Pre-Trip Vehicle Inspection Checklist

Confirm the driver's CDL with correct class and endorsements (H, N, T, X as applicable), an unexpired DOT medical certificate, current cab card (IRP), USDOT and MC credentials, and the IFTA decal on the tractor. An expired medical card is an automatic out-of-service violation under Part 391.41.

Log into Motive, Samsara, or whichever ELD the fleet uses. Confirm the engine ECM connection is active, the prior day's logs are certified, and remaining 11/14/70 hours match expectations. Address any unassigned driving segments before departure.

Glove-box accident packet should include witness cards, scene-diagram form, dashcam-preservation instructions, and the post-accident DOT drug & alcohol testing contact card with the TPA's 24/7 number. Drivers who can't produce witness cards from the scene cripple insurance defense.

Dipstick between MIN and MAX with the engine off and the truck level. Coolant in the surge tank at the cold-fill line; look for the milky residue that signals a head-gasket issue. Power-steering reservoir within hash marks.

DEF tank above 1/4. Check the dash for active DPF regen requests or amber check-engine; a forced parked regen mid-route costs 45-60 minutes and can trigger derate. Note any aftertreatment fault codes for the shop.

Look for cracks, glazing, or fraying on the serpentine and any visible cracks in coolant hoses. Squeeze hoses to feel for soft or mushy spots. Confirm the fan shroud is intact and there's no contact wear on the fan blades.

Walk the front of the truck and scan the ground for fresh oil, coolant, fuel, or hydraulic drips. A wet spot under the bell housing usually means rear main seal; under the steer axle, hub seal. Note color and location on the DVIR.

Steers must be at least 4/32" in any major tread groove; drives at least 2/32". Anything below is CVSA out-of-service. Look for sidewall cuts, bulges, cord exposure, mismatched sizes on the same axle, and flat-spotting from a locked brake.

Use a calibrated gauge cold — kicking tires doesn't catch a 20 psi under-inflation. Typical targets: 110-115 psi steers, 100-105 psi drives, per the sidewall and the carrier's tire program. A flat inside dual is the classic gotcha.

Jaws fully closed around the kingpin with no visible gap. Safety latch engaged. No more than 1/2" gap between the trailer apron and the fifth-wheel plate. Pull against the kingpin with the trailer brakes locked to tug-test before moving.

With brakes released, pull the slack adjuster by hand — free play over 1" suggests an out-of-adjustment brake. Measure pushrod stroke with brakes applied at 90-100 psi; over the readjustment limit (typically 1-3/4" for Type 30) is an FMCSR violation and counts toward the 20% OOS threshold.

Headlights high and low beam, turn signals, four-way hazards, clearance lights, ICC bumper lights, marker lights, reverse lights. Conspicuity tape clean and intact. A single non-functional required lamp is a citable defect.

Same tread (2/32") and pressure standards as drive tires. Look for missing or loose lug nuts — rust streaks running from a lug are a tell. Mud flaps secure and not dragging.

Landing gear fully cranked up and the handle stowed. Glad hand seals intact (no audible air leak), gladhands locked, pigtail seated in the receptacle. Air lines not chafed against the catwalk or kinked over the fifth wheel.

Working load limit of straps, chains, and binders meets 50% of cargo weight in aggregate. One tie-down per 10 feet, minimum two for any item over 5 feet. Edge protectors on sharp corners. For flatbed loads, recheck within the first 50 miles.

Match the set point to the BOL temperature requirement, continuous vs. cycle-sentry per the shipper's instructions. Reefer fuel tank above 1/2 for OTR runs. Pull the most recent download or a strip-chart print at delivery for cold-chain proof.

Build to governor cut-out (around 120-130 psi), key off, release service brake, hold the foot brake. Air loss should not exceed 3 psi/minute (single) or 4 psi/minute (combination). Fan the brake — low-air warning must activate by 60 psi.

Continue fanning the service brake after the low-air buzzer. The tractor protection valve and parking brake knobs must pop out automatically between 20-45 psi. A unit that won't pop is an automatic OOS — never leave the yard.

With tractor parking brake set and trailer release in, ease forward in low gear against the brakes — truck should hold. Repeat with the trailer brake set (red knob in, blue out) to confirm trailer brakes hold independently.

Be honest. Copy-pasted "no defects" certifications get carriers buried in litigation when a defect later contributes to a crash. If anything affects safe operation, mark defects and route to the shop before pulling out.

Park, tag the unit out of service, and call the shop manager and dispatcher before the dispatch window closes. Dispatch reassigns the load; shop opens a repair order with the defect noted. Do not move the truck except to a safe parking spot.