Pre-trip inspection checklist for trucks and trailers

What the federal rules require before you drive

A commercial vehicle may not be driven unless the driver is satisfied that these parts are in good working order: service brakes and trailer brake connections, the parking brake, steering, lights and reflectors, tires, the horn, windshield wipers, rear-vision mirrors, coupling devices, wheels and rims, and emergency equipment. Source The checklist above starts with exactly those.

The driver also has to be satisfied the vehicle is in safe operating condition, review the last driver vehicle inspection report when one was required, and sign it to show they read it. Source That is the first item on the list, because a defect reported yesterday is the first thing to check today.

What is DVIR in trucking

DVIR stands for driver vehicle inspection report. When the shift ends, drivers report defects they found; the carrier repairs them or notes that no repair was needed, and signs off. The next driver reviews that report before driving. Many carriers use an app for this now, but the steps are the same on paper.

The defects box at the bottom of the checklist is there to help you write that report. Be specific: "right rear trailer marker light out" is a report; "lights" is not.

Truck inspection checklist by rig

The base list applies to every truck. Pick your rig and the checklist adds the checks that matter for that work:

• Flatbeds and step decks: straps, chains and binders with no cuts and enough working load limit.
• Car haulers: decks, ramps and tie-down points, with two tiedowns per vehicle.
• Hazmat tankers: the right placards, shipping papers within reach, valves and domes closed.
• Reefers: the unit running at the setpoint, with enough fuel for the trip.
• 26 ft box trucks: the liftgate working and the pallet jack secured.
• Livestock trailers: vents and gates set for the weather, and a sound floor.

Semi truck inspection checklist habits that catch problems

Walk the same route around the truck every time, so nothing gets skipped. Check tires with a gauge, not a kick. Look under the truck for fresh leaks before you start the engine. Test the brakes at low speed before the road. And recheck securement after the first 50 miles or so on flatbed and car hauler loads, because straps settle.

Inspectors at the roadside look at the same items. A pre-trip that finds a problem in the yard is a repair; the same problem found at a scale is a violation on your record and sometimes an out-of-service order.

When you find a defect

Write it down, then decide whether the truck is safe to drive. A burned-out clearance light can often be fixed in the yard in minutes. A soft brake, a cut tire or a cracked rim means the truck stays parked until it is repaired. If you are pulling someone else's trailer, refuse it and tell the yard, because a defect you drive away with becomes yours at the next inspection.

Call your dispatcher as soon as a defect will delay a pickup. A broker told early can often move the appointment; a broker told late usually gives the load to someone else.

Seasonal checks

Cold weather adds air dryer and moisture checks, fuel gelling worries and chains for mountain routes. Heat adds tire pressure creep and cooling system checks, and for reefers and livestock trailers, extra attention to the unit and the vents. Add these to your walk-around as the seasons change.

Your checklist state stays on this device, so you can work through it on your phone at the truck. Print a fresh copy for the cab if your carrier wants a paper record of each inspection.

Pre-trip, annual and post-trip

Three inspections keep a truck legal. The pre-trip is yours before every trip. The post-trip report records defects when the shift ends. The annual inspection is a deeper inspection every vehicle must pass at least once every 12 months, with proof on the vehicle. Source Track yours with the annual inspection due date tracker.

When you dispatch with us, we leave time in the plan for a proper inspection instead of booking pickups that only work if you skip it. See our dispatch for owner-operators.