Daily Trip Inspection (Pre-trip) - Nova Scotia

Application

The trip inspection regulations apply to commercial vehicles, defined as a truck, truck-tractor, or trailer, or any combination of them, that exceeds a registered gross vehicle weight of 4,500 kilograms, and buses, including a motorcoach.

The trip inspection regulations apply to truck and bus drivers, except the following:

Inspection schedules

Nova Scotia has adopted provisions of National Safety Code Standard 13, Trip Inspections, into its regulation. This standard requires the person inspecting the vehicle to use inspection “schedules” to complete the inspection.

Nova Scotia has the following inspection schedules in regulation:

• Schedule 1: Truck, Tractor, or Trailer Daily Inspections;
• Schedule 2: Bus Daily Inspections;
• Schedule 3: Motor Coach Daily Inspections; and
• Schedule 4: Motor Coach (30 days or 12 000 km) Inspections.

A commercial vehicle must be inspected at least once every 24 hours. Trucks, truck-tractors, trailers, and combinations of these vehicles, must be inspected using Schedule 1 of the regulation.

Buses, and trailers towed by buses or motorcoaches, must be inspected using Schedule 2 of the regulation.

Motorcoaches equipped with air-ride suspension, air brakes, and automatic brake adjusters must be inspected using Schedule 3 of the regulation. In addition, the motorcoach must be inspected by a licensed technician using Schedule 4 at least every 30 days or every 12,000 kilometers, whichever occurs first.

Drivers must carry the appropriate inspection schedule (1, 2, or 3) with them while operating the vehicle. Drivers are not required to carry Schedule 4 with them while operating the vehicle; however, if a motorcoach is inspected according to Schedule 3, the driver must be in possession of the most recent inspection report, documenting the inspection performed according to Schedule 4.

Requirements

A carrier must not permit a commercial driver to drive, and a commercial driver must not drive, a commercial vehicle on a highway if the vehicle has any major defects. Note that in Nova Scotia, “Leaking wheel seal” is in the major defects column; it is not considered a major defect on the National Safety Code Standard 13, Schedule 1, or other provincial schedules. Drivers must use judgement as to whether the defect is a major defect.

A carrier must not permit a commercial driver to drive, and a commercial driver must not drive, a commercial vehicle unless the vehicle is cleared of debris, snow, and ice before being driven on the highway.

Inspection reports

After the trip inspection is performed, a designated inspector (such as a driver) or a licensed technician must prepare an inspection report that contains the following:

• Vehicle plate number, vehicle identification number (VIN), or unit number;
• Odometer reading at the time of inspection (if equipped);
• List of all major and/or minor defects found during the inspection;
• A statement that no defects were found;
• Carrier’s name;
• Date and time of the inspection;
• Location of the inspection (city, town, village, or highway location);
• Signature of the designated inspector or licensed technician; and
• Printed name of the designated inspector or licensed technician.

The driver must be in possession of the inspection report while operating the vehicle.

Recordkeeping

A designated inspector/driver or licensed technician must forward the original inspection report to the carrier no later than 20 calendar days after the report was completed.

Trip inspection reports must be retained at a carrier’s principal place of business for six months.

For each vehicle the carrier owns, leases, or is responsible for operating, the carrier must keep all of the following for a period of six months from the date that the vehicle is no longer owned or leased by the carrier, or for two years, whichever is longer:

• A record of identification of the commercial vehicle including the carrier’s name and vehicle unit number, make and year of manufacture, plate number, and the name of the person supplying the vehicle if the vehicle is not owned by the carrier;
• Copies of inspection reports, repair reports, and maintenance on the commercial vehicle, including the date, nature of inspection, repair, or maintenance, and the odometer reading at the time;
• A record of any modifications to the vehicle involving axles or suspensions that affect the gross vehicle weight rating or gross axle weight rating of the vehicle; and
• All trip inspection reports forwarded to the carrier by the designated inspector/driver or licensed technician.

Electronic inspection reports

An electronic recording device may be used to create an inspection report if the report contains the same information that is provided on a paper inspection report form, the information contained in the device can be immediately provided, a handwritten report can be prepared from the information stored in the device, and the device automatically records the time and date any time it is disconnected and any time it is reconnected and stores a record.

The requirement to provide an electronic record can be met by providing the report in any one of the following formats, or any combination of the following formats:

• A display on the screen of the electronic recording device;
• A print-out or other output from the electronic recording device;
• A handwritten copy prepared from the information stored in the electronic recording device; or
• Email or electronic file transfer.

A report in handwritten, print-out, or other hard-copy format must be signed by the designated inspector/driver or licensed technician, acknowledging that the copy is an accurate representation of the information stored in the device.

Carriers must provide blank paper forms for designated inspectors/drivers or licensed technicians to use.

Repairing defects

The designated inspector/driver or the licensed technician must report all defects to the carrier before the next required inspection of the commercial vehicle. Major defects must be reported immediately.

Carriers must ensure that all defects are corrected before the next required inspection.

Law

Motor Vehicle Act, Section 303

Regulation

Commercial Vehicle Trip Inspection Regulations