Five commercial vehicle inspection tips to prevent citations

Pre- and post-trip vehicle inspections are required by law and improve safe fleet operations while reducing fleet compliance and accountability violations.

If done correctly, a pre-trip inspection identifies and fixes a problem before a trip begins, while post-trip inspections help identify and fix problems before the vehicle is used again. But not all pre- and post-trip vehicle inspections are created equal, and it is essential to the health of the fleet and the safety of everyone on the road to do it right.

Here are tips for pre- and post-trip vehicle inspections to help prevent citations and keep the vehicles in a fleet within federal regulations: 

• Train: Provide adequate training to drivers on inspection best practices and regularly re-train drivers to ensure they are up-to-date with new or changed procedures.
• Use technology: Embrace technology that makes pre- and post-trip inspections easier, faster and more accurate, and look for devices that eliminate paper-based reporting entirely. 
• Be consistent: Ensure every driver in the fleet understands and follows the inspection process and rigorously follows it without exception.
• Test: Have fleet managers periodically double-check the results of a driver’s inspection to confirm the results
• Use Incentives: Reward drivers with spot bonuses or other prizes for properly inspecting their vehicles and avoiding citations.

Information provided by Zonar.