What are pre-trip inspections?

Pre-trip inspections are required for companies that operate and manage a fleet of vehicles used for commercial purposes. The basic goal of a pre-trip inspection is to identify and document any potential problems with a vehicle before a driver is on the road. 

According to regulations set by DOT, vehicle operators must perform daily post-trip inspections after a vehicle is operated. If any defects or problems are found in the post-trip inspection, it must be included in the post-trip inspection report. The vehicle is allowed to be sent out for use again once all problems have been addressed.

What information is checked in a DOT pre-trip inspection?

The Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) pre-trip inspection is designed to certify that the problems have been addressed and that the vehicle is ready to be safely operated on the road. While there are many different types of vehicles on the road today, the DOT provides a basic list or items to check when performing vehicle inspections: 

• Service brakes, including trailer brake connections
• Parking (hand) brake
• Steering mechanism
• Lighting devices and reflectors
• Tires
• Horn
• Windshield wipers
• Rear-vision mirrors
• Coupling devices
• Wheels and rims
• Emergency equipment

(Source: FMCFA)

Pre-Trip Inspection Checklist Forms and Apps

Inspection checklists are designed to improve the inspection process by providing staff with an easy-to-use template on the best practices to follow for that inspection. 

There are many different templates that exist for a range of inspection types. For example, a class A pre-trip inspection template would look slightly different than what is required for a class B inspection template. 

The most basic checklist can be completed on a sheet of paper, but more companies are turning to mobile apps and forms to streamline their processes for performing pre-trip inspections. Digitizing this information is highly beneficial for fleet management and transportation companies that need to document and report on their vehicle inspections.

Paper forms are simple to use, but missing or lost paper work can become a problem later on. To minimize risk and to modernize business operations, transportation companies rely on simple apps to digitize the information rather than using paper forms.

Beyond the basic benefits of digitizing the information, mobile apps also provide a number of advanced features that are helpful when performing inspections. For example, driver dispatch is an easy way to organize drivers and delivery schedules based on the most efficient configurations possible. Other features such as barcode scanning, signature capture, and GPS capture can help you keep track of your deliveries and maintain records for your business. 

Mobile apps can be built using no-code or low-code solutions that do not require advanced technical knowledge. Using a simple interface, anyone can start building apps for their pre-trip inspection checklists to replace paper forms. 

Common Pre-Trip Inspection Examples and Templates

For businesses that want to modernize their processes using mobile apps, an important feature is going to be the ability to customize the mobile app to meet specific needs and requirements. Most mobile apps will provide templates to use as a starting point and then customizations can be made to require certain information. 

With the GoCanvas app builder, businesses can create pre-trip inspection forms and checklists that are then deployed to workers to complete via the mobile app. All of this is suited for workers in different locations and standardized processes around how businesses collect and store their inspection reports. 

Key outcomes include an increase in worker productivity, efficiency, and improved data collection for operations teams. Here are some of the common commercial vehicle inspection templates and examples:

Class A Vehicles

Class A vehicles are defined as “any combination of vehicles which has a gross combination weight rating or gross combination weight of 11,794 kilograms or more (26,001 pounds or more) whichever is greater, inclusive of a towed unit(s) with a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight of more than 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds) whichever is greater.”

This would include tractor-trailers, combinations of truck and trailer, livestock carriers, tank vehicles, or flatbeds. 

GoCanvas example and template:  

• Pre/Post Trip Tractor Trailer Inspection

Class B Vehicles

Class B vehicles are defined as “any single vehicle which has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight of 11,794 or more kilograms (26,001 pounds or more), or any such vehicle towing a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight that does not exceed 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds).”

This would include straight trucks, large passenger buses, segmented buses, box trucks, dump trucks with small trailers, and tractor-trailers. 

GoCanvas examples and template:  

• Bus Driver Daily Inspection App 
• Truck Driver’s Pre-Trip Inspection

Class C Vehicles

Class C Vehicles are defined as “Any single vehicle, or combination of vehicles, that does not meet the definition of Class A or Class B, but is either designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver, or is transporting material that has been designated as hazardous under 49 U.S.C. 5103 and is required to be placarded under subpart F of 49 CFR Part 172 or is transporting any quantity of a material listed as a select agent or toxin in 42 CFR Part 73.”

This would include small HazMat vehicles, passenger vans, combination vehicles not covered by Classes A or B.

GoCanvas example and template: 

• Pre-Trip Fleet Vehicles Inspection Form

Sources:

• FMCSA
• Driving Tests

Transform how your business operates with mobile apps

Many companies in the transportation industry start using mobile apps to solve a single paperwork challenge, like pre-trip inspections. But there are many areas of business operations that deal with paperwork that can create slow and manual processes for staff. This includes things like delivery confirmations, mileage tracking, safety inspections, bill of lading, and any other paper-based processes for drivers and management. If you are looking for additional transportation apps for business, be sure to search in the GoCanvas app store where you can get started for free.

