Having a well-maintained truck is essential to making your trucking business profitable. It not only reduces downtime for repairs but also keeps you safe and legal. The driver-vehicle inspection report (DVIR) is essential to documenting that your truck is safe for highway operation. I can:

• Help prevent crashes
• Reduce risk of injury from accidents on the road
• Decrease road collision fatalities

What Is a Driver-vehicle Inspection Report (DVIR)?

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers to submit an inspection report. This is known as the driver-vehicle inspection report (DVIR).

The purpose of the DVIR is to ensure that you have a vehicle that's safe to operate on public highways. You can complete the DVIR with a paperless form on your electronic logging device (ELD), a paper form, or even a blank sheet of paper. As long as it covers the required inspections, it can take almost any format.

Is a DVIR Required by Law?

Drivers of passenger-carrying CMVs must submit a daily DVIR even if there are no defects to report.

Non-passenger property-carrying CMVs only require the report if the driver finds defects. If the defects have a bearing on the safe operation of the vehicle, the driver must have them corrected before he or she can operate on public roads.

The law requires the driver to submit all DVIRs to the motor carrier upon returning to the home terminal. With modern technology, however, drivers can submit an electronic DVIR while on the road.

As part of the FMCSA's paperwork reduction act, the law only requires a DVIR if the vehicle has defects. However, it's a good idea to complete a DVIR for each piece of equipment you handle in a workday.

• It's evidence that you're maintaining your equipment
• Many carriers require daily DVIRs in their SOPs
• Some states have daily CMV inspection requirements
• Electronic DVIRs are easy to store and retrieve

Why is a DVIR Important?

Safety and Compliance

Submitting a daily DVIR helps keep you and others safe on the road.

• Communicates vehicle condition to the carrier
• Gives maintenance time to correct defects
• Tracks the truck's condition and roadworthiness

It also keeps you prepared for a DOT roadside inspection. When you get a DOT inspection, your compliance, safety, accountability (CSA) score and your carrier's CSA score may be affected. Any safety violations cited in a roadside stay on the CSA record for two years.

Affirms the Condition of the Vehicle

The driver's signature or electronic signature testifies to the condition of the vehicle. The driver certifies that it's safe to operate, or needs repairs.

When are Safety Inspections Required?

You'll need to DVIR inspections twice per day for each piece of equipment you operate in a workday:

A pre-trip inspection before you begin driving

You'll need to review the latest DVIR (submitted the previous day) on the vehicle and any reported problems before signing off on them.  You will also have to ensure that there aren't other problems by inspecting the vehicle again.

End-of-day post-trip inspection

A post-trip inspection can identify problems that may have come up during your trip.  Post trip inspections are also required in order to complete DVIRs. Regulations are very clear that DVIRs must be completed at the completion of each day's work on each vehicle operated.

If you're running a drop-and-hook load, the carrier might want you to submit a DVIR when you drop off a trailer.

What Systems Do I Need to Inspect?

As we've said before, there aren't any rules on the format of the DVIR. You can even write it on a blank sheet of paper. However, it must include essential safety checks.

Brakes and Air System

Parking brake. With the parking brake set, select a lower gear and attempt to move the truck forward. Make sure the brake holds the truck in place. First gear or "granny gear" isn't recommended because it delivers a lot of torque at a really slow speed, which could damage drive shaft joints.

Service brakes. Build up air pressure to operating range. Release the parking brakes and move forward at about 5 mph. Brake firmly and make sure there's no pulling to the side or delay in stopping. You shouldn't have any unusual feel or strange noises when you apply the brakes.

Shut off the engine and press the service brake. Release the parking brake for the tractor and trailer. Watch the pressure gauges. Pressure shouldn't drop more than 3 psi in one minute. 

Trailer brake connections. Set the tractor brake and release the trailer brake. Step outside the vehicle and check that air isn't leaking from the glad hand connectors.

Air hoses. With the trailer brake released and the tractor brake set. Walk around the trailer. Listen for the sound of escaping air. Stoop down to listen under the trailer. The front end of the trailer and near the tandem axle are places where you're most likely to hear air escaping.

Check the air hoses under the trailer. Make sure they won't drag the ground while you're driving.

Steering Mechanism

Inspect the steering gearbox to make sure it has plenty of fluid and that it's not leaking. Check the condition of the steering column inside the engine compartment.

Check the power steering belt for cracks and excessive wear.

Lights and Reflectors

You need all headlamps, marker lights, and clearance lights operational.

Helpful hint: in full daylight, it's hard to see if the lamps are lighting up. If you squint your eyes (like when you're in a dark room and suddenly pull back the curtains to let in the sunshine) it's easier to see if they're working.

