is a pretrip inspection required ...

This doesn't make sense to me . Why do you not have to mark 15 for a post trip when it requires a written report and a pretrip does not ?
But as mentioned , drivers have to follow company policy which often requires more than FMCSR.

 

After further investigation I have learned the above is not "regulation" it was one of the many "company policies" foisted upon us under the guise of "regulations."


Question 22: If a driver logs his/her duty status as "driving" but makes multiple short stops (each less than 15 minutes) for on-duty or off-duty activities, marks a vertical line on the grid for each stop, and records the elapsed time for each in the remarks section of the grid, would the aggregate time spent on those non-driving activities be counted against the 10-hour driving limit?
Guidance: No. On-duty not driving time or off-duty time is not counted against the 10-hour driving limit.


I wish companies would have to disclose what is their "policy" and what is in fact federal or state regulations.

At least this is one good thing about this forum. We get others perspectives and have an opportunity to learn from each other (provided we are wise enough to listen and investigate).

 

Simple, If I take 7 minutes or less to fill out the report then I only need to flag it. A pre-trip means that you as the driver have inspected the vehicle/vehicles and are satisfied with its safety. A post trip is the end of the day and should be (in my case) anything you noticed during the drive or at end of day and needs attention before anyone drives it again. Thats great if you have a shop at a yard you are at everyday but in the case of an OTR driver like me, not good. I do a thorough pre trip before driving and give attention at that time as well as throughout the day to anything needed so I am satisfied with its safety. These times are logged and the items are filled out in my maintenance sheet.

 

The ticket got dropped by the state and changed to a warning (leaking axle seal) so I have no idea. This was back in 2003 when I started driving. My company fought it because he stated my 5th wheel had too much slack, but never had me disconnect from the trailer to check it and they had just put a new one on a few months prior.

 

How can you check everything required on a post trip, fill out the form, close out any paperwork, and all in 7 minutes or less?

 

In the freezing dark back lot of a truck stop wedged in between two other crooked trucks, no less. No, I prefer daylight or as close as I can get to see broken things. And I don't care if you spent 3 hours post tripping the hell out it the night before, I'm still going to crawl all over it in the morning.

Besides, I run the log sheets with the inspection form built in. I don't like redundant and unnecessary paperwork.

 

My carrier got burned in an audit for using log inspection sheets . Two copies aren't enough . One copy is supposed to stay on the vehicle and one turned in to the shop . Some genius in the safety department decided drivers should be reuired to turn their DVIR's from the logs in with the logs to make sure they were done . Shops weren't getting the copies

 

Hmm, my elog doesn't even have a post trip flag. Our log guy said we are required to log a 15 min pre-trip at the beginning of each DAY, a 24 hour period. So if I log my pre trip and start driving at 0100, stop driving at 1100 and take my 10 hour, then start again at 2100 my next pre trip isn't required until my first stop the next day.

Now that being said just because I don't log something doesn't mean I don't do it. Every time I hook a new trailer I'm doing a quickie inspection on my truck and trailer. When I shut down I look for some obvious stuff that might need fixed during my break. And on my pre trip I check everything else. When waiting at shipper/receiver I will check my truck out while I'm waiting making sure everything is copacetic, but I have a problem logging extra time I don't get paid for and log only what I'm told is required by my logging dept.

I only had 1 inspection so far, a level 2, and they wanted nothing to do with my elogs.

 

What kind of idiots work in your safety department ? The regs have been posted here enough times . They require inspecting a truck before driving it , not at your first stop .

 

Please read my above post. It doesnt matter how much you post trip a truck you still have to pre trip and then be totally satisfied that the truck is safe and legal to drive so why waste all your time on a post trip when you still have to pre-trip? Its not needed in my instance as I do a good pre-trip and watch for things during the trip otherwise Im not legal to be on the road. Think about that, if you wait to get something fixed that was on your pre trip list until the end of the day then you arent driving that truck legal.