All About Vehicle Inspection Reports

All About Vehicle Inspection Reports

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSR) mandates that you check your vehicle after every run and report any issues or repairs that need to be made. At minimum, the following are the areas which you must inspect after every run:

  • wheels, rims, tires

  • horn

  • service and parking brakes

  • steering

  • windshield wipers

  • reviewer mirror

  • emergency equipment and supplies

  • coupling devices

  • reflectors and lights (head, tail, turn indicators)

You also may be required to check things like the fuel tank, defroster, battery, or air compressor. Of course, if you find something not working and it’s not on your list, be sure to report it anyway.

If you don’t find issues with any of these items, state so on your report. The report must be signed if you find an issue or don’t, and the person who makes the repairs must also sign off that they were addressed. Keep the record of repair in your vehicle, and make sure you do a pre-trip inspection of the vehicle and the repairs before you take it out on the road. Once you’ve inspected the repairs, you must sign off again to show that the problems you pointed out were addressed to satisfaction.

CDL Vehicle Inspection Reports

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