Preparing Your Drivers for Inspections

Inspections are an expected part of the job for commercial truckers. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and its state partners conduct various types of audits throughout the year in an effort to keep roads safer both for truckers and passenger cars sharing the roads with them. 

While drivers know inspections are coming, it can be a stressful experience if they are not prepared for the process. Fleets can reduce stress on drivers and the likelihood of violations by taking proactive steps to ensure trucks and drivers are ready for an inspection at any time.

Trending: More On-site Inspections, More Violations

In reviewing 2023 FMCSA stats, there was a continuing trend of more on-site audits — an increase of 13% over 2022 — as opposed to the remote audits that were more common during the pandemic. In 2023, more than 80% of inspections were performed in person and in the field, allowing for more intensive inspections. As a result, 94% of audits in 2023 resulted in violation citations.

Additionally, more than 1 in 4 audits resulted in a fine, and there was a 5% increase in the number of audits resulting in acute or critical violations affecting fleet safety rating. A poor safety rating can lead to lost business, higher insurance rates, increased liability in court, and even a likelihood that your drivers will be inspected more frequently.

Failing a Department of Transportation (DOT) inspection can result in fees ranging into the millions, an out-of-service order for the involved truck, and even a loss of operating authority for the carrier. Drivers can have their licenses suspended, and the fleet can face serious lost revenue. It’s in a fleet’s best interest to ensure their vehicles and drivers are prepared to face a close inspection to support the long-term viability of the fleet. 

Types of Inspections and What They Cover

There are eight levels of DOT inspections for commercial truckers. Level 1 — also called the North American Standard Inspection — is an annual process of checking driver, vehicle, and cargo. Drivers must show all requested documents, including commercial licenses, driver’s logs, and relevant certifications. Most drivers will only undergo a Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3 DOT roadside inspection since the other DOT inspection levels are usually conducted at a terminal location or a special-purpose roadside inspection.

During a Level 1 inspection, inspectors are auditing both the driver and the vehicle. The North American Standard Level I Inspection Procedure outlines 37 steps an inspector follows during the process. The first 13 involve interaction with the driver, observing them for alcohol or drug use, examining their paperwork, and even reviewing driver habits. The remaining steps involve an intensive review of the mechanical components of the truck itself, including climbing under the truck for a close inspection. It’s difficult to hide any violation under such in-depth scrutiny, and a fleet’s best plan of action is to stay prepared for an inspection every day, all day.

How to Prepare Your Drivers for Inspections

An inspection has the potential to be stressful for your drivers. Still, with a little prior preparation, they can go about their routes knowing they are fully prepared to comply with an audit without any hidden surprises.

Here are seven ways to help your drivers prepare for inspections:

1. Get Organized: The easiest way to feel prepared for an inspection is to ensure your drivers are aware of and have all of the paperwork that would be needed in an inspection. These required documents include:

• Medical Examiner’s Certificate (if applicable)
• Skill Performance Evaluation (SPE) Certificate (if applicable)
• Driver’s license, CDL, record of duty status
• Shipping papers
• Periodic inspection certificates, CVIP.
• Other supporting documents: bills of lading, receipts, and other documents used to verify the record of duty status

Establish a set location in the cab for your drivers to always keep their documents, so that they feel confident they are there and easy to access. Consider fleet management tools that digitally track and display HOS data for both your driver and inspectors. Finally, encourage your drivers to keep a clean and tidy cab, as a cab in disorder can be a red flag to an inspector that a more thorough investigation should be conducted to see what else might be in disarray on the truck.

2. Keep Training Current: You know your drivers will eventually encounter an inspection; use that as motivation to beef up your training program. Teach – and revisit regularly – what will be reviewed at an inspection, especially the elements that involve driver habits and compliance. Ensure your drivers understand HOS requirements and exceptions. Encourage them to think like an inspector in their daily tasks and report back to you with any red flags they see with their vehicles. Finally, spend time ensuring your drivers know the appropriate way to interact with inspectors, and – that by keeping a professional attitude and knowing there are avenues to dispute violations if needed – inspections can be as straightforward and drama-free as possible.

