Question 25: §396.11 requires the driver, at the completion of each day's work, to prepare a written report on each vehicle operated that day. Does this section require a "post trip inspection" of the kind described in §396.15?

Guidance: No. However, the written report must include all defects in the parts and accessories listed in §396.11(a) that were discovered by or reported to the driver during that day.

Ok, what I read is to do a post trip at the end of the day looking at all those points and to record it along with everything else on your log. If there are issues write them up etc etc. How is this to do with pre trips.

Re: DOT changing Inspection rules
 

Really I've never in my life logged a Post Trip... Have been inspected in mississippi and passed with flying colors.. That would suck to have to log the post btw. I do it anyway but that 15 mins will cause some troubles.

You can log the post trip as the flag when you stop driving for the night, it doesn't have to be a seperate line 4 entry (unless something is DOT wrong with the rig and you're on the side of the road waiting to get fixed)


example start at 8am go down to line 4 for 30 minutes, flag that thirty minutes as Houston, Tx / PTI. Go up to line 3 (driving) for 11 hours until 1930 hrs, Then go up to off-duty or sleeper flag that as Atlanta, GA / Post trip.

In a nutshell what the regs say about pre and post trip inspections:

Pre-trips: Drivers are required to ensure that their vehicle and load meet or exceed all safety guidelines before operating the equipment.

Post-trip: This really refers to completing the DVIR (Drivers vehicle Inspection Report.)

No where in the regs, since I started driving in 1999 anyway, has a time limit been given for how long any type of inspection should take, nor has it ever said when a daily vehicle inspection must be done during the day.

THe "DOT" knows however that it take a certain amount of time to check all the items you need to check during a vehicle inspection and to be "nice" about it they have stated over the years the min time for a VI is 15 minutes, partly because the log book is divided by 15 min increments.

While it may be in violation of company policy you can legally flag a Pretrip as taking less than 15 minutes, drive for "X" amount of hours, do a vehicle inspection, and then flag a post trip. You can also legally flag a pretrip and record 15 minutes on the post trip....or the other way around, since the regs do not state when you must do a full vehicle inspection.

Now with that said here is something to be careful of.

DO NOt start your day and then 2 hours later log a Pre-Trip inspection. You can be busted for log book falsification, because by definition a PRETRIP is done before you start your day. In a case like this you want to show doing a VI or vehicle Inspection.

I tend to fuel first thing in the mourning so I can save that 15 mins.. I log fuel/pretrip as 15 mins time. Also when I do a drop/hook/pretrip as 30 mins. I guess I will keep doing what I'm doing.

There is no time requirement for either, but BOTH are required.

Just because you haven't been nailed for it doesn't mean it isn't required. I used to never log it either, and was never written up for it. That doesn't change the fact that the FMCSA regs REQUIRE it.

So, then how to you log it and what would be the proper way to log it if you cannot perform the required pre-trip and post-trip inspection? We are not allowed to open the hood or do any mechanical checks except for a visual inspection.

If we run out of windshield wiper fluid or need windshield wipers replaced while on the road we have to call a vendor to come do it for us.

No where in there does it say anything about having to open up the hood.

how do you check the steering box and linkage? I guess if you want to crawl on the ground? I would rather not.