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Most Canadian jurisdictions base their regulations on National Safety Code (NSC) Standard 13, Trip Inspections. NSC Standard 13 covers the requirements for commercial vehicle daily trip inspections (DVIR / Pre-trip). The NSC Standard 13 primary goal is to ensure early identification of vehicle problems and defects, thereby preventing the operation of vehicles with conditions that could lead to collisions or breakdowns.
No motor carrier shall permit a person to drive or operate a commercial vehicle on a highway unless it is inspected as required. Drivers or, in some cases, designated inspectors, are responsible for inspecting commercial motor vehicles according to the applicable schedule. (Schedule 1, 2, 3 or 4) every 24 hours.
NSC Standard 13 specifies minimum procedures for ensuring the vehicle is fit for operation before it is used on a highway. The standard applies to the following commercial vehicles:
The Schedules identify what constitutes a major or minor defect of various vehicle parts. For example, Schedule 1 contains “Fuel System” as an inspection item. Minor defects related to the fuel system include a missing fuel tank cap. Major defects include an insecure fuel tank or a dripping fuel leak.
Drivers are required to carry a copy of the applicable Schedule in the cab and present it to officers upon request. Drivers are prohibited from operating vehicles that have not been inspected within the last 24 hours.
Inspection report. Upon completion of the inspection, drivers must complete a report of the inspection, indicating any major or minor defects found, or if no defects were found, an indication that no defects were found.
The report is required to contain at least the following:
Reporting defects. Drivers who find defects during the inspection are required to immediately report the defects to the carrier. Again, drivers are prohibited from driving a vehicle with a major defect.
Inspection en route. Drivers are required to monitor the condition of the vehicle while en route and update the inspection report as needed. Drivers must immediately report major defects to the carrier.
Report retention. Carriers must keep inspection reports for six months.
Jurisdiction regulation. Daily trip inspections, like most motor carrier safety regulations in Canada, are handled at the jurisdictional level. NSC Standard 13 is not regulation. Consult each jurisdiction’s daily trip inspection regulations for specific requirements. Jurisdiction regulations may vary from NSC Standard 13; the regulations may be more or less restrictive than the NSC Standard.