Delivery Checklist

Follow the carrier's standard walk-around: front, driver side, rear, curb side. Inspect hood latch, suspension, frame, drivelines, exhaust, fuel tanks, and mud flaps. Honest defect reporting matters — a copy-paste "no defects" DVIR is the first thing a plaintiff attorney subpoenas after an accident.

Confirm fuel adequate for the planned route plus reserve. Verify DEF tank is at least 1/4 full — a low-DEF derate at 5% will cap road speed at 55 mph and at empty will drop the truck to 5 mph. Top off DEF at the fuel island before departure if needed.

Tread depth: ≥4/32" on steers, ≥2/32" on drives and trailer tires per CVSA out-of-service criteria. Pressure within manufacturer spec — verify with a gauge, not a thump test. Look for sidewall cuts, bulges, belt separation, and embedded objects.

Headlights (high/low), turn signals, four-way flashers, marker and clearance lights, tail and brake lights. Test wipers and washer fluid spray. Sound the horn. A single inoperative required lamp is an OOS violation under 393.9.

Run the full air-brake check: build to governor cut-out (~120 psi), shut down, low-air warning must activate by 60 psi, spring brakes pop out by 20-45 psi. Check applied pressure leak rate (≤3 psi/min single, ≤4 psi/min combo). Walk slack adjusters for stroke within CVSA limits.

Submit the DVIR through the ELD or paper form. Any defect affecting safe operation must be repaired and signed off by a mechanic before the truck leaves the yard — no exceptions for "I'll baby it on the route."

Call dispatch and the shop manager. Tag the unit OOS in Fleetio (or carrier's maintenance system) and request a swap tractor. Do not move the truck except into a service bay. Document the defect with photos.

CDL must be current with appropriate class and endorsements for the load (H if hazmat, N if tanker, T for doubles). DOT medical certificate must be unexpired — a card that lapsed yesterday is an OOS violation today under 391.41.

Confirm available driving hours (11-hour drive, 14-hour duty, 60/70 weekly) cover the dispatched route plus loading/unloading. Clear any pending unassigned driving segments on Motive/Samsara before going on-duty. Note when the 30-minute break must be taken.

Walk through stops, appointment times, low-clearance bridges, restricted routes, and customer-specific arrival instructions. For routes with weight-restricted bridges or hazmat-restricted tunnels, confirm permitted routing in writing — verbal-only routing won't hold up if a citation is issued.

Packet contents: insurance card, carrier emergency phone, witness/driver info cards, disposable camera or phone-photo guidance, post-accident drug-test instructions per Part 382.303, and the dispatcher's after-hours line. A complete scene record is the single biggest factor in insurance defense cost.

IRP cab card must list the jurisdictions on today's route. Confirm the annual DOT inspection sticker is current (within 12 months) and matches the unit. Form 2290 Schedule 1 should be on file for any unit ≥55,000 lb GVW.

Auto liability $1M, cargo $100K (or shipper-specified limit, often $250K-$1M on high-value lanes). Verify the COI in-cab matches what the broker has on file — outdated COIs cause detention at the shipper gate.

Pallet count, piece count, weight, and NMFC class on the BOL must match what's on the trailer. Sign SLC (shipper load and count) only if the seal is intact — a driver-counted load shifts liability for shortage claims. Note any exceptions before signing.

If the load includes any hazardous materials: shipping paper within driver's reach, proper shipping name, UN/NA number, hazard class, packing group, and a 24/7 emergency response phone (CHEMTREC 1-800-424-9300 or equivalent) per 49 CFR 172.602. Missing emergency contact = OOS plus state environmental fine.

Four placards (front, rear, both sides) matching the primary hazard class on the shipping paper. Confirm placards are clean, legible, and not damaged. Check that endorsement H is on the CDL and that the security plan provisions apply if the commodity is on the placardable list at any quantity.

FMCSR Part 393 Subpart I: aggregate working load limit ≥50% of cargo weight, minimum tiedown count by article length, and commodity-specific rules for logs, metal coils, paper rolls, vehicles, and intermodal containers. Look for cuts, frays, knots, and corroded ratchets — replace before departure, not after the first stop.

For refrigerated loads only. Match set point to BOL ± tolerance; verify continuous vs. cycle-sentry mode per shipper instructions; confirm fuel adequate for transit plus 4-hour buffer. Pulp temp the product if loading product to confirm it arrived at temperature — a warm load at pickup is the carrier's claim by default unless documented.

Record the seal number on the BOL and photograph the applied seal. Mismatched or broken seals at delivery shift the shortage/damage claim back to whoever last had custody — a clean seal record protects the carrier under Carmack.

Transition the ELD from On-Duty Not Driving to Driving when wheels move. Confirm dispatch receives the departure ping in Motive/Samsara; if telematics drops, call dispatch and note manual departure time on the trip sheet.