Vehicle Maintenance & DVIR
Stream Check is able to help maintain compliance with most of the BASICs (Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories) set out as part of the CSA (Compliance Safety & Accountability) SMS (Safety Measurement System) from the FMSCA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration), but it really excels in the area of Vehicle Maintenance.
Stream Check was designed to record, report and resolve vehicle defects. It helps carriers and drivers to maintain the roadworthiness of their vehicles with a mobile driver app to carry out daily checks, defect reporting, tracking & management features that help close the loop between defects and resolution, and intelligent scheduling functionality that allows you to create & assign booking schedules for preventative maintenance – automatically.
Safety Investigators may request documentation from carriers in the form of roadside inspection reports, vehicle maintenance files, annual vehicle inspection reports, Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports (DVIRs), equipment repair receipts, evidence of driver training on load securement, and accident reports – all of which can be recorded with Vehicle Management in Stream Check.
What is DVIR?
DVIR stands for Driver-Vehicle Inspection Report. It’s the mechanism for reporting & recording vehicle inspection, repair, and maintenance information, to be used as part of the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC.
Inspections should be carried out by the driver at the start and end of each day of operation. Additional Periodic inspections on the vehicle are required at least once every 12 months.
What does DVIR entail?
A DVIR is the written report of vehicle inspection which must be carried out by drivers of both passenger-carrying and non-passenger CMV, at the completion of each day’s work. The inspection (and subsequent report) must include at least:
- Service brakes, including trailer brake connections
- Parking (hand) brake
- Steering mechanism
- Lighting devices and reflectors
- Tires
- Horn
- Windshield wipers
- Rear-vision mirrors
- Coupling devices
- Wheels and rims
- Emergency equipment
Though other vehicle-specific or industry-specific checks can be included as required.
Additionally, before operation starts, the driver must inspect the vehicle again, to ensure that it is safe to drive.
Who is responsible for carrying out DVIR checks?
DVIR checks should be carried out by the vehicle driver – where a driver operates more than one vehicle during the course of the day, a DVIR should be carried out for each vehicle operated.
Ultimately though, responsibility for vehicle safety lies with the carrier:
“Every motor carrier… must systematically inspect, repair, and maintain, or cause to be systematically inspected, repaired, and maintained, all motor vehicles… subject to its control.”
What is the procedure for recording and reporting defects under DVIR?
The DVIR must include details of any defects found during the inspection, or any defect reported to the driver.
Only for-hire passenger CMVs are required to submit a report after every trip, regardless of whether defects were reported and recorded.
For all other CMVs, a report only needs to be submitted where a defect affecting the safe operation of the vehicle is found.
The start-of-day check does not require written documentation unless defects were noted in the last DVIR, in which case the driver must review & sign off the DVIR to acknowledge and certify that any repairs were made.
Equally, any defects must be repaired before the vehicle is dispatched again, and repairs (or proof that the repair is unnecessary) must be certified on the original driver vehicle inspection report.
Carriers must maintain the original DVIR and certification of repairs for at least three months.
Periodic Inspections
The requirement for the periodic inspection, carried out at least once every 12 months, varies somewhat state-to-state. Some states operate inspection programs that are deemed to be equivalent to the Federal inspection requirements.
In states without a Federal inspection program equivalent, the periodic inspection can be carried out internally or by a third-party, but inspectors must be trained or qualified to understand the inspection standards, be able to identify defective components and have knowledge and proficiency in inspection methods, procedures, and tools.
Carries must retain periodic inspection reports for a minimum of 14 months, and documentation of the most recent report must remain on the vehicle. Carriers should also retain proof of the inspector’s qualifications for a minimum of 12 months.
Stream Check and Stream Go have features & functionality that let you manage logistics & vehicles wherever you are.
From the ability to shift between multiple timezones and currencies, to the use of international location features like zipcodes, Stream is a truly global software.
You have the control and flexibility to manage your drivers, vehicles and routes according to the needs of your business and your local regulations:
- Set up your own checks & inspection schedules to comply with DVIR & Hazardous Materials standards, and to track and record driver training
- Mark the height/weight/width/length of vehicle types, making it easy for planners to check at-a-glance whether a vehicle fits within state limits at delivery/collection locations (where they leave the NN)
- Set routes to optimise for driving days that come within 11-hour HOS regulation days, etc.
Request a demo today to learn more about implementing Stream for commercial driving in the US.