How log to log pre/post trip?

Can you do it in 5 minutes if the inspector asked you to?

 

They don't give a time required.

 

It all depends on company policy, talk to your safety dept., they can overrule a dispatcher. I learned over years to ‘maintain your comfort zone’ regardless of dispatch. ‘Somebody else’s f-up, does not constitute an emergency on your part’.
A 5 min. pre-trip in a pinch is one thing on a truck you use everyday, if you are only one that uses it. But to do proper one, I mean proper throughou, checking lights, load securement, fluids, truck paperwork, b.o.l. etc, will take longer than 5 min.

 

15 minutes, is the standard and realistic, even though even it is short for a thorough pre-trip. Think, Tires Air pressure check. 18 wheels to pressure test. That's where the 15 min comes in. You can zip the rest by looking quickly at things and making quick decisions if it's good or bad, especially if you've been doing it for a while, but unless you have tire inflation systems, you may be able to speed even that up, but since most paper logs were minimum of 15 minute increments, 15 became a pretty good standard to go by. There are occasions where you may shorten it like you mentioned, but as you get older, you get slower too, so some of us in that age group stick to the 15 min.

 

Pretrip was always considered checking lights and tires. Assuming you did it full post Trip the night before. So yes 5 min is fine. Post trip I've always used at least 30 minutes. But also varie it.

Anyone who puts down 15 minutes. Sure better be able to do that for a court of law.

 

5 min pre trip checking tires, lights, and any puddles under the truck. 15 min post Trip checking everything else. That way issues can get fixed at night, not when I’m ready to leave in the morning.

 

For all the people saying 15 minutes. I'd love to see you crawl under the trailer and check all the slack adjusters in 15 minutes. SMH