Pre-Trip

The post trip: I am thinking its so that if something went wrong while you were running down the road..ie burnt out bulb etc the driver would have time to get it fixed instead of "finding it" the next day when they are ready to roll and being on a schedule like they are some might be tempted to say oh I'll get it fixed after I make this delivery, cant miss my appointment time etc, ...... as for doing a pre-trip in the morning I have often wondered if that wasnt just an additonal safety net, and of course there have been posts here about drivers finding "things" that had been done to their truck while they were parked for the night and in the bunk which they were totaly unaware of and could have led to major problems if they hadnt been caught before they moved their rig. As when operating any type of machinery, it is of course better to be safe than sorry in the long run.

 

I understand what you're saying Brickman, and I agree that an 'in depth' pre-trip probably isn't necessary much of the time. But, as Luv said, it is not unheard of for people to mess with trucks for whatever reason as the driver is sleeping in the bunk. Some guy who is angry at your company for whatever reason, might think that the perfect revenge is disconnecting your 5th Wheel locking pin so when you pull out your trailer falls on the ground, messing with air hoses or connections, etc. A quick walk around to check that everything is still connected properly and in working order would take only a few minutes and you could avoid a costly situation. Maybe it's the Capricorn in me -- but, I would rather spend a few minutes now and be safe, than save that few minutes and be sorry. Just my .02

 

I always do a few walkarounds throughout the day/night. I do a more complete inspection after my break is complete, and I'm readying to leave.

To satisfy DOT I will actually log 0.25 on the bottom line, sometime during the 14, usually while fueling, and flag it as "CMV Inspection".

My inspection document is the Keller inspection form attached to the bottom of their loose leaf log sheets. It doesn't specify pre trip, post trip, or the time (except date) completed. The only times the inspection documents get any attention is if there is a problem that needs repairs. Then a work order gets written. That's what counts.

I'll also flag a "CMV Inspection" if I begin using a different trailer. It takes less than 7.50 minutes to inspect a trailer, so I use no bottom line time, just a flag to note it.

A pre trip inspection is critical to insure the CMV you are about to operate is safe.

A post trip becomes critical if you are relinquishing control of the CMV. If there are problems, they need to be documented and fixed prior to the next use. If there are no problems, this too needs to be documented as a CYA practice.