Driver Performance Evaluation Checklist

Pull the driver's Pre-Employment Screening (PSP) report or internal CSA snapshot and the annual MVR from the DQ file. Flag any moving violations, prior OOS events, or Unsafe Driving BASIC contributions in the last 12 months so you can probe the corresponding habits during the ride-along.

In Motive, Samsara, or your ELD of record, export the last 30 days of duty-status logs and the unassigned-driving and edit audit. Note any 11/14-hour violations, missed 30-minute breaks, or pattern of PC use at the end of shift — these become talking points after the trip.

Look at the last 90 days of DVIRs on the units the driver typically operates and any CVSA Level 1-3 inspection reports. A pattern of "no defects" on a unit the shop has been repairing is a coaching opportunity in itself.

Watch the driver check CDL, medical card, registration, insurance, and permits; test low-air warning at ~60 psi and emergency brake pop-out at ~20 psi; clear dashboard warning lights; verify ELD is logged in and on the correct duty status.

Score whether the driver actually inspects — tread depth (≥4/32" steers, ≥2/32" drives), brake chamber stroke, slack adjusters, fifth-wheel lock under the kingpin, gladhands and air lines, landing gear, marker and brake lights — versus going through the motions. The walk-around is where most CSA Vehicle Maintenance violations get prevented.

Compare what you observed on the walk-around to what the driver wrote on the DVIR. Any defect you saw that isn't documented — even something minor like a cracked marker lens — is a defense problem if there is later litigation.

Open a repair order in Fleetio or Whip Around, swap units if the defect is OOS-criteria (brakes, steering, tires below limit, lights), and reschedule the ride-along if a swap isn't possible. Do not depart on a unit that wouldn't pass a roadside inspection.

Use the Smith System or your carrier's defensive-driving rubric. Following distance should be at least one second per 10 ft of vehicle length, plus one for over 40 mph. Note lane drift, late merges, and following passenger cars at less than 6 seconds.

Harsh-brake and hard-acceleration events show up in the ELD scorecard but the ride-along catches the cause — late scanning, distraction, riding the brakes downhill instead of using the engine brake. Compare what you observe to the Motive or Samsara driver score for the trip.

Mirror checks every 5-8 seconds, full head-turn at lane changes, and a clear left-right-left sweep at every intersection. Intersection crashes and lane-change crashes are the two highest-frequency loss categories for most carriers.

At the dock: did the driver check in promptly, get the BOL signed with piece count, note the in/out times for detention, and stay out of the trailer during loading per shipper rules? A driver who handles a slow shipper professionally protects both the customer relationship and the detention invoice.

Did the driver send macros / status updates on time, answer the dispatcher without attitude, and proactively flag the late arrival or the missing seal? Track-and-trace pings from MacroPoint or project44 don't replace a driver who talks to dispatch.

Trash on the dash, food in the sleeper, and a uniform that doesn't meet customer dress code all show up at the receiver. For dedicated accounts with appearance standards (food-grade, retail DCs), this is a customer-retention item, not a cosmetic one.

Confirm the driver moved to On-Duty Not Driving for fueling and pre-trip, took the 30-minute break before the 8th hour of driving, and didn't park on Personal Conveyance for off-route detours. Edits and annotations should match what actually happened on the ride.

For van freight: load bars, straps, or bracing as needed. For flatbed: working load limit math — aggregate WLL ≥ 50% of cargo weight, plus commodity-specific rules (coil dunnage, lumber tarping, machinery tie-downs). Check straps and chains for cuts, knots, and proper edge protection.

Pull the glove-box kit: accident reporting card with the safety hotline, witness cards, disposable camera or phone instructions, post-accident drug-test info (DOT requires testing within 8 hours alcohol / 32 hours drugs for qualifying events), insurance card, and registration. Ask the driver to walk you through what they'd do at a scene.

Post-trip DVIR is required by Part 396.11 — and is the document that proves the defect was reported when the shop catches it the next morning. Fueling: did the driver capture the receipt for IFTA, use the assigned fuel card (Comdata / EFS / WEX), and avoid out-of-network stops?

Pull MPG from the ELD or fleet card report and compare to the driver's 90-day rolling average and the fleet benchmark for the same equipment/lane. A driver running 0.5+ MPG below fleet average on the same route is usually idling, speeding, or hard-braking — all three show up elsewhere on this evaluation.

Rate the driver across the four pillars (Pre-Trip, Driving, Conduct, Compliance) and roll up to an overall rating. Attach the reviewer's notes and the driver's signature acknowledging review — the signature is what makes this a usable file artifact if employment status later becomes contested.

Book a 1-on-1 within 7 days while the ride-along is fresh. Build the coaching plan around the two or three highest-impact items — typically following distance, mirror scans, or HOS edit habits — and set a 30-day re-evaluation. For Unsatisfactory ratings, loop in the Safety Director and decide whether a PIP, remedial training, or termination is the right path.