What does a truck pre-trip inspection mean?
Trucks pose an increased risk in road traffic due to their size, high weight, and not infrequently dangerous cargo. Defects in the vehicle can have devastating consequences for road users. That is why truck drivers are required by law to carry out a truck pre-trip inspection before setting off. The truck must be thoroughly inspected for defects.
A truck pre-trip inspection is not only a legal obligation but also a good prerequisite for a stress- and breakdown-free journey as well as an economical operation. Therefore, vehicle drivers must perform a thorough visual and functional check before each work shift. Any defects detected must be reported to the responsible employee. If the defects are so serious that they endanger traffic and operational safety, the truck must be taken out of service.
This article deals with the following topics:
1. What are the advantages of a truck pre-trip inspection checklist?
2. Truck pre-trip inspection checklist: Tips and tricks
3. Benefits of a digital truck departure checklist tool
What are the advantages of a truck pre-trip inspection checklist?
The Accident Insurance Fund recommends using a truck pre-trip inspection checklist. There are several points in favor of it. Before every trip, a pre-trip inspection is essential to ensure the safety of vehicles on the road. Despite this, there are truck drivers who neglect the pre-trip inspection because they perceive it as a burden.
The use of a truck pre-trip checklist is intended to remedy this situation. Due to its step-by-step structure, it enables a thorough pre-trip check on the truck without wasting time. This way, truck drivers won’t get the feeling that the inspection is time-consuming and time would be better spent on the road.
A truck pre-trip inspection checklist also makes documentation easier. Defects and problems with the vehicle and the rig can be easily logged and shared. As a result, a corrective action form can be created and the corrective measures implemented more efficiently. The time and effort required for documentation is kept in check with a checklist. Switching to digital forms also makes it easier to share information, reduces the chance of errors when completing them, and eliminates the problems associated with maintaining paper documentation.
A gapless record of driver activity is important. The truck pre-trip inspection is part of the working time for every driver. Therefore, the first step before a departure check at the truck is to fill out and insert the chart or insert the driver card. Otherwise, in the event of a check, it could be assumed that the working day began with driving time and no pre-trip was carried out. The control time is working time. A thorough check on the vehicle takes approximately 15 minutes.
Truck pre-trip inspection checklist: Tips and tricks
What aspects are to be checked during a truck departure inspection is precisely specified. According to this, the most important sections and checkpoints that should not be missing from any truck pre-trip inspection checklist are:
- Front and engine compartment checks
Lights, mirrors, wipers, windshield, hood, engine compartment, radiator - Controls side checks
Lights, entry, side windows, wheels, batteries, fuel tank, air filter, tarp, trailer. - Rear checks
Lights, license plates, badges - Cab checks
Lights, steering play, front wheels, pressure gauge, heater, warning light, fuel control. - Additional checks
Air brake, seat, pedal check, rearview mirror, dashboard, footwell, accessories/equipment, record sheet, driver card, documents, records, fitness, driving ability, brake test
Benefits of a digital truck departure checklist tool
A truck departure inspection checklist should be easy to use and accessible offline and on the go to record defects and corrective actions. Lumiform is a powerful mobile vehicle inspection app that does all this and more. It aims to digitize the inspection process on trucks and make it more efficient and systematic. With the Lumiform app, drivers can easily perform truck pre-trip inspections via tablet or smartphone – online or offline.
Use the desktop software to create the appropriate checklists for truck pre-trip checks, which you use to collect data on-site for later evaluation. If you find a defect during your inspection, you report it immediately from the app or pass on if your truck is not operational. Through the app, you can easily track the implementation of the requested corrective actions. Thanks to improved communication within the team and with third parties, internal processes for truck pre-trip inspection can be improved, eliminating risks up to four times faster. With Lumiform, you and your team can implement:
- The flexible form builder makes it possible to create new individual truck pre-trip inspection checklists at any time and adapt them again and again.
- Thanks to the app, it is ensured that all truck pre-trip inspections are always completed on time.
- Digital checklists make it possible to immediately record defects and problems found on the truck during the pre-trip inspection and add photo evidence.
- After each truck pre-trip inspection, an automatic report is generated that can be available in web or PDF format.
- Use the results from truck pre-trip inspections to identify recurring problems early and fix them immediately.
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