Each and every day you put tires to pavement as a commercial driver, you are responsible for inspecting your vehicle and documenting any defects that may be present. And while the vast majority of drivers understand the importance of these pre trip inspections, they often make mistakes—either knowingly or unknowingly— when completing the process.

Whether you own an Canadian trucking company or you’re an employed driver, you’ve likely encountered challenges related to daily vehicle inspection reports at some point in your career and felt the frustration that comes with realizing a form hasn’t been completed properly or filed in accordance with the National Safety Code.

At CayCan Safety Consulting, we want to work with you to eliminate educational barriers and streamline your commercial vehicle inspection report process so these frustrations can be avoided.

So, let’s demystify daily inspection reports and prepare you for the journey ahead.

What are drivers responsible for in regards to daily vehicle inspection reports?

Canadian commercial drivers are responsible for:

• Conducting pre trip inspections every 24 hours

• Continuously monitoring vehicles and documenting noticeable defects

• Producing an accurate trip inspection report and providing it to their carrier (or filing it, if the driver is also the carrier)

What are Canadian trucking companies responsible for in regards to vehicle inspection reports?

In Canada, trucking companies are responsible for:

• Filing all commercial vehicle inspection reports (by vehicle and month) within 20 days of receiving them

• Maintaining a record of all inspection reports for a minimum of 6 months

• Maintaining a record of any defective inspection reports for a minimum of 5 years

What are the consequences of inconsistent or inaccurate daily vehicle inspection reports?

There are several penalties associated with failing to maintain consistent and accurate pre trip inspection records.

For drivers, these penalties include:

• Roadside violation tickets

• Permanent infractions on their driver’s profile

• Out-of-service violations

For carriers, these penalties include:

• Violation fines

• Permanent infractions on their carrier profile

• Failed compliance audits

What are some common misconceptions about daily truck and trailer inspections?

There are many misperceptions about pre trip inspections that can lead to reporting violations. Some of the most critical include:

1. Drivers are only required to complete a single inspection before hitting the road

This is absolutely false. While drivers must conduct an inspection before their trip, they must also monitor and document any defects that occur while they are on the road. 

For example: If a commercial driver notices that they have a flat tire at noon (after they have already completed their morning inspection) they must immediately update their inspection report. They should ​not ​wait until the following morning to document this defect nor should they repair the defect without updating their inspection report. When Conducting an NSC Audit we often find repair records when the matching Inspection Report shows there were “no defects found”.

2. Drivers can continue on their route as long as they have documented any defects

This is also false. NSC 13 includes a no-go list of defects that require a driver to immediately park their vehicle. It is important for both Canadian trucking companies and their drivers to be aware of these defects, as continuing to commute despite these concerns can result in penalization.

3. It’s okay to continue driving despite a no-go defect if a carrier instructs a driver to do so

Again, this is false. It is illegal for a carrier to permit a driver to drive if a major defect has been detected. If a driver obeys instructions to continue traveling despite a major defect, both the driver and the carrier can be penalized.

ComplianceBox can handle daily vehicle inspection reports for you

We designed our brand new app with Canadian trucking companies and their drivers in mind, with the ultimate goal of making pre trip inspections and other record-keeping responsibilities easier than ever before.

We know that reviewing and adhering to Canadian transportation regulations can be a full-time job in itself. So, we decided to come up with a solution for the trucking industry clients we serve and alleviate their already overbearing workload.

Our ComplianceBox app is capable of:

• Automatically filing daily pre inspection reports according to NSC regulations

• Tracking the progress of repair requests

• Notifying drivers when a no-go defect has been detected

And so much more.

Complying with the National Safety Code shouldn't be a burden on carriers and their drivers. Our app provides the features you need to comply in a cost effective way.

We also offer training

In addition to our industry-leading ComplianceBox app, we also offer a comprehensive online pre-trip inspection course.

This course is ideal for drivers and carriers who want to ensure they are aware of all necessary procedures to be taken while performing vehicle inspections.

Interested in learning more? Have additional questions? Reach out to us today. We’re always ready and willing to provide you with more information.

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