Pre-trip inspections

Have procedures in place and provide sufficient space for drivers to perform a pre-trip inspection of tendered intermodal equipment and... 

Develop and implement procedures to repair any equipment damage, defects, or deficiencies identified as part of a pre-trip inspection, or replace the equipment, prior to the driver s departure (repairs or replacement must be made after being notified by a driver of such damage, defects, or deficiencies). 

Pre-trip inspection The inspection of a commercial motor vehicle before it is first operated each day. 

This section requires that before operating intermodal equipment over the road, the driver accepting the equipment must inspect the equipment components listed in 392.7 (the basic components that must be checked during a pre-trip inspection) and be satisfied they are in good working order. There is no documentation reqmrements attached to this inspection. By leaving the lEPs facility with the equipment the driver (and by extension the carrier) is certifying that the equipment is acceptable. 

Objective To evaluate the driver s ability to perform a proper pre-trip inspection as outlined in 392.7 and company policy. 

The driver applicant must demonstrate the ability to conduct a thorough and complete pre-trip inspection, including an examination of the following vehicle parts and accessories ... 

You want to know how the driver will actually perform on the job. Does he or she just look at each item during a pre-trip inspection, or does he or she actually touch them A driver s attention to detail could say a lot about how the individual might treat other aspects of the job. 

Equipment, inspection and use, is also known as the pre-trip inspection requirement — although the actual term pre-trip inspection is not found anywhere in 392.7. 

There is no suggested or mandated amount of time the pre-trip inspections should take and... 

There are no documentation requirements for a driver s pre-trip inspection. 

Pre-trip inspections A driver goes out to his taick, takes a slow walk around, climbs in and takes off. Unfortunately, this scene technically meets the requirements of 392.7, since the driver can say through his little walk-around, Tm satis-f/ec/that the listed parts and accessories are in gfood working order. ... 

Review the following pre-trip inspection policy statement and related inspection procedm es. Use this information to help develop and implement a formal written pre-trip inspection policy. 

Pre-trip inspection policy Before operating any company vehicle, our drivers will be expected to perform a complete pre-trip inspection. This inspection will last a minimum of seven minutes, and must be clearly Indicated on the driver s record-of-duty status. The pre-trip must include, but is not limited to, a thorough inspection of the parts and accessories listed in 392.7 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, and a detailed review of the last DVIR done on the vehicle. 

The point is, how pre-trip inspections of your vehicles are performed should not be left up to an individual driver s judgement — this is leaving your safety results to chance, and is not an effective safety management tool. 

A final word on pre-trip inspections with regard to how to indicate them on your drivers logs. The FMCSA has published an interpretation on how drivers should log events of less than 15 minutes. Make sure yom drivers are trained on how to do this. 

No driver shall operate one of your CMVs until he or she is first satisfied that this equipment is in place and ready for use (make sure this statement is in your compands pre-trip inspection procedures) and... 

Arc our drivers checking the condition of their emergency equipment as part of the pre-trip inspection ... 

Establish standard company-wide pre-trip inspection pro-cediires. Your standard procedures should ( 392.7) ... 

Make sure all fleet CMVs are equipped with the required emergency equipment, and that inspection of this equipment by your drivers becomes a standard part of your established pre-trip inspection. In addition, ensure all drivers are given adequate training on emergency procedures in the event they need to stop and secure their vehicle while on the road ( 392.22). 

Here is an example After a ten-hour break a driver did a pre-trip inspection of 4 hour and then drove seven hours. He/she then took an eight-horu sleeper break. After the eight hours he/she drove four hours, with a half of an hour on-duty and a half hour off duty mid-shift. The driver then took a two-hour off-duty break, to comply with the spht break requirement. After the two-hour break the driver drove for six hours, with no on-duty or off-duty time during this shift. Next, the driver took an eight-hour sleeper break, to comply with the split break requirement. Here is how it would break down for compliance purposes ... 

The signature of the next driver who reviews the DVIR as part of his or her pre-trip inspection acknowledging the corrective action taken. 

Question 14 in instances where the DVIR has not been prepared or cannot be located, is it permissible under 396.11 for a driver to prepare a DVIR based on a pre-trip inspection and a short drive of a motor vehicle ... 

Driver inspection, is the second pre-trip inspection requirement found in the FMCSRs. Along with 392.7, it reinforces your drivers responsibility to satisfy themselves that the CMV is in safe operating condition (see Part 392 for more information). 

X Pre-trip inspection — A thorough pre-trip inspection is not only required by federal regulation, it is necessary to ensure the vehicle is in safe operating condition before your drivers hit the road. 

Make sure your drivers do their pre-trip inspections the same way every time. The following seven-step check is a good method for meeting the federal requirements and making sure the trip is smooth. Instructors are encouraged to go through each step, appl3dng them to company vehicles. 

During pre-trip inspections, check for excessive steering wheel play. 

Training aids for instructing personnel about pre-trip inspection of the tank car are available from sources such as CGA and The Chlorine Institute. Before connecting the loading lines. 

The regulations require the driver of a commercial vehicle (any vehicle used in commerce over 10,001 pounds, requiring placards, etc.) to perform a pre-trip inspection and submit a driver vehicle inspection report (DVIR) reporting the condition of the vehicle at the end of the day (in effect requiring a post-trip inspection). There are no pre-trip reporting requirements in the regulations, but many companies require their drivers to do a report for the pre-trip as well as doing a DVIR at the end of the day. 

AV-2 Pre-Trip Inspection of Compressed Gas Tank Cars. Subjects covered include pre-loading inspections, safety equipment, standard markings, key inspection points, typical trouble spots, and warning signs. Format is 78 audio-sequenced slides. (19 50 minutes)... 

A roadability rule (i.e., inclusion of intermodal references in the Code of Federal Regulations) has impacted those who transport — or offer for transport — container chassis and other intermodal equipment. Those who provide intermodal equipment (IME) will have to mark it with a USDOT number and establish a systematic inspection, maintenance, and repair program, and those who operate it will have to do a pre-trip inspection and report any defects. 

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