Wheels

Check the condition of the tires. See that the tread depth is more than 2/32." If you don't have a tire gauge, you can use the "penny test."

• Use a US Abraham Lincoln penny
• Insert the coin into the tread with the top of Lincoln's head toward the groove
• If any part of Lincoln's head goes into the tread groove, you're in good shape

Check that the rims aren't cracked or broken. Make sure the bearing seals are intact. Look for missing or loose lug nuts.

Safety and Emergency Equipment

Be sure you have a set of reflective triangles or flares (triangles are the best choice because flares can cause a wildfire hazard during dry weather periods).

Make sure there's a fire extinguisher on the truck and that it's securely mounted and easily accessible. Check to see that it's fully charged.

Other Inspection Areas

• Honk the air horn and the city horn -- at least one needs to work
• Make sure your windshield wipers are working, and that the blades aren't worn out
• Inspect the rearview mirrors
• Examine the fifth wheel and the trailer kingpin

Intermodal combos have some extra requirements.

• Reflective markings on chassis
• Rails and support frames
• Tie-down bolsters
• Locking pins, clamps, and hooks
• Sliders and sliding frame lock

You can submit one DVIR for a tractor-trailer combination. But if you pull more than one trailer in your workday, you will need a separate DVIR for each dropped trailer. Also, if you drive more than one tractor during your workday, each will need a separate DVIR.

What if I Don't Complete a DVIR?

Failure to comply with DVIR rules can lead to fines and civil penalties.

• Up to $1,270 a day for failing to meet DVIR requirements
• Up to $12,695 for falsifying, destroying, or changing DVIR records
• Max penalty of $15,419 for each non-recordkeeping violation

And you could suffer other losses as well:

• Can lead to a DOT out of service
• Loss of revenues
• Lower your CSA score (and the carrier's)

What are the Responsibilities of the Carrier and Driver?

• Carrier or owner
• Certify repairs
• Replace defective parts
• Repair for safe operation
• Certify the defect does not affect safety
• Driver
• Certify the all checks are completed
• Keep safety reports on the vehicle
• Identify defects and sign report
• Inform the company of defects
• Send DVIR to carrier or truck owner
• Sign off on repairs

How Does a DVIR Help With DOT Roadside Inspections?

Since the DVIR covers the same things that DOT inspectors are looking for, completing the DVIR on a daily basis makes it less likely that papa bear will find any out-of-service defects.

What are the Most Common Defects Found in a DOT Roadside Inspection?

In 2021, the FMCSA reported some of the most common defects in truck maintenance. Most of these are covered in the DVIR inspection requirements.

Lamp inoperable

• Violations - 12.19%
• Out of service (OOS) - 7.26%

No DVIR or proof of periodic inspection

• Violations - 5.66%
• OOS - .02%

Brakes out of adjustment

• Violations - 4.51%
• OOS - 0%

Fire extinguisher missing, discharged, or unsecured

• Violations - 4.02%
• OOS - .01%

Inoperative turn signal

• Violations - 3.66%
• OOS - 44.37%

Flat or leaking tire

• Violations - 3.01%
• OOS - 97.42%

Missing or defective lighting or reflective devices

• Violations - 2.74%
• OOS - 4.33%

Airbrake adjustment system fails to compensate for wear (CMVs built after October 19, 1994)

• Violations - 2.60%
• OOS - 0%

Windshield wipers inoperative

• Violations - 2.56%
• OOS - .45%

Tire tread depth less than 2/32”

• Violations - 2.43%
• OOS - 3.08%

Oil/grease leak

• Violations - 2.22%
• OOS - .63%

Warning devices missing or insufficient

• Violations - 2.05%
• OOS - .02%

Headlights inoperable

• Violations - 1.89%
• OOS - 1.47%

Defective brakes

• Violations - 1.80%
• OOS - 100%

Brake hose or tubing defect

• Violations -1.79%
• OOS - 12,72%

ABS Indicator missing or inoperative

• Violations - 1.78%
• OOS - 19%

Inoperative or defective brakes

• Violations - 1.66%
• OOS - 0%

Brake lights not working

• Violations - 1.39%
• OOS - 48.29%

General brake problems

• Violations - 1.39%
• OOS - 12.99%

What Else Does a DVIR Need?

Besides the required inspections and reporting of defects, the DVIR needs:

• The date of the inspection
• Vehicle ID, License plate or unit number
• Signature of the driver who completed the DVIR
• Signature of mechanic verifying the repairs or authorized person confirming repairs aren't needed.

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