Truck-type vehicle inspection: what goes into the checklist

Want to learn how to inspect a truck-type vehicle, as it is known in Brazil?

This task is crucial to keeping vehicles roadworthy. Without it, your truck may fail a vehicle inspection, you may receive fines and even lose vehicles through carelessness.

Inspections help prevent this. But here is the question: does a truck-type vehicle need a special inspection list?

We will answer this and other questions throughout the text. Keep reading!

How do you inspect a truck-type vehicle?

To start your inspection, you first need the checklist in hand. In other words, the first step in this task is to create a list of the items that should be inspected. Then the driver must walk around the vehicle and answer the questions, ALL the questions, as indicated.

In most cases, they should write “OK”, “NOK” or “NA”. These indicate, respectively, that everything is fine, something is wrong or the question does not apply to the vehicle being checked.

So now the question is:

How do you put together a truck-type vehicle inspection checklist?

If you have been reading our posts for a while, you will know the answer straight away. After all, this checklist is like any other truck inspection list. If you are still new to the field, let us make it simple!

Want to see this in your fleet? Talk to a Prolog specialist

In a daily inspection, you should include items such as:

• Engine oil level;
• Radiator water and fluid levels;
• Working lights (headlights, reversing lights and interior lights);
• Tire condition (visual);
• Brake pressure;
• Tank seal and fuel level.

For the inspector to carry out a more complete job, the list also needs these other items:

• Powertrain;
• Battery and electrical systems;
• Wear on brake linings and calipers;
• Engine cooling system;
• Mirrors;
• Windshield wipers;
• Bodywork condition;
• License plates and seals;
• Cab tilting;
• Suspension, alignment and balancing.

In addition, every check must contain the driver's details (name and driver's license number — CNH in Brazil), the inspection date, an indication of departure or return from the trip and the signature of the person responsible for the inspection.

To understand how to build your checklist, you can also go directly to this link. BUT WAIT, finish this text first, because there is still important information ahead!

How many checklists do you really need?

Your fleet may have 20, 50 or 100 vehicles, but one thing is certain in every scenario: keeping preventive maintenance up to date reduces costs. This is a goal all managers strive for.

But to make it a reality, you need a vehicle inspection checklist, right?

Now, a question that often comes up is whether the fleet needs different checklist models. Are they really essential, or can you use just one more general model for all vehicles?

The truth is that you have to analyze and decide what works best for your fleet.

If the vehicles have very pronounced differences, it may be worth creating separate questionnaires.

Otherwise, one model covering all the details is enough — drivers simply mark “NA”, as mentioned earlier, to indicate that the option does not apply to the inspected vehicle.

There is no specific element to include when inspecting a truck-type vehicle, so you can use a ready-made checklist.

Another point is that while some items should be checked every day, others can be assessed at longer intervals. It therefore makes sense to create daily and complete models, for example.

On the other hand, you can also choose ready-made models for this, such as those we offer free of charge in our library of downloadable resources. Click here to download yours and start using them in your fleet immediately! (in Portuguese)