pre-trip inspections
You should always do a Pre-Trip Inspection of your commercial vehicle anytime you are away from it for an extended period of time, and before you leave on any trip. The Pre-Trip Inspection is essential for proper transportation, and for the safety of everyone on the road.
• First, you should always start your Pre-Trip Inspection by the driver’s door, and check the front left tire, lights, and running board. After you visually check that you should start to make your way to the rear of the truck, and check your airlines to ensure they are hooked to your trailer properly, and that there are no holes in the airlines. You should also check to make sure that your electrical line is hooked to the trailer properly so you can check the lights of the trailer as you do your walk around.
• Secondly, you should check the rear tires of the truck to make sure they are properly inflated, and intact. You can do this by taking a rubber mallet, and thump each tire. The mallet should have a significant bounce, but if it does not you should check the air pressure in the tire. If the air pressure is low, and you are at a truck stop, you can easily access an air compressor. Sometimes low air pressure in tires can occur while you are in the middle of nowhere, and if that is the case you should safely pull to the side of the road, and call your company immediately.
• In addition to check the rear tires, you must look underneath the trailer to ensure proper coupling. When you do this you will need a flashlight of some sort because the lighting underneath trailers are very poor. Take your flashlight , and shine it on the pin to make sure it is fully locked into place, and the trailer is sitting nice and flush against the fifth wheel. The fifth wheel is the circular metal wheel where the safety pin is located.
• Next, you should walk along the trailer looking for holes, and also checking your breaks underneath. This can be accomplished by shining your flashlight in the drum, and
• First, you should always start your Pre-Trip Inspection by the driver’s door, and check the front left tire, lights, and running board. After you visually check that you should start to make your way to the rear of the truck, and check your airlines to ensure they are hooked to your trailer properly, and that there are no holes in the airlines. You should also check to make sure that your electrical line is hooked to the trailer properly so you can check the lights of the trailer as you do your walk around.
• Secondly, you should check the rear tires of the truck to make sure they are properly inflated, and intact. You can do this by taking a rubber mallet, and thump each tire. The mallet should have a significant bounce, but if it does not you should check the air pressure in the tire. If the air pressure is low, and you are at a truck stop, you can easily access an air compressor. Sometimes low air pressure in tires can occur while you are in the middle of nowhere, and if that is the case you should safely pull to the side of the road, and call your company immediately.
• In addition to check the rear tires, you must look underneath the trailer to ensure proper coupling. When you do this you will need a flashlight of some sort because the lighting underneath trailers are very poor. Take your flashlight , and shine it on the pin to make sure it is fully locked into place, and the trailer is sitting nice and flush against the fifth wheel. The fifth wheel is the circular metal wheel where the safety pin is located.
• Next, you should walk along the trailer looking for holes, and also checking your breaks underneath. This can be accomplished by shining your flashlight in the drum, and