3 Tips for Performing Vehicle Inspections

As a fleet manager, your vehicles are the most important assets in your company. Your drivers depend on their transportation to take them to and from jobs and your organization depends on these jobs to create revenue.

To ensure your fleet vehicles perform as they should, you need them in top shape at all times. For your drivers, this means performing daily vehicle inspections. Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports (DVIRs) are required by the FMCSA, but are also a good policy to ensure the health of your fleet. Use these tips for performing vehicle inspections to help your drivers gather the information needed to protect your vehicles.

1. Familiarize drivers with their vehicles

The best way to ensure thorough vehicle inspections is to familiarize your drivers with their vehicles during training. Every vehicle is different, so this training step will help them understand the nuances of each type of vehicle they will use. This training will also help you observe their driving styles and prepare for any issues they may encounter. Most important, allowing new hires to learn their vehicles through guided inspections and practice drives can help you train them to notice and resolve any emergencies they encounter on the road.

2. Develop a standard inspection procedure

Developing and implementing a standard procedure is the only way to ensure your vehicle inspections include all of the data you need. Your drivers should cover each item required by the FMCSA’s DVIRs, as well as any other parts that can put their safety and the vehicle’s health in danger. By using a telematics device to create standard vehicle inspection reports, you can keep your vehicles in top condition and catch any problems before they become deadly.

3. Monitor your inspections

Like many routine procedures, it is easy for drivers to fake reports or become careless in their inspections. To catch these actions before they become dangerous, perform random checks on the quality and accuracy of your inspection reports. This can encourage drivers to remain diligent in their inspections and help them discover any potential problems, allowing you to fix any vehicle issues before they put lives in danger.

How do you maintain high-quality vehicle inspections?