3. Conduct Preventive Maintenance: The number one way to avoid vehicle-related citations is to ensure your trucks are regularly maintained. Preventative maintenance involves regularly checking and servicing parts and components before they even seem to need it instead of waiting for malfunctions to occur. By carefully monitoring vehicle health, alarms, and performance, you can help avoid costly breakdowns while also ensuring an inspector won’t find any hidden surprises that warrant a violation. Additionally, fleet management tools can ensure that all repairs and servicing are documented with sign-offs and certifications.

4. Run Mock Inspections: Consider planning a rotation of mock inspections for your fleet. This could be as simple as rotating an in-depth inspection time for each truck or fully role-playing with your drivers as an inspector in a real-world setting. Ensure all equipment is functional and running, review real data on your driver’s habits, and work on the appropriate interaction between driver and inspector. Putting this time into preparing for a real inspection can catch any vehicle issues, save you thousands of dollars in citation fees, and potentially even avoid a negative impact to your safety rating.

5. Complete Pre- and Post-Trip Inspections, Every Time: Another way to avoid any surprises during an inspection is to build a culture of safety through pre- and post-trip vehicle inspections. Establish the flow of the inspection and require your drivers to follow the same steps every time, to build consistency and ensure nothing is missed. Digital DVIRs make it simple to customize your inspection steps and conduct each inspection on a tablet, keeping the impact to your drivers’ days low.

6. Pre-Plan Routes: Planning efficient and safe routes ahead of time can not only keep drivers safer and on time, but it can also support compliance by ensuring they know when and where to stop and rest for HOS requirements, one of the top potential inspection violations. Additionally, by ensuring your routes take into account restrictions such as truck type, height, weight, length, and contents, you’re helping your drivers maintain good driving habits and avoid things like hard breaking or lane departures. Navigation tools designed for commercial trucks and route planning apps can make pre-planning simple and accurate.

7. Utilize Technology: The key to ensuring your fleet is prepared for an inspection at any time is staying informed and aware of the health of your equipment and drivers. This situational awareness helps avoid small problems from turning into big, expensive issues. By closely monitoring real-world data from your ELDs, HOS trackers, and vehicle sensors, you can ensure all components are operating efficiently and safely. Telematics platforms that offer you a comprehensive, at-a-glance view of data from your entire fleet make this process easier and more accurate than ever.

How does fleet management software help you prepare for inspections?

Fleet management software can help fleets make compliance easier and more efficient than ever by offering automation and built-in processes that simplify record-keeping and insights and make them easily available at all times. For example, Platform Science tools help fleets:

• Reduced Form & Manner Violations: With shipper, bill of lading (BOL), and load data automatically populated into the driver’s ELD record from their load, you minimize the risk of getting a Form & Manner violation. 
• Simplified Certification & Recertification: Software can prompt drivers to certify logs before going On Duty and to recertify logs upon editing, ensuring accuracy and compliance from the outset of your drivers’ days. 
• Seamless Transition into Inspection Mode: Prompt drivers into On Duty status when entering inspection mode to reduce the likelihood of oversight during crucial inspections.
• Easy Access to Required Documents: With one-touch access to essential ELD documents within the inspection tab, you eliminate the hassle of rummaging through paperwork.
• Notifications Available at Roadside: Automatically receive notifications that a driver has been pulled over for a roadside inspection and then remotely transfer any required logs for straightforward compliance. 
• Enhanced DVIR Functionality: Receive persistent defects notifications to address errors and increase a consistent safety record.
• Automated HOS Support: Persistent HOS timer warnings – both audio and visual – alert drivers and prevent violations before they occur. 
• Comprehensive Reporting & Auditing: With features like the HOS Utilization Report and Rejected Unassigned Drive Time Report, you can readily audit your drivers’ ELD records, identify areas for improvement, and maintain compliance with confidence. 

By investing some time and effort into preparing your team for inspections, you can reduce your odds of being part of the 94% of trucks that receive a violation citation during inspection. Keeping your drivers informed and prepared can reduce their stress and allow them to focus on conducting every load safely and efficiently. 

‍Learn more about the Platform Science suite of fleet management tools, designed to make a driver’s day more efficient and a fleet’s operations more effective.