DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VEHICLE INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS

The new inspection requirements are an improvement over what has been in place for the past 20 or more years. For example, the new regulations provide clear instructions on what to inspect. On trucks, tractors & trailers there are 23 vehicle areas or systems that need to be inspected. Smaller vehicles will have fewer of these items to inspect. Each inspection item has a list of defective conditions. Defects are divided into two different categories: minor and major. These defects are based on the types of things drivers will be able to see and identify by conducting a visual inspection.

The new inspection requirements define two distinct types of defects.

  • "Defects" are conditions that need to be repaired but aren't an immediate threat to safety. These are conditions that would cause a vehicle to fail a periodic inspection such as an annual safety.
  • "Major Defects" are conditions that are hazardous and will affect the safe operation of a vehicle. Major defects are the same as the 'out of service' conditions used by enforcement officers. So whether a driver or an enforcement officer finds a major defect, the vehicle will be out of service

The new inspection requirements consist of two different types of inspection activities.

  • Vehicles must be inspected before they are operated. An inspection report is normally completed at least once per day and the report is valid for 24 hours.
  • Every vehicle also needs to be inspected while it's being operated. This means doing circle checks whenever the vehicle is parked.

The new inspection requirements mean different reports need to be filled out. These reports must be carried and given to enforcement officials when asked.
The new inspection requirements include a specific list of inspection items that must be on a schedule.

  • The carrier issues the schedule to the driver.
  • The driver follows the schedule when doing the inspection.
  • This schedule must be carried by the driver at all times and it must be given to enforcement officials when asked along with the inspection report.

An important part of the new requirements is the on-going responsibility for monitoring vehicle condition. Drivers must pay attention to the safe condition of their vehicle while on-duty.

  • This means drivers need to do circle checks on a regular basis and pay attention to how the vehicle handles, sounds and feels.
  • When any condition listed in the inspection schedule is present on a vehicle, drivers should know about it, write it on their inspection report and report it to the carrier.

The new inspection requirements tell drivers and carriers what to do when a vehicle has a defect or a major defect.

  • Defects have to be reported to the carrier within a certain period of time.
  • Major defects have to be reported immediately and the vehicle cannot be operated.

The regulations allow many different methods for reporting defects.

  • They generally need to be reported and repaired within a 24-hour period but the actual period can be longer or shorter than 24 hours.
  • Major defects must be reported immediately. Since the vehicle cannot be operated with a major defect, carriers need to have a system for dealing with them. This means drivers have to have a way to communicate with the carrier and carriers need to have a response plan. These kinds of procedures should be documented and must be clearly communicated to all personnel.

Carriers can have someone other than the driver complete the vehicle inspection. Any driver who accepts an inspection report completed by another person must also sign the report. This report must be carried by the driver.