How often do you do your pre trip inspections?

Every start of the day, and completion of the day.

 

That's we all used to do. But you look you look at the new so called new "Truckers", and you fear they don't even know how to clean them themselves properly when they get off the pot. I bet most of them call mommy on how to order a shower.

 

Ill come out and say it op. Im a new driver. Everyday jump down raise the hood check all the fluids. (Just imagine this if you notice your truck is using oil it could be the difference from adding some and getting it fixed to blowing the motor 100s of miles from nowhere waiting in the hot sun with a truck that wont run for hours on a tow. That now very simple task couldve saved you all that. Capital couldve the real world dont work always work that way.) Check the belts, steer tires, hoses, and brakes. Lower the hood check the lights walk around the truck checking lights check the pigtail and air lines. Duck down and visibly insure the fifth wheel is locked. Check drive tires lights on the trailer air lines on the trailer make sure they're not dragging. Tandems make sure all pins are locked in place check the tires and hubs. Make sure the rear lights all work the doors are shut properly make sure no one has tampered with the trailer doors (broke seal or what have you because i promise if you show up at the reciever and your load has been messed with and you have no clue when or where it was done. Youre going to have problems and a lot of em.) Then walk back to the truck up the passenger side and repeat the process. Climb in release truck brakes leave trailer set and tug. This makes certain that with visibly inspecting the fifth wheel it is properly coupled set the truck brakes and push in the trailer air walk around the trailer and listen for air leaks it gives time for the air pressure to build up and you make sure by doing that, that you wont have problems down the road.
Anything i didnt add please feel free to do so. Im new too so i added everything i thought of that i check daily.
Also you dont necessarily have to do this in this order (I dont) but, you do need to make a habit of checking things in a order. So you build muscle memory if youre jumping around from item to item you will forget things. So build a habit that you can remember to do. If nothing else its a bit of exercise and you know your equipment is working like it should.

 

ever see this photo?

 

Good call.

 

See? I always check. But is it real?

 

BTW. That's a 4 wheeler.

 

I do one every morning. I think local drivers can get a bit complacent seeing as how alot of them wont encounter a DOT stop. However, there are 2 reasons why I do them.
1. I dont want to kill myself or someone else because I failed to catch a problem.
2. I dont want to be ticketed and put out of service by the DOT.

Doing a proper pre-trip inspection can save you're life or someone else's life. It doesnt have to take you 2 hours but you get the point.