5 Ways to Make Driver Vehicle Inspections Easier

To remain compliant, fleet drivers must perform inspections on commercial vehicles before and after routes. While these are important to ensure vehicles are safe to be on the road – for the protection of both the driver and others on the roadways – they can be time-consuming for drivers who are on tight schedules. 

To make Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports (DVIRs) more efficient, drivers can use the following tips: 

Follow a Routine 

It’s important for drivers to perform complete inspections of vehicles. To ensure they don’t miss an element, drivers should follow a routine for how they inspect the vehicle. Some operations use a circle method to ensure they cover the entire asset, including under the hood, and the exterior and interior of the vehicle. Using the same routine during each inspection will help drivers complete more in-depth review. 

Use Flexible Forms 

Drivers should use forms that correspond to the vehicle they are inspecting. If drivers are using electronic DVIR devices, they can use templates that specifically relate to that particular vehicle, removing sections that don’t apply. For example, if a driver is not inspecting a school bus, he or she doesn’t need a section on the form about checking the “Stop” arm bar or flashing lights. This will help save drivers time as they work through the form and inspection. 

Improve Communication with the Shop 

When drivers complete vehicle inspections, they need to relay the information to the technicians at the shop. If this is done via handwritten, paper forms that the driver physically brings into the shop it can result in delays as the technicians wait on the drivers to arrive and then try to decipher the driver’s notes. There can also be a lag between when the vehicle’s repairs are completed and when the driver is notified.  To improve communications, fleet operations can develop processes to speed up the back-and-forth and sharing of information. Operations can also use electronic DVIR applications to allow drivers and technicians to communicate instantly through the application. 

Take Photos 

Instead of writing detailed notes to capture the extent of the damage on a vehicle, drivers can take pictures with their phone or mobile device to include with their DVIR. This can be especially useful – and easy – if fleet operations are using eDVIR applications. 

Use eDVIR Application 

One of the best ways to improve the speed of DVIRs is for fleet operations to utilize eDVIR applications. These allow drivers to complete vehicle inspections on a phone or mobile device, allowing them to make easy-to-read notes in the electronic forms and make the results of the inspection instantly available to the technicians and fleet manager at the shop. They can take photos of the vehicle to include in their files and get real-time status updates on the vehicle. These applications let drivers stay compliant while using less time to complete the inspections.  

Simplify your fleet operation’s DVIR process with RTA Inspect, RTA’s eDVIR solution. Contact us to learn more.