Is a post trip inspection officially required by D.O.T.?

i flag a 5 pre on my driving line. log a post 15 onduty after shift. so far, california hasn't said a word. SO FAR

 

We are supposed to do a Pre=Trip and sign documentation that you did so. Any accident you may be involved in and do not have a pretrip inspection documented, expect trouble.

A post trip (documented) is required when another driver will be driving the vehicle after you.

We are supposed to do inspections throughout the day, but do not need to be documented.

That is the way it was taught when I went to school 3+ years ago. I could be wrong, like I was with HOS, because things changed when I was not driving and was not paying attention to changes.

 

Gl to you guys who don't do a pretrip, or post trip god forbid you get in an accident and it's because Of equipment issues or a dot officer check your logs and don't see it flag

 

I log on duty time if I've been away from the truck on a reset. Other than that, I just flag pre trips, and log 15 minutes for the post trips.

 

I would before starting any trip, start the engine to build air pressure and let the oil reach the upper head. Start at the driver door, and work my way around the driver side of the trailer to include the cat walk, checking lights, looking under the trailer, checking for nails that might have suddenly found there way in front of a tire, checking tires, checking to make sure the pins are set in the rail, going around the back for lights ( I would have my 4 ways on), seal on the door, looking up at the top of the trailer too all the way round... basically looking for everything and anything. work my way to the front and open the hood.. check for leaks and scanning all over the engine. Check both the red and yellow knobs for stopping with the yellow out, red in and then red out, yellow in. I would also check the king pin jaws. Take a flashlight with you to scan everything...

This most certainly takes more than 5 minutes.

End of the day, I would take the time to clean all my lights and windshield and then follow the flow as above.

More to it, but get in a pattern and do the same each time... rove the eyes... look at everything.

I would so far as to clean the DOT reflective stickers each night on the trailer I had attached.

I would much rather do all the above then get in my truck and pull away and have the trailer disconnect, or leave a fuel cap hanging or the air lines switched, or the lights not working on the trailer,,,,

Be safe, your life is in your hands along with anybody else on the road.

It is not about "cheating" the book just to look pretty for DOT. This is a 13'6" high truck that can weigh up to 40 tons. 40 TONS... think of that and see if you would like 40 TONs rolling over a family car because you made your logs "pretty" for DOT.

Act professional. Take the time to show the motoring public you are a Professional and take the needed time to make sure you are 100% for the road.

 

I do a 10 min pre and post on duty for 26' strt trks and 15 min for TTs

 

I really liked having the equipment report being required at the end of each day, as it allows the driver to cya with putting down in writing any issues with the truck. Then the company could pull the truck out of service before the next day to get the item on the truck fixed.

them with an equipment issue towards the end of the work day that needed their attention.

 

I could be wrong.. and I hope that I am... but, it appears to me, that more drivers log a pretrip than actually do a pretrip.... my first trainer, she was goof.. anyway, every morning she would log on duty pretrip, and either go inside and get her pop and donuts or just sit there while the minutes ticked away.... she never did a full, or even half assed pretrip the two weeks I was with her... I also know, that I dont see a lot of drivers doin pre trips... I have seen drivers parked next to me go from bunk to driver seat, never get out and even do a walk around, just sit there having a morning cigarette, yawning and then take off...

When ever I see a truck on the side of the road with their flashers on.. occasionally with the triagles out.. I wonder if a pretrip could of spared them that headache....

I enjoy doin my pre trip and my post trip.. crazy I know.. but, my pre trip helps me get myself.. mind and body ready for my shift... guess it is like a singer doing vocal warm ups... my post trip is how I wind down after my shift.. that way I can end my day and not take any stress or worries with me... it is like the exclamation mark and the end of my statement.. done for the day!

I would like to say that I would always do a pretrip and post trip if it was not a DOT and company requirement.. but, I cant say thag for certain.. I dont pretrip and post trip my car.. I do somewhat on my motorcycle.. but, not like I do my truck...

 

I am reposting this as there are some incorrect statements here. A POST trip is required by Law. It has to be done in writing. A pretrip must include going over the post trip from the previous driver. In most cases that is yourself. The pretrip which includes a walk around is less important because things are more likely to break when they are moving then when they are not. So if you checked the oil as part of your post trip and there is not a big pool of oil under your truck, chances are the truck is okay. However, if you get to the truck and someone else drove it the night before and you have a signed inspection list from them that says it was all checked the night before and was fine, would you believe that and put your career on the line? Well, if that post trip inspection was signed WoolyRhino, I would double check it. You will also have to adjust the seat backwards as I have short little legs.