Daily Vehicle Inspection Reports
Documentation Overview
First and foremost, Carrier needs to ensure the daily vehicle inspection reports (DVIR) that their professional drivers are completing, meet the minimum legislative requirements for the jurisdiction they are operating. In Canada, each Province has its own respected legislation communicating such requirements. Additionally, in Canada, the National Safety Code Standard 13 communicates specific items to be inspected in various schedules provide.
In Alberta, Commercial Vehicle Safety Regulation AR121/2009 Sec 12, communicates the requirements when: When Daily Vehicle Inspection Reports must be completed, Who must complete, Items the Trip Inspection Report must include, No Driver shall drive without and Producing Daily Vehicle Inspection Reports to Law Enforcement.
Similar in the USA, the Federal Regulations Sec 396.11 communicates the requirements for the Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports.
Completing Requirements
Depending on where the Carrier is located, this will determine the GVWR threshold that mandates when a pre-trip inspection must be completed and when the Daily Vehicle Inspection Report is required to be utilized.
When completing a daily vehicle inspection report (DVIR), as the pre-trip inspection is completed, it is important that the inspector records all of the required information required prior to operating the commercial vehicle on the roadways. Failing to record such details on the DVIR could lead to delays in repairs, violations on the roadside, as well as violations during an NSC Compliance Audit or DOT audit.
Additionally, inspections during the trip should also be completed. Commercial vehicles, as we all know, are not invincible. There will come a time when something on the commercial vehicle, will break, which is also known as a defect.
When a defect occurs, it is the Driver's responsibility to identify what the defect is, determine if the defect is a Major or Minor (in most parts of Canada) by referring to the schedules located within NSC Standard 13, and record the information on the inspection report.
The inspector is required to ensure the required documentation of the commercial vehicle is located within the cab or trailer prior to departure. Documentation, including but not limited to, permits, insurance, cab card, Safety Fitness Certificate, and registration paperwork. If missing, this could also result in violations during a roadside inspection.
As communicated earlier in this blog post, it is extremely important that Carriers ensure their professional drivers complete daily vehicle inspection reports that include all of the required items for their jurisdictions. Additionally, it is equally as important that the daily vehicle inspection reports are completed properly. BY doing so, will help to avoid potential violations during a roadside inspection, or while undergoing an NSC compliance audit or DOT audit.
Filing & Monitoring
Depending on the jurisdiction the Carrier is located within, the submission of the daily vehicle inspection report documents can vary. In Alberta, for example, in accordance with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Regulation Sec 13(a), a driver shall, within 20 days after the completion of a trip inspection report, forward the original of the report to the home terminal of the carrier who is responsible for the commercial vehicle.
Additionally, Commercial Vehicle Safety Regulation Sec 13(2) (a) - (c), a carrier shall ensure the driver forwards the original trip inspection report, will deposit the original trip inspection report to its principal place of business within 30 days of receiving, and keep the original copy of the trip inspection report on file for each vehicle for at least 6 months in chronological order.
Carriers are encouraged to review the submitted daily vehicle inspection reports to ensure they are being completed in accordance with legislation. Additional training may be required for the inspectors that continuously submit documentation that fails to meet these requirements.
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Did you know, the Pivotal Transportation Industry Solutions offers online compliance training that is designed by industry experts, to help ensure you meet your regulatory requirements?
If you or someone that you know requires compliance training and prefers to take the courses online, then I encourage you to send us an email to inquire further, pvtlindustry@gmail.com
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First off, I want to express my gratitude to the professionals working in the transportation industry.
Collision Evaluation - Alberta
In Alberta, all collisions reported to Alberta Transportation involving your NSC commercial vehicle(s)will appear on your carrier profile as a preventable collision.
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