Motor Carriers Inspection Guide

As a motor carrier, you have a lot to manage.

This guide provides an overview of roadside inspections, highlighting what they are and why they’re important. It also includes general best practices motor carriers can use to prepare their drivers for roadside inspections.

Roadside Inspections and Why They're Important

Put simply, roadside inspections are examinations of commercial motor vehicles or drivers. These inspections are conducted by specially trained inspectors on behalf of the FMCSA and are used to:

Gather compliance and safety data regarding motor carriers and their drivers.
Identify the most prominent compliance and safety issues.
Intervene when motor carriers or their drivers are in violation of FMCSA regulations or operating unsafely.

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The Inspection Process

Driver Inspections:

Interviews
Document Verification
HOS
Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports
Annual Inspection
Inspection Wrap-up

Vehicle Inspections:

Driver Prep
Walk-around
The Underside
Braking, Steering and Coupling Testing
Inspection Wrap-up

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Preparing for Roadside Inspections

One of the best ways to ensure successful roadside inspections is to educate employees on what this process entails. Above all, drivers need to remain professional throughout roadside inspections and be prepared for the various examinations included in driver and vehicle inspections.

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