Post Trip Inspection

I pre-trip and log my tractor for 10-15 minutes at our home base. Then, I bobtail to our droplot, hook up and pre-trip the trailer for at least 10 minutes. When I return to the home base at the end of the day, I post-trip (and log) the tractor for a minimum of 10 minutes. If anyone wants to make a suggestion, please do so.

Don wrote:

I pre-trip and log my tractor for 10-15 minutes at our home base. Then, I bobtail to our droplot, hook up and pre-trip the trailer for at least 10 minutes. When I return to the home base at the end of the day, I post-trip (and log) the tractor for a minimum of 10 minutes. If anyone wants to make a suggestion, please do so.

It’s very similar to what I do. Bob tailing from the tractor ready-line to outbound loads is about a 5-7 minute bobtail ride by the time I find the correct trailer number.

Just vary the times you log PTI so it’s not always the same duration every day.

I was not questioning whether doing a pre or post trip inspections are a good thing or should be done. I do them every day I was questioning if they actually need to be logged as such. What I read in the book I got is you need to make sure your truck and trailer are in good and safe working condition every time you are going to put it on the road but the rule book does not state that you must do a pre or post and log it as such. At least not what I have read so far.

I was not questioning whether doing a pre or post trip inspections are a good thing or should be done. I do them every day I was questioning if they actually need to be logged as such. What I read in the book I got is you need to make sure your truck and trailer are in good and safe working condition every time you are going to put it on the road but the rule book does not state that you must do a pre or post and log it as such. At least not what I have read so far.

Inspections, regardless of pre, mid, or post trip are considering WORKING for the motor carrier and therefore are required by the hours of service regulations to be logged as ON DUTY not driving.

Remarks are usually added to explain what you were doing while on a particular duty status.

Simplest answer to keep your logs legal.

Log what you do, and do what you log.