Pretrip and Post-Trip
Inspection Checklists
Periodic Inspections and
Maintenance, General Information
Regulations in Canada and the U.S. clearly indicate
that it is the driver’s responsibility to perform an in-
spection, and ensure the complete road-worthiness
of a vehicle, before placing it into service. Commer-
cial vehicles may be subject to inspection by autho-
rized inspectors, and an unsafe vehicle can be taken
out of service until the driver or owner repairs it.
Use the following checklists to ensure that vehicle
components are in good working condition before
each trip. Careful inspections eliminate stops later to
fix overlooked or forgotten items.
The checklists in this chapter can be copied and kept
as a record that the procedures have been com-
pleted. For details on how to inspect each item on
the checklists, see the corresponding procedure later
in this chapter.
Checklists
Daily Pretrip Inspection Checklists
See the following tables for a list of procedures that
should be performed daily, before the first trip. Place
a check mark in the complete (Comp.) column to
indicate a procedure has been performed.
Inspector
Date
Suspension and Slack Adjusters
Comp.
1
Suspension components
2
Slack adjusters
Wheels and Tires
Comp.
1
Tire condition
2
Tire inflation
3
Rim and wheel components
4
Wheel bearing oil seals and lubrication levels
6
Mud Flaps
Saddle Tank Areas
Comp.
1
Drain air reservoirs (without automatic drain
valves)
2
Fuel tank(s) secure
Saddle Tank Areas
Comp.
3
Frame rails and crossmembers
4
Visible exhaust components
Engine Compartment
Comp.
1
Leakage under engine
2
Air intake system
3
Engine oil level
4
Power steering reservoir level
5
Engine coolant level
6
Visible engine wiring
7
Frame rails
Cab
Comp.
1
Reset dash-mounted air intake restriction
indicator
2
Air-pressure warning systems
3
Air governor cut-in and cut-out pressures
4
Air pressure build-up time
5
Air system leakage
6
Air pressure reserve
7
Mirrors, windows, windshield
8
Horn, windshield wipers, windshield washers
9
Heater and defroster
10 Interior lights
11 Exterior lights
12 Seat belts and tether belts
13 Fuel level
14 Mirror adjustment
15 Service brakes
16 Backup alarm
Pretrip and Post-Trip Inspections and Maintenance
11.1