A truck that does not start, or has to be pulled off the road at 8:15, takes a full day of jobs with it. The cheapest place to catch that is the driveway at 7 a.m., with a short walk-around the tech does every morning in the same order.
This page has the checklist, an end-of-day defect report, and a section on federal rules. For many service companies a pre-trip check is good practice. For some it is a legal requirement, and which one you are depends on the vehicle.
Do federal inspection rules apply to your trucks?
The federal driver vehicle inspection rules are in 49 CFR Part 396 and apply to commercial motor vehicles as the FMCSA defines them. Under 49 CFR 390.5, a vehicle used in interstate commerce is a CMV if it meets any one of these:
- a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating (or actual weight) of 10,001 pounds or more,
- designed or used to carry more than 8 passengers including the driver for compensation, or more than 15 without compensation,
- used to carry hazardous materials in a quantity that requires placards.
What that means for a service fleet. Many single service vans and pickups are rated under 10,001 pounds on their own and are not CMVs by weight. But check the actual rating on the door-jamb sticker, not the model name. Ford, for example, lists the 2026 Transit as configurable from 8,670 to 11,000 pounds GVWR, so the same van name can fall on either side of the line. Box trucks, heavy-duty vans and any truck towing a trailer (where the combined rating counts) can cross it. A vehicle carrying placarded hazmat in interstate commerce is a CMV at any weight.
What the rules require, when they apply. Under 49 CFR 396.13, before driving, the driver must be satisfied the vehicle is in safe operating condition, review the last inspection report, and sign it if defects were listed and repairs were certified. Under 49 CFR 396.11, the driver prepares a written report at the end of each day's work covering at least service brakes, parking brake, steering, lighting, tires, horn, wipers, mirrors, coupling devices, wheels and rims, and emergency equipment. A report is not required if no defect was found or reported, and carriers keep the reports for three months. The rule also exempts some operations, including carriers that run only one CMV.
Note. These rules were read on the linked pages as of October 2026. Intrastate operations follow state rules, which are often modelled on the federal ones but can differ. Check with your state's motor carrier office and your insurer. This page is not legal advice.
Even if none of your trucks are CMVs, the same checklist is worth doing. Your insurer, your lease and your own downtime all reward it.
The pre-trip checklist
Do it in the same order every day, so nothing gets skipped. A practiced tech can do it in about five minutes.
Walk-around (outside)
- Look under the truck for fresh leaks: oil, coolant, brake fluid, fuel.
- Tires: no visible damage, bulges or cuts. Tread looks even. Pressure checked against the door-jamb placard, weekly at minimum.
- Wheels: no missing or loose lug nuts, no cracks in the rims.
- Lights: headlights, high beams, turn signals front and rear, brake lights, tail lights, hazards, reverse lights, marker lights.
- Mirrors and glass: mirrors adjusted and not cracked, windshield free of cracks in the driver's view.
- Body: new damage since yesterday noted and photographed.
- Ladder racks and roof loads: ladders strapped, racks tight, nothing loose.
- Doors and latches: side, rear and compartment doors close and lock.
Under the hood (weekly, or daily if your policy says so)
- Engine oil, coolant, brake fluid, power steering fluid, washer fluid at the right levels.
- Belts and hoses: no cracks, fraying or leaks.
- Battery: terminals clean and tight.
In the cab
- Seat belt works.
- Horn works.
- Wipers and washers work.
- Gauges and warning lights: nothing on the dash that should not be.
- Parking brake holds.
- Service brakes: firm pedal, the truck stops straight at low speed in the lot.
- Steering: no excess play, no pulling.
- Emergency equipment: fire extinguisher charged and mounted, first-aid kit, warning triangles or flares.
- Paperwork: registration, insurance card, any permits.
Cargo area
- Shelving and bins secured. Heavy items low.
- Cylinders (refrigerant, acetylene, propane) upright and strapped, stored as their safety data sheets direct.
- Nothing loose that could slide forward in a hard stop.
If there is a trailer
- Hitch, coupler, safety chains, breakaway cable and trailer lights checked.
- Trailer tires and load straps checked.
End-of-day defect report
Use this every day the truck is driven. Copy it into a form or your fleet app.
| Item | OK | Defect (describe) |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | ||
| Parking brake | ||
| Steering | ||
| Lights and reflectors | ||
| Tires | ||
| Horn | ||
| Wipers | ||
| Mirrors | ||
| Coupling devices (if towing) | ||
| Wheels and rims | ||
| Emergency equipment | ||
| Other (leaks, dash lights, body damage) |
Truck: __ Odometer: _ Date: Driver: ___
Defects corrected by: __ Date: _ Driver acknowledgment: ___
The items in the table follow the list in 49 CFR 396.11, so the same form works whether or not your trucks are CMVs.
How to adapt it
- Make the "truck down" call before the first job. A defect that makes the truck unsafe gets reported to the dispatcher before the tech leaves, not at the first job. The dispatcher daily checklist has a morning step for exactly this.
- Decide who fixes what. The tech can top up washer fluid. Brakes, steering and tires go to the shop. Write the split down.
- Photograph new damage. A timestamped photo each morning settles who dented the bumper.
- Combine with the stock check. You can run the weekly truck stock count right after the end-of-day report on the same day.
- Count the cost of skipping it. A truck down mid-day means every remaining job either moves to a teammate or gets rescheduled, and each rescheduled visit is another truck roll later. Put inspection in your onboarding (see managing field technicians) so it is a habit from day one.
What to take away
- The federal DVIR rules in 49 CFR 396.11 and 396.13 apply to commercial motor vehicles, which starts at 10,001 pounds GVWR or GCWR in interstate commerce, among other tests.
- Many single service vans fall under that line, but check each truck's rating sticker, and remember trailers count toward the combined rating.
- Run the same five-minute walk-around every morning anyway, and report unsafe defects to dispatch before the first job.
- Use an end-of-day defect report built on the 396.11 list, so one form covers every truck.
Common questions
Is a pre-trip inspection required for a service van?
It depends on whether the van is a commercial motor vehicle under FMCSA rules. A van used in interstate commerce with a GVWR of 10,001 pounds or more, or one that is part of a combination rated at that weight, generally is. Many lighter vans are not. State rules can also apply to intrastate trucks, so check with your state and insurer. Either way, a daily walk-around is good practice.
What is a DVIR?
A driver vehicle inspection report. Under 49 CFR 396.11, a CMV driver prepares one at the end of each day's work covering brakes, steering, lights, tires, horn, wipers, mirrors, coupling devices, wheels and rims, and emergency equipment. A report is not required when no defect was found or reported, and carriers keep reports for three months.
How long should a daily vehicle inspection take?
A practiced driver can do the outside walk-around and cab checks in about five minutes. The under-the-hood checks take a few minutes more, and some fleets do them weekly rather than daily.
What should a tech do if they find a defect?
If the defect affects safety, such as brakes, steering, tires or lights, the truck should not go out until it is fixed, and the tech should call dispatch before the first job so the day can be rearranged. Minor defects go on the end-of-day report for the shop to schedule.