If you are in the transportation industry, you cannot negotiate on traffic safety and compliance. A Driver Vehicle Inspection Report (DVIR) is used by drivers to record their findings when inspecting their vehicle before and after a trip. The purpose of this report is to record the fitness level of a vehicle. As a commercial driver, you are legally required to complete a DVIR.
Since it is both a compliance and a safety document, using a template makes it easy for no important detail to be overlooked. The Driver Vehicle Inspection Report template at WordLayouts is designed on inspection standards and assists drivers on what they must look for when conducting thorough inspections of their vehicles. It contains a checklist of important components besides the details of the driver and the vehicle.
Next, we will take a closer look at this template and discuss the information it contains. The checklist includes checkboxes, and you can mark off items as you conduct the inspection.
General Information
At the top of the Driver’s Vehicle Inspection Report (DVIR) template, you can note essential details. The date and time of the inspection, the name of the carrier—referring to the company responsible for the vehicle—and the driver’s name and contact information can be noted down.
The vehicle is identified by its tractor or truck number, along with the odometer reading. You can use the applicable checkbox to indicate whether the inspection is taking place before or after a trip.
Vehicle Components Checklist
This section serves as the core of the DVIR template. It details the various key components that must be examined. It includes checking critical systems such as mirrors, mufflers, oil pressure, and radiators, as well as safety equipment like fire extinguishers and reflective triangles. The checklist also includes inspection of vital parts of the vehicle like tires, windshield wipers, transmission, and steering.
Trailer Inspection
If your vehicle is a towing trailer, then you can also inspect it through this form. An additional checklist is included to assess trailer-specific components. This consists of brakes, coupling devices, suspension systems, reflectors, and landing gear, ensuring that the trailer is securely attached and in a safe condition.
Remarks
In this section, you can mention any issues or defects that you have identified during the inspection. The template has blank space for you where you can note down any malfunctions or problems, such as a faulty brake or a missing safety device.
Vehicle Condition Summary
In this section, you can report on the overall condition of the vehicle as either satisfactory or unsatisfactory.
Defects Correction
This is a follow-up section for pre-trip and post-trip inspections. This section details whether the defects have been fixed or if they do not pose a risk.
Signatures
The final section includes spaces for both the driver’s and mechanic’s signatures. The driver signs to confirm the completion of the inspection and the reporting of any issues, while the mechanic signs off once all necessary repairs or corrections have been made.
According to FMCSA 396.11 and 396.13 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, drivers must inspect and sign an inspection report of the vehicle both before and after any trip. This comprehensive template is designed with utmost care and includes all important elements of vehicle inspection as required by law.
The report template is designed in a practical size of 5.5 x 8.5 inches and can be printed into a booklet. Furthermore, this format can easily accommodate the printing of carbon booklets as well for generating duplicates. It is available in multiple formats, including DOCX, DOTX, Google Docs, and ODT. You can modify this template as well. It is fully editable, which lets you adjust the text fields according to your business’s requirements.
Penalties for Not Filling Out the DVIR Form
It is a legal requirement in the U.S. to fill out the DVIR form. You may be fined $1,544 per day for failing to do so. Moreover, any vehicle that is not considered fit can be immediately removed from the road by the relevant authorities, which could lead to losses for your company. To avoid the car posing a safety risk on the road, it is crucial that you take care of any problems indicated in the form.
Who is Responsible for Vehicle Repairs?
Once the driver has signed the DVIR, the next question is who is responsible for the repairs and maintenance. While the driver is solely responsible for conducting inspections and filing the report, he/she is not responsible for vehicle maintenance. It is the responsibility of the fleet manager or the repair department at your company.
