers.

Marty

[redsfan]

There are many standard forms and your company may provide you with one, but typically you won't fill one out all the time.

The DOT will check your logbook, that's how they will confirm that you spent 15 minutes on line 4 doing your pre-trip before you started your day.

[kc0iv]

Originally Posted by redsfan

There are many standard forms and your company may provide you with one, but typically you won't fill one out all the time.

The DOT will check your logbook, that's how they will confirm that you spent 15 minutes on line 4 doing your pre-trip before you started your day.

The important inspection is the POST inspection. You must have a written copy of it in your truck.

There is no time standard by D.O.T. for doing the inspection. Only that the time must be shown. To be truthful you can't do a inspection in 15 minutes.

Check the R&R forum it has been hashed around there times.

kc0iv

[redsfan]

Originally Posted by kc0iv

The important inspection is the POST inspection. You must have a written copy of it in your truck.

There is no time standard by D.O.T. for doing the inspection. Only that the time must be shown. To be truthful you can't do a inspection in 15 minutes.

Check the R&R forum it has been hashed around there times.

kc0iv

True, there is no time standard, but you cannot log less than 15 minutes for it. Personally, I've never met anyone who has logged more than 15 minutes on a daily PTI. Not saying it can or cannot be done, that will depend totally upon the equipment that you are in.

The same can be said for fueling. You might pull in, fuel and leave within 10 minutes, but you will log 15 for it.

[rickll]

well ... as someone who has just started and trying to learn all this stuff I was told never log anything less then 30 minutes ... so far it's worked great ... we have been pulled in to many state dot inspections and never had any problem. we log that we inspect our truck at least 3 to 4 times a day ... we drive team so we never do a post trip always a pretrip

[redsfan]

One added point, the post trip does have to be noted, but it does not have to be a fully completed form. Most companies that provide their own logbooks to drivers (as most do) satisfy DOT standards by putting a couple of check boxes for your post trip. One says vehicle is in satsifactory operating condition and the other says it is not. If you check the box that is not, you then have to list what was wrong and if you don't have it fixed immediately you have just placed yourself out of service. IMO, do your pre and post-trip, if you find a tail light out, replace it and check the satisfactory box. If you find something major that you can't fix, report it and have it fixed. Of course, then you will have to document what you had fixed and any particulars.

I'm not saying that I advocate skipping either inspection at all. By all means do them thoroughly. A proper inspection can save your life or the life of another.

[Uturn2001]

If you are wanting some kind of pre-printed check list go to a truckstop and in the section they keep log books and other forms look for an annual vehicle inspection report. Listed on that is everything that must be checked and passed in order for the vehicle to pass its annual inspection, and it is the same thing that is looked at during a Level 1 DOT inspection.

CLICK HERE if you want to see what a level 1 insection consists of.

[kc0iv]

Originally Posted by redsfan

True, there is no time standard, but you cannot log less than 15 minutes for it. Personally, I've never met anyone who has logged more than 15 minutes on a daily PTI. Not saying it can or cannot be done, that will depend totally upon the equipment that you are in.

The same can be said for fueling. You might pull in, fuel and leave within 10 minutes, but you will log 15 for it.

Sorry you are wrong. If you wanted to you could flag the pre and post inspections. I wouldn't recommend it but D.O.T. says nothing as to time. Only that the post inspection must be done. See: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regul...ction_toc=1953

In respect to the pre-trip. See: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regul...ction_toc=1954

Same thing goes for fueling. D.O.T. does not give a time. As with everything else D.O.T. requires you to show the time it took and location where it was done.

kc0iv

[mArTmAn]

Thanks to everyone that replied. The FMCSA website had a ton of info I was wanting to know about.

Be safe out there!

Marty

[dipstick]

You can do what my trainer does, and fill out the report and rock and roll. In four weeks i have yet to see him do anything other than kick a tire...............open the hood or check under the rig, never, might find something he might have to ignore......