Truck Inspections – How to Improve Your Scores
Annual DOT truck inspections may be stress-worthy, but here is a list of ideas to help you get off on the right foot with your inspectors.
First Impressions
The attitude and habits of the driver are the first thing the inspectors will notice as they begin their job. Having a polite and cooperative demeanor will go a long way, as well as tidy habits inside your cab. A messy, dirty cab will make for a bad start to your inspection, but a clean and orderly space with documents neatly in order, will go a long way to making that first impression a good one. The state of your cab will definitely reflect on the other parts of your truck, and having your documents clear and in order will make the rest of your inspection go much more smoothly.
Documents
Here is a list of just some of the documents you will be required to show your inspector:
- Liability coverage
- MCS-90 or MCS-82 form counter signed by your insurance provider
- Accident register
- Employee training records
You will also need to have the vehicle markings in their prominent places. This includes the carrier’s legal name and the DOT assigned number, clearly appearing on both sides of every commercial vehicle.
Driver
Each driver must have a commercial driver’s license (CDL) and endorsements in line with their vehicle class. Carriers need to have proof of drug and alcohol tests for each of their employees. This includes pre-employment, post-accident, and random drug and alcohol testing.
It is the carrier’s responsibility to make sure to have complete records for each driver, recording daily start and stop times, on duty hours, etc.
Vehicle
Here are a few things that can tend to be overlooked before your inspection, yet are easy to double check:
Your seat belts will need to be in good working order. A quick look to check the condition of the driver’s and passenger’s belts is well worth your time.
An emergency kit, well stocked with spare fuses and circuit breakers, warning hazard triangles and fire extinguisher should be in place. Check the condition of all the parts of your kit to be sure they are clean and functional.
Clean or replace dirty and weathered reflectors and reflective strips. You may have checked all of your lights, but the reflectors are an important part of your vehicle’s safety features, as well.
Wheel fasteners are one of the common problems cited during inspections. Check the condition of your lug nuts as an extra precaution.
This is just a short reminder of a few things you can do to improve your results during annual DOT truck inspections. We would be glad to discuss more specific details with you to make sure you have the best chance of passing your inspection with flying colors. It is one of the major factors in getting insurance coverage and we want to help increase your chances of keeping your vehicles in service, and your business running as smoothly as possible. Give us a call!