What Is a Bus Pre-trip Inspection Checklist
To ensure that everything goes well during the journey, a pre-trip inspection check is carried out with a checklist before the journey. A departure inspection on a bus helps determine if a school bus is in working order and safe to operate. It enables the inspector to identify defects and malfunctions at an early stage that could lead to dangerous incidents, vehicle damage or injury to passengers.
This article deals with:
1. The most important technical defects and errors
2. 3 steps of a bus pre-trip inspection checklist
3. A digital application for bus pre-trip inspections
The Most important technical defects and errors
In the following, defects and malfunctions are listed which require immediate treatment:
- Defective braking systems – Defects or malfunctions in the braking system are highly dangerous and can lead to life-threatening incidents for passengers on board if the brakes do not stop the vehicle during use. It is therefore of utmost importance to check for signs that could indicate a malfunction, such as squeaking noises, stuck pedals, or non-functioning brake lights.
- Unnoticed oil leaks – Can lead to engine failure and cause serious environmental and safety risks. Regular checking for signs of oil leakage is essential.
- Flat tires – A puncture at high speeds can lead to loss of control of the vehicle and cause serious and fatal roadside accidents. Regular air pressure checks can prevent unnoticed dangers to the tire.
3 steps of a bus pre-trip inspection checklist
An effective programme to record departure checks for the bus helps companies reduce critical downtime, promote the drivers safety, manage maintenance costs and support insurance claims. Here are 3 tips to help your company implement an effective departure control for the bus:
1. Determine the 3 Most Important Data
Include the following vehicle details in the departure control checklist for the bus in question:
- Make and model of car
- Insurance information
- Vehicle identification number
Document all inspections, maintenance and repairs in detail, indicating the person who carried them out, the date of completion and the mileage. You can also set reminders such as checking the brakes. If a vehicle is involved in an accident, note all damage, repair costs and spare parts.
2. Plan the Departure Check for a Bus
Planning regular checks is important to ensure that no information affecting vehicle safety is neglected. Create a register of all vehicles in your fleet and a departure inspection schedule for each bus. Consider the frequency of inspections and the person in charge of the inspection. Inform the responsible officers about this.
3. Take Photos of Weak Points
Using pictures, you can easily document the condition of each bus. This is especially useful for necessary repair work and cost estimates and insurance claims in poor maintenance. Make sure that all photos refer to the respective bus and the time of the inspection.
A digital application for bus pre-trip inspections
With Lumiform’s mobile app, you easily perform the pre-trip inspection from your bus – online or offline. The app guides you step by step through the departure check. This ensures that you do not forget any inspection points and that all-important data can be recorded. With the desktop software, you create checklists and evaluate the data collected in the field. This significantly reduces the risk of car accidents, documentation errors, and reputational damage.
After the departure check on the bus is done, you receive a comprehensive final report with all the data collected from the check. You can see trends and weak points at a glance and can then initiate repair measures. Benefit from additional advantages:
- The flexible form builder from Lumiform helps you to convert any individual paper list into a digital checklist without much effort.
- In addition, we offer more than 12,000 ready-made templates to help companies get started digitally in no time.
- Using the super intuitive mobile app, you and your teammates conduct check in the field with ease and in no time.
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