Please describe thourough pre trip inspection in great detail:

Exactly guys...it's pretty much a shame bad tires, lights burnt out etc...

I've been checking some companies out up here to find someone decent to try and get in with and I would have to say that at least 50% off the vehicle maintenance issues on the new csa 2010 stuff could be eliminated with a good pretrip. Many for non working directionals, bad tires, tandems not locked in...WTF is wrong with drivers anymore it really doesn't take that long to check these things.

 

like this is the first one to send a turd up the pipe ?
10+ year hands are a dime a dozen and the 16 and up are buy one get one free.

 

Well, I am going to make a few comments on this Subject. First to PP you show to have been driving for some time, so to ask a question like this is kinda of odd if by now you have not learned to do a PTI then maybe you need to ask yourself if this is something you should have thought about a long time ago.

For those of you who are new to driving I would suggest that you do some research, and Take this seriously as with the CSA 2010 rules simple things can cost you dearly. More important not doing a PTI and NOT knowing if your equipment is safe or not, or just merely looking at your Rig can be costly to your life. It only takes one steer tire to blow out going down a hill running against the idler(faster than your truck will run on the foot) and you might not make it home.

For those of you who have been doing this for some time, and you do not check tire pressure, or anything else. Start thinking like an Owner Operator if you had to pay the cost to fix the equipment you would take better care of it. The bottom line is Companies pay thousands of dollars to fix simple things on the road, that had a Proper PTI and Post trip been done costly road repairs could have been avoided.
Most people who drive for companies have an attitude it is not mine they can fix it, this is one of the reasons some companies pay sub standard pay. Not an excuse for them but one of the reasons they use. If Each driver treated the truck they drive as if they made the payments on it then there would be less accidents and a lot less shutdown at the DOT check points.
The Biggest Problem is To Many Drivers are to Lazy to check all the things they Drive, Many "Old" drivers say " I know my equipment I drive it every day, I know what to look for just by walking around" when the reality is they "think" they know.
After 22 years I still check the tire pressure on all 18 Every Day, Might be why I am able to get 120k out of steers and 150 out of Drives, and avg 6.8 MPG. And NO I do not own my truck, BUT I will make it home at the end of my tour, and I have not been shut down or put Out of Service ever for Equipment Failure. I do carry a Tool box for minor repairs, No My company does not pay me to fix anything, But I make no MONEY when My Truck sits in a SHOP getting repairs done. The company I work for has a AWESOME Shop and they are more than happy to get anything that is wrong fixed no matter the cost.
Doing a PTI is not only the law but it is common sense, Airline Pilots perform a PRe flight Inspection, before they fly, You as a Truck Driver have a certain responsibility not only to your company but to the PUBLIC who we share the roads with, it would be a Tragedy if you took someone's life due to your inability to take 10 minutes to complete a PTI.

If you decide to bash me for this Post then you are most likely part of the Problem and not willing to be part of the solution to Make Driving a Better Place.

 

I average 200-250K out of a set of drive tires. My last steers had 180K and only changed them because they were cupping from bad shocks. 150K isn't that good. Are you sure them numbers are right? Alot has to do with the weight of the freight you haul too. Someone that hauls light loads all the time will do better than someone that maxes out all the time.

 

I do a pretrip. Problem I have is drivers make fun of me cuz they think I just finished school.Been driving 7 yrs and still drop my hood and do a full inspec at the end of every 10 hr break. I even check the oil. You never know whats happened in 24 hrs. I just cant give you a detailed list, cuz I dont know the names of all the parts. I just know if the doohicky is loose or the watchamacallit is broke. If I got dot'd I could point everything out. I have learned some parts names over the last 7 yrs though. Getting better.

 

So if you know how to do a pre-trip. Then why don't you write your own down and post it for all to read. Rather than asking someone else to do work you want done for you, try to do it yourself.

Many of us don't think it's a joke. We just think your questions are a joke.

 

No one could have ever said this better....

 

I walk around to make sure 5th wheel is secure, nobody stole tires, my load is still on board and there are no puddles of TRUCK fluid on ground, then roll out!

 

You forgot to make sure nobody left you spare change in your glad hand washers for a cup of coffee.