Mobile apps are designed to make everyday tasks more efficient. You can document and file car insurance claims directly from your phone in real-time, right at the scene of the accident. With a mobile boarding pass, you can bypass the ticketing counter at the airport and go straight to your gate. You can bank with an app, book hotels with an app, and order pizza with an app.

Now, motor carriers — and any businesses that employ trucks and drivers — can experience those efficiency gains regarding inspection reports. With mobile inspection apps, carriers and drivers can trade in the burden of paper forms for the ease of mobile forms and cloud-based data through their mobile devices. But those apps don’t only increase efficiency — they also drive additional revenue. Here’s how.

1. Eliminate Paper Forms While Increasing the Inspection Process  

When drivers and carriers enter information in mobile apps, that data is stored in the cloud. With reduced paper files, carriers can eliminate much of their physical storage including file cabinets and shelves. That means more space in the office, less clutter to work around, and an easier time accessing the information you need the minute you need it within your mobile application — especially if you’re pulled over for an inspection.

Cloud-based data storage can automate workflow and give owners and managers instant access to inspection documents, including work orders, inspection checklists, and audits and maintenance reports as soon as drivers complete them — regardless of where the driver is — providing accurate, up-to-date knowledge on all equipment.

In the short term, the benefits of those changes may seem marginal — but if you aim to grow your business, mobile technology, and a digital documentation system can help you scale efficiently and stay profitable as you expand.

We recommend creating invoices through our mobile app for Trucking Invoices for an easy way to keep track of your financials.

2. Increase Driver Compliance and Business Workflow 

Drivers already work up to 70 hours in an eight-day period. For carriers to be the most profitable, however, that time must be spent driving, not fulfilling peripheral duties like completing or filing paperwork. A mobile app on a smartphone or tablet can save time and increase convenience for both the carrier and the driver.

With paper forms, drivers must fill out duplicate information every time — like vehicle make, model, year, and DOT registration number. Mobile forms, however, may be pre-populated with this kind of information, saving the driver the headache of having to fill in that information time after time and reducing the chance that they’ll get sloppy and skip portions of the forms completely. Mobile forms can also require users to fill out one field before they are able to move to the next.

The time savings can equate to additional driving time (and revenue), and completing paperwork is a win for everyone when it comes to roadside inspections, traffic stops, and especially if your truck is involved in an accident.

3. Demonstrate Accountability in the Event of a Lawsuit

Even though large trucks represent only 2 percent of drivers, they’re involved in 11 percent of road fatalities. Driver error accounts for 87 percent of those accidents, and vehicle issues, such as brake problems, account for 10 percent.

If one of your trucks was involved in an accident tomorrow, would you have accurate, up-to-date information readily available to prove that your vehicles have been inspected, have received regular maintenance, and that your drivers meet all training and certification requirements?

This kind of information can be vital at the site of a crash and may be able to help exonerate your company of any alleged wrongdoing in the event of a liability suit or lawsuit.

4. Increase CSA and SMS Compliance to Enhance Your Company’s Functionality

The law requires truck fleet owners to keep records of hazardous material carriage, vehicle inspections, driver records, health management, and more. The penalties for failing to do so can be steep — ranging from fines to termination as a business entity.

Companies that don’t keep maintain the required documentation pay out millions of dollars each year. Recordkeeping violations, for example, can carry a fine of up to $1,100 per day while the violation continues, up to $11,000. Hazmat fines can stack up to $75,000 per violation.

If drivers receive a serious violation during a roadside inspection, their trucks can be placed out of service (OOS) — taking them completely off the road until the violation is remedied. And that can be an expensive delay, considering you’re losing revenue for every hour the truck is sidelined.

You also have to consider the broader impact on your business. The public can see carriers’ violations and fines on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (EFMCSA) website and too many penalties against your company could cause your customers to take their business elsewhere. Using a mobile app to keep updated, accurate, and accessible records can help you avoid those penalties and keep your business profitable.

5. Improve Overall Driver Fleet Management

Drivers are expected to carry and manage a long list of documents — including a driver’s license, medical examiner’s certificate, a driver’s record of duty status, documentation of an annual inspection, hazardous materials paperwork, and permit credentials.

Rather than maintaining these documents on paper, a mobile app can streamline the process, helping drivers and carriers become more efficient. On a grander scale, that can help your company become more competitive and continue to attract drivers that will stay compliant and drive profitability.

Utilize GoCanvas for Your Own Mobile Inspection App

Paper forms aren’t just inconvenient. Relying on paper forms can open your truck fleet up to fines, lawsuits, and downtime. Learn more about how mobile inspection apps can benefit your business in the interactive eBook, “4 Ways Mobile Inspection Forms Can Keep Your Trucks on the Road.”Then get started by trying out GoCanvas free (no credit card or contract required). We’ll help you create your first app, whether it’s for regular inspections, maintenance logs, or managing documentation.