Commercial Passenger Carriers to Stop Submitting No-Defect DVIRs

FMCSA announced in July that a final rule was published removing an information collection burden for commercial buses and other passenger-carrying motor coaches.

This rule will overturn the requirement that commercial bus drivers submit, as well as their motor carriers retain, driver-vehicle inspection reports (DVIRs) on no-defect DVIRs.

The rule is expected to go into effect in late August, 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. The official publication date has not yet been announced.

A no-defect DVIR is when the driver has neither found nor been made aware of any vehicle defects or deficiencies.

FMCSA says passenger vehicle carriers spend approximately 2.4 million hours each year completing no-defect DVIRs, and that this rule would result in a cost savings of $74 million per year to the industry.

Drivers will still be required to perform pre-trip and post-trip inspections and the rule change will not affect road safety.

Reduce Fleet Costs with Proper Pre and Post Trip Inspections

It is no secret that vehicle maintenance is near the top of any fleet expenses, with companies reporting average repair and maintenance costs of 16.7 cents per mile, according to the ATRI in 2019.

Check out our industry library resources of 15 videos, 2 ebooks, industry links, and CNS In The News content.

Every year it is reported that approximately 25-30% of the maintenance-related CSA violations are due to inoperative or defective lighting.

This is likely due to drivers not being given enough time to run a thorough pre-trip or post-trip inspection, or drivers are not being trained to understand the importance of the daily inspections.

A thorough pre-trip inspection should take between 30 and 45 minutes to perform.

A minor problem caught during a pre-trip or post-trip inspection will likely cost less money to fix and should get you back on the road quicker instead of waiting around for a major issue to be fixed. 

DOT Training

All fleets need to conduct proper and thorough pre and post trip inspections, which consists of implementing quality:

• driver training that is ongoing and consistent
• driver education, and
• driver awareness of current and changing traffic laws

All of this will help prevent being targeted by the DOT at roadside inspections and is a valuable resource to ensure a healthy fleet, and compliant safety practices.

Our DOT trainers offer a variety of in-person or online training courses tailored to the specific needs or weaknesses of your company.