CDL Pre-Trip Inspection Checklist Template

A daily pre-trip inspection would be a responsibility and routine work for a licensed driver who has a CDL, depending on Class A, B, or C. It’s required by law in the United States, as it ensures vehicle safety and helps reduce or prevent truck and bus accidents, fatalities, and injuries, which endanger the lives of the occupants and the community. But how do you exactly perform these inspections according to class?

How to perform CDL Pre-Trip Inspection for Class A Vehicles?

If you have a Class A CDL, it means you should be able to demonstrate proficiency in performing a pre-trip inspection on tractors and trailers or combination vehicles. To qualify, you’d have to demonstrate by walking around the vehicle and pointing to or showing each check item and explaining it to the examiner. It involves going over a systematic check of the engine, steering, brakes, lights, tires, coupling system, and safety equipment. This ensures that the driver is completely aware of the condition of the vehicle and can identify safety issues critical to safety before beginning a trip.

If you have a Class A CDL you have the highest-level qualifications and technically allowed to operate Class A, B, and C type of vehicles provided with endorsements from FMCSA and are issued by your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or licensing authority.
Pre-Trip Inspection for Class A vehicles are the more detailed and extensive pre-trip inspection and drivers with Class A CDL can drive a bus or any vehicle under Class B and C endorsement. The following are inspection items that are generally not applicable with Class B and Class C, but are items that an examiner would be asked to explain along with other inspection items:

• Coupling System– Checking the fifth wheel the skid plate for cracks, visually inspect that the jaws have properly wrapped around the king pin and are tight

• Trailing System– Checking trailer brakes, doors, suspension, lights, landing gear.

Some states would allow a memory-aid to help remember this during inspection; however, it’s worthy to practice using a CDL Pre-Inspection Checklist and modify it according to the class you’re applying for.

How to perform CDL Pre-Trip Inspection for Class B Vehicles?

A Commercial Class B Driver’s License allows drivers to drive passenger carrying vehicles classified as Class B and all vehicles under Class C with endorsements. There are critical items to consider, especially items that the driver controls or sees. Whether you are training or conducting a pre-trip inspection, when operating Class B vehicles, you need to remember key items for example the engine compartment’s fluid levels, belts, and leaks, as the engine and steering depend on these.
If performing a pre-trip inspection for CDL certification, you essentially have to verbally explain the condition of the vehicle and then perform necessary parts checks or inspections while naming the parts and explaining the procedure aloud, as it’s a verbal test. On a daily pre-trip inspection, there’s of course no need to explain loudly, but after walking around the vehicle, you generally observe some obvious or reported issues or hazards, then use a pre-trip inspection checklist to conveniently perform the inspection.

How to perform CDL Pre-Trip Inspection for Class C Vehicles?

Class C vehicles which are smaller commercial vehicles and generally has lesser parts, tires and focuses more on driver’s controls and visibility and usually basic issues but still require that a CDL holder during qualifying exam perform CDL pre-trip inspection and to explain it verbally.

When preparing for CDL Pre-Trip Inspection for Class C just focus on certain key areas that can affect the visibility of the driver such as the lights and signals, tires and breaks, driver area, and other parts of the vehicle that are essential gears you’d need for emergency and ensure passenger and cargo safety.

Class C Vehicles are usually passenger vans like school bus and small HazMats units and because of the type of vehicle that it’s slightly different with Class A and Class B in training. When a driver has a Class C driver’s license, they are not qualified to drive Class A and B type of vehicles.