The last 2 companys i worked for had a post trip manditory rule,,, is post trip required by law or just a pre trip daily?

The post trip is a law. Hence the Post Trip Inspection Form on the log. Many companies make it mandatory to show a 15 min PTI. I was actually surprised that Schneider doesn't make us show 15 min, we just have to flag it. I do always show a 15 min pre trip thought. Mostly cause I actually get out and look my whole ride over. I hate breaking down cause I missed a problem or was to lazy to look for one.

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'06 379 Pete with a MXS C-15 550 with heavy haul program, 200gph FASS, high flow mufflers, fuel and boost harnesses, shimmed fuel pump, Bully Dog downloader, Spinner II bypass filter, Schaeffer's synthetics in all boxes, and a 18 speed tranny. Leased to Schneider on their Choice program.

one full inspection (15 minute min)is mandated. doesn't matter if it is post trip or pretrip or sometime during the day.
You still need need to flag a PTI pretrip and post trip if you do your MVI in the middle of the day but you don't need to mark it as 15 minutes just flag it.

companies are all different. I always did a Pre trip. then I worked for Arnold for a few months and they want a post trip. Then I ent to MCT and they don't care where it is as long as you do one a day.

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Never Underestimate the power of the Schwartz!

Actually, there is no rule that specifically requires an "inspection" per se other than an annual inspection. The driver pre and post-trip inspections are implied by the virtue and nature of the applicable rules.

The rule at 392.7 requires a driver to ensure the vehicle is safe to drive before one drives it. How can you do that without inspecting the vehicle? And nowhere in the pre-trip rule does it require a driver to complete any report as to the condition of the vehicle.

In addition, there is no legal requirement for a post-trip inspection however there is another rule that essentially causes a post-trip inspection. The rule, 396.11 requires you to complete a report as to the condition of the vehicle at the end of your working day as I've posted on several different occasions. This report is usually somewhere on your record of duty status (log) and titled "Driver Vehicle Inspection Report" (this is also the title of the rule 396.11 as well). Legally speaking, you can't properly complete the report and not falsify the report unless you also inspect the vehicle before you complete the report (how can you detect what broke on the truck that day unless you look).

396.11(c) also requires you to get everything you note on the report fixed before you use the vehicle again.

From a retired federal DOT official

When I had the JOY of a DOT log audit (co-driver caused), you can flag the pre-trip if you can do it in less than 10 minutes (15 is the least you log), But, you have to log a post trip.

Here is the regulation. The Post trip is a written report that is maintained by the company for three months. NOTE the RED highlighted section.


§396.11 Driver vehicle inspection report(s).

(a) Report required. Every motor carrier shall require its drivers to report, and every driver shall prepare a report in writing at the completion of each day’s work on each vehicle operated and the report shall cover at least the following parts and accessories:
—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

(b) Report content. The report shall identify the vehicle and list any defect or deficiency discovered by or reported to the driver which would affect the safety of operation of the vehicle or result in its mechanical breakdown. If no defect or deficiency is discovered by or reported to the driver, the report shall so indicate. In all instances, the driver shall sign the report. On two-driver operations, only one driver needs to sign the driver vehicle inspection report, provided both drivers agree as to the defects or deficiencies identified. If a driver operates more than one vehicle during the day, a report shall be prepared for each vehicle operated.

(c) Corrective action. Prior to requiring or permitting a driver to operate a vehicle, every motor carrier or its agent shall repair any defect or deficiency listed on the driver vehicle inspection report which would be likely to affect the safety of operation of the vehicle.

(c)(1) Every motor carrier or its agent shall certify on the original driver vehicle inspection report which lists any defect or deficiency that the defect or deficiency has been repaired or that repair is unnecessary before the vehicle is operated again.

(c) (2) Every motor carrier shall maintain the original driver vehicle inspection report, the certification of repairs, and the certification of the driver’s review for three months from the date the written report was prepared.

(d) Exceptions. The rules in this section shall not apply to a private motor carrier of passengers (nonbusiness), a driveaway-towaway operation, or any motor carrier operating only one commercial motor vehicle.


Interpretations (frequently asked questions) are listed below for this regulation:

Question 1: Does [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. require the DVIR to be turned in each day by a driver dispatched on a trip of more than one day’s duration?

Guidance:

A driver must prepare a DVIR at the completion of each day’s work and shall submit those reports to the motor carrier upon his/her return to the home terminal. This does not relieve the motor carrier from the responsibility of effecting repairs and certification of any items listed on the DVIR, prepared at the end of each day’s work, that would be likely to affect the safety of the operation of the motor vehicle.

Question 2: Does [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. require that the power unit and the trailer be inspected?

Guidance: Yes. A driver must be satisfied that both the power unit and the trailer are in safe operating condition before operating the combination.

Question 3: May more than one power unit be included on the DVIR if two or more power units were used by a driver during one day’s work?

Guidance: No. A separate DVIR must be prepared for each power unit operated during the day’s work.

Question 4: Does [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. require a motor carrier to use a specific type of DVIR?

Guidance: A motor carrier may use any type of DVIR as long as the report contains the information and signatures required.

Question 5: Does [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. require a separate DVIR for each vehicle and a combination of vehicles or is one report adequate to cover the entire combination?

Guidance: One vehicle inspection report may be used for any combination, provided the defects or deficiencies, if any, are identified for each vehicle and the driver signs the report.

Question 6: Does [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. require a motor carrier to effect repairs of all items listed on a DVIR prepared by a driver before the vehicle is subsequently driven?

Guidance: The motor carrier must effect repairs of defective or missing parts and accessories listed in Appendix G to the FMCSRs before allowing the vehicle to be driven.

Question 7: What constitutes a ‘‘certification’’ as required by [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. and [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. ?

Guidance: A motor carrier or its agent must state, in writing, that certain defects or deficiencies have been corrected or that correction was unnecessary. The declaration must be immediately followed by the signature of the person making it.

Question 8: Who must certify under [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. that repairs have been made when a motor vehicle is repaired en route by the driver or a commercial repair facility?

Guidance: Either the driver or the commercial repair facility.

Question 9: Must certification for trailer repairs be made?

Guidance: Yes. Certification must be made that all reported defects or deficiencies have been corrected or that correction was unnecessary. The certification need only appear on the carrier’s copy of the report if the trailer is separated from the tractor.

Question 10: What responsibility does a vehicle leasing company, engaged in the daily rental of CMVs, have regarding the placement of the DVIR in the power unit?

Guidance: A leasing company has no responsibility to comply with [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. unless it is the carrier. It is the responsibility of a motor carrier to comply with [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. regardless of whether the vehicles are owned or leased.

Question 11: Which carrier is to be provided the original of the DVIR in a trip lease arrangement?

Guidance: The motor carrier controlling the vehicle during the term of the lease (i.e. the lessee) must be given the original of the DVIR. The controlling motor carrier is also responsible for obtaining and retaining records relating to repairs.

Question 12: Must the motor carrier’s certification be shown on all copies of the DVIR?

Guidance: Yes.

Question 13: Must a DVIR carried on a power unit during operation cover both the power unit and trailer being operated at the time?

Guidance: No. The DVIR must cover the power unit being operated at the time. The trailer identified on there port may represent one pulled on the preceding trip.

Question 14: In instances where the DVIR has not been prepared or cannot be located, is it permissible under [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. for a driver to prepare a DVIR based on a pretrip inspection and a short drive of a motor vehicle?
Guidance: Yes. [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. of the FMCSRs places the responsibility on the motor carrier to require its drivers to prepare and submit the DVIR. If, in unusual circumstances, the DVIR has not been prepared or cannot be located the motor carrier may cause a road test and inspection to be performed for safety of operation and the DVIR to be prepared.

Question 15: Is it permissible to use the back of a record of duty status (daily log) as a DVIR?

Guidance: Yes, but the retention requirements of [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. and [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. must be met.

Question 16: Does [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. require that specific parts and accessories that are inspected be identified on the DVIR?

Guidance: No.

Question 17: Is the Ontario pretrip/posttrip inspection report acceptable as a DVIR under [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. ?

Guidance: Yes, provided the report from the preceding trip is carried on board the motor vehicle while in operation and all entries required by [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. and [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. are contained on the reports.

Question 18: Where must DVIRs be maintained?

Guidance: Since [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. is not specific, the DVIRs may be kept at either the motor carrier’s principal place of business or the location where the vehicle is housed or maintained.

Question 19: Who is responsible for retaining DVIRs for leased vehicles including those of owner-operators?

Guidance: The motor carrier is responsible for retaining the original copy of each DVIR and the certification of repairs for at least 3 months from the date the report was prepared.

Question 20: Is a multi-day DVIR acceptable under [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. and [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. ?

Guidance: Yes, provided all information and certifications required by §[LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. and [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. are contained on the report.

Question 21: Is a DVIR required by a motor carrier operating only one tractor trailer combination?

Guidance: No. One tractor semitrailer/full trailer combination is considered one motor vehicle. However, a carrier operating a single truck tractor and multiple semitrailers, which are not capable of being operated as one combination unit, would be required to prepare DVIRs.

Question 22: Are motor carriers required to retain the ‘‘legible copy’’ of the last vehicle inspection report (referenced in [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. ) which is carried on the power unit?

Guidance: No. The record retention requirement refers only to the original copy retained by the motor carrier.

Question 23: Does the record retention requirement of [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. apply to all DVIRs, or only those reports on which defects or deficiencies have been noted?

Guidance: The record retention requirement applies to all DVIRs.

Question 24: How would the DVIR requirements apply to a driver who works two or more shifts in a single calendar day?

Guidance: [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. requires every driver to prepare a DVIR at the completion of each day’s work on each vehicle operated. A driver who operates two or more vehicles in a 24-hour-period must prepare a DVIR at the completion of the tour of duty in each vehicle.

Question 25: [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. 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 [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. ?

Guidance: No. However, the written report must include all defects in the parts and accessories listed in [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. that were discovered by or reported to the driver during that day.

Question 26: Is the motor carrier official or agent who certifies that defects or deficiencies have been corrected or that correction was unnecessary required to be a mechanic or have training concerning commercial motor vehicle maintenance?

Guidance: No. [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. does not establish minimum qualifications for motor carrier officials or agents who certify that defects or deficiencies on DVIRs are corrected. With the exception of individuals performing the periodic or annual inspection ([LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. ), and motor carrier employees responsible for ensuring that brake-related inspection, repair, or maintenance tasks are performed correctly ([LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. ), [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link. of the FMCSRs does not establish minimum qualifications for maintenance personnel. Motor carriers, therefore, are not prohibited from having DVIRs certified by company officials or agents who do not have experience repairing or maintaining commercial motor vehicles

Actually you may flag it if it takes less than 8-minutes (7.9 minutes or less). At the 8-minute mark you must show 15-minutes on line 4 under the federal guidelines. But different states may make different interpretations of that as well under the discretionary powers of the individual inspector.