Daily Logs- Post Trip Inspection

Note the regulations below. It does not say the driver must do an inspection. It does say the driver must prepare a report, but then it goes on to say the driver of a property carrying vehicle only has to prepare a report if deficiencies are found. Admittedly, it would be hard to prepare a proper inspection report without doing an inspection.

Any work for the carrier is considered on-duty and must be logged.

Definition of on-duty: eCFR — Code of Federal Regulations​

Most companies require their drivers to do both pre and post-trip inspections and log at least 15 minutes each. A better policy is to remind drivers they should log whatever time it takes to do both inspections.

Federal Regulations
Title 49 Subtitle B Chapter III Subchapter B Part 396
§396.11 Driver vehicle inspection report(s).

(a) Equipment provided by motor carrier. (1) Report required. Every motor carrier shall require its drivers to report, and every driver shall prepare a report in writing at the completion of each day's work on each vehicle operated, except for intermodal equipment tendered by an intermodal equipment provider. The report shall cover at least the following parts and accessories:

(i) Service brakes including trailer brake connections;

(ii) Parking brake;

(iii) Steering mechanism;

(iv) Lighting devices and reflectors;

(v) Tires;

(vi) Horn;

(vii) Windshield wipers;

(viii) Rear vision mirrors;

(ix) Coupling devices;

(x) Wheels and rims;

(xi) Emergency equipment.​

(2) Report content. (i) The report must identify the vehicle and list any defect or deficiency discovered by or reported to the driver which would affect the safety of operation of the vehicle or result in its mechanical breakdown. If a driver operates more than one vehicle during the day, a report must be prepared for each vehicle operated. The driver of a passenger-carrying CMV subject to this regulation must prepare and submit a report even if no defect or deficiency is discovered by or reported to the driver; the drivers of all other commercial motor vehicles are not required to prepare or submit a report if no defect or deficiency is discovered by or reported to the driver.

 

Also, copy this link so you can refer to the actual regulations as you have questions:

Search Regulations​

 

Some of those officials who look at the paperwork only know paperwork being right, those are the ones who can make or break you, the paperwork has to look in perfect order or they look for things to ding you..all them dings cost money so if you keep the paperwork looking pretty and neat, orderly you may scoot under the radar. If not it is a big bulls eye you just set yourself up with, which do you prefer?

 

It's not in the regs to show 15 minutes. Some companies require it for whatever reasons. My first two companies did. When I was O/O I didn't show any time. The company I'm working for now wants a 30 minute pretrip and just do a few minute walkaround on post trip. Gotta love e-logs. No more living life 15 minutes at a time.

 

The company I work for says this...."if involved in a crash that was someone elses fault, and a civil suit is filed, the lawyers may contend that you falsified your logs by either doing an incomplete pretrip or showing too little time"...and to demonstrate, they ask you to do an actual full pretrip on a truck in the time you state as true and accurate. If you cannot, then you therefore were negligent in your duty, because had you taken the proper time to do the full inspection like you claim, you would have taken longer, and therefore not been at the location where their client hit your vehicle. Not sure if this is based on an actual lawsuit or someone's paranoia, but they would like to see 20+ minutes pretrip, and 10+ minutes posttrip...but no set time...the standard safety phrase "log it like you do it"