Having a truck placed out of service is not only inconvenient, and potentially embarrassing, it’s frightfully expensive. The fine is just the tip of the iceberg. You have an unhappy driver on your hands, and your customer is probably no happier. On top of that you have the cost of the parts and the service call to make repairs that could have been done at home. Gee, if only someone other than a DOT inspector had noticed the problem....

This episode of HDT Talks Trucking is sponsored by Scraper Systems

And by CAT Scale. Learn more about its WeighMyTruck app.

John Seidl is vice president of risk services at Reliance Partners, the owner of transportation consulting company, Trucking Wins, and a former Wisconsin State Patrol roadside inspection officer. He joins HDT Equipment Editor Jim Park to explain how fleets can follow the same defect-detecting mindset inspectors use to keep equipment in top shape — and encourage drivers and technicians to be more vigilant about equipment condition.

Watch this Episode of HDT Talks Trucking to Learn:

• Why thorough vehicle inspections are critical

• Where technicians can learn about vehicle inspections

• The value of CVSA’s OOS criteria handbook

• How to inspect a truck as a DOT inspector does

• Why it’s important the shop and the safety department work together

• What’s in CVSA’s Operational Policy 15

• Valuable tips for reducing out-of-service rates

Resources for Improving Vehicle Inspections and Reducing Violations

• Reliance Partners

• Trucking Wins Safety Consulting

• 2023 North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria