Pretrip Inspections

A driver chooses not to perform a proper pretrip inspection before leaving the terminal. Consequently, a bulging tire was not discovered in your yard where repairs could have been facilitated quickly and relatively inexpensive. Several hours later the driver calls to report a blowout in the middle of nowhere, requiring a service call. What is the difference in cost between a quick and easy tire replacement in your yard, and a road service call ... 

The common misconception among drivers is that the pretrip inspection is the inspection documented in the driver vehicle inspection report (DVIR). This is incorrect. The posttrip inspection is required to be documented. 

School bus drivers should be required to perform daily pretrip inspections of their vehicles and the safety equipment thereon (especially fire extinguishers), and to report promptly and in writing any problons discovered that may affect the safety of the vehicle s operation or result in its mechanical breakdown. Pretrip inspection and condition reports for school buses and school-chartered buses subject to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations of FHWA should be performed in accordance with those regulations (49 CFR 392.7, 392.8, and 396 U.S. Department of Transportation, 2006). 

Study the life of various components and be in the practice for changing parts before they fail, preventing a breakdown. The school bus industry operates in an area between a standard automobile and the over-the-road trucking companies. School bus technicians try to find potential problems before they turn into costly repairs that remove the vehicle from service for extended periods of time. There are a number of ways we do this. The daily pretrip inspection performed by the driver is the most common. The scheduled services or inspection performed by mechanics is another. Most states have an annual inspection requirement, which may be performed by a state official. 

With a potential for fines, Out-of-Service orders, and liability (in the event of an accident), supervisors need to stress the seriousness of performing vehicle inspections. Drivers need to realize that vehicle inspections are the law, and not at their discretion. Your drivers can be held liable for failing to make inspections and for any subsequent accident that happens because they failed to report damage or missing equipment. Regular pretrip inspections will keep the possibility of a vehicle breakdown or Out-of-Service conditions to a minimrun. 

The best way for a driver to know if these parts are in good working order is to do a pretrip inspection. It is best to follow the same inspection procedure every day so that nothing important will be forgotten. 

Performing a thorough pretrip inspection will go a long way toward preventing vehicle problems from happening on the road and from defects being discovered by a law enforcement officer during a roadside inspection. 

Employees should be trained on how to complete a pretrip inspection. This is required by law for safety purposes. Tires, wheels, rims, lugs/nuts, steering, suspension system, exhaust system, and emergency equipment should all be inspected. This inspection ensures that the vehicle is in proper working condition before it is driven off the lot. 

List five pretrip inspection checks carried out by the bus operator. 

To ensure the safety of the next driver of the vehicle, each driver should conduct a posttrip inspection.This inspection will cover many of the same items as the pretrip inspection however, it may be more extensive. When deficiencies are detected, the mechanic and the next driver of the vehicle should sign off to indicate that they are satisfied with the repairs. These records must be kept in the vehicle with all inspection records. 

For workers who are tasked to operate equipment, whether that equipment is heavy equipment on a construction site or presses or equipment used in a manufacturing process, the worker needs to perform a prework inspection of this equipment. For workers who are asked to operate mobile equipment such as trucks, forklifts. Bobcats, skidloaders, and the like, a written pretrip inspection must take place. Although there are a variety of ways to document this pretrip inspection, I recommend that the inspection be recorded on a prenumbered pad containing pressure-sensitive carbons with at least the original and one copy. 

Now that we are in the computer age, people have found ways to document a pretrip inspection on their computers when log-in is performed at the beginning of the shift. Customized questions pop up that the operator must answer before being allowed to continue using the computer. Computers are a great way to store data and keep records ... 

Operator s name. The name of the operator and the operator s employee number or clock number is typically included on the pretrip form. The name should be clearly printed and the signature should be included. Anytime someone is asked to sign his or her name seems to make the document appear more official. This can be helpful for those who need to be reminded of how serious a pretrip inspection form really is. 

Date and time of the pretrip inspection. Documenting the date and time that a deficiency was noted can be helpful. K a later determination is made that reveals the problem persisted without being reported, this may indicate a need for further operator training, a lackadaisical attitude about the pretrip inspections, or other problems. K no action is taken after a deficiency is noted on the pretrip form, this may indicate poor supervision or lack of follow-up by maintenance or other problems. 

Remember that some of the equipment operators may have limited computer literacy or written communications skills, so the written report and computer reports may be terse or somewhat primitive. The descriptions of problems may appear nebulous. Even though these team members may not excel at written communications, they typically excel at understanding how to operate equipment. And they typically can tell when equipment is not operating properly or is in need of maintenance. But let s get back to a typical pretrip inspection. 

If the operator notes the need for adjustment or repair, the supervisor uses the pretrip inspection form to generate a work order for maintenance to initiate repairs. If the repair looks serious enough, the supervisor and operator will jointly make a decision about whether the equipment should be sidelined or if the equipment can safely operate in its current state. The judgment about whether equipment should continue to operate or be sidelined is too often a matter for debate. 

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