Pre-trip inspections - Alberta

Application

Alberta’s trip inspection regulations require commercial vehicle drivers to inspect or cause to be inspected the commercial vehicle and any trailer attached to it for mechanical defects prior to commencement of the first trip on each day. The regulation is applicable to operators of commercial vehicles, or a combination of commercial vehicles, that are buses carrying 11 or more persons, including the driver, or vehicles other than buses that have a registered gross weight of more than, or an actual weight of more than, 4,500 kilograms.

The regulation does not apply to commercial vehicles engaged in transporting goods or passengers to respond to, and provide relief to, a disaster situation.

NOTE: According to Alberta’s Vehicle Safety Branch, if a carrier operating into Alberta is from a province that has implemented the pre-trip inspection requirements of NSC Standard 13, the carrier will be compliant in Alberta. If the carrier is operating into Alberta from a province or territory has not yet adopted the provisions of NSC Standard 13 into regulation, the carrier will be required to comply with Alberta’s regulation or NSC Standard 13. As of publication, the provinces that have not yet adopted the provisions of NSC Standard 13 include British Columbia and New Brunswick.

Inspection Schedules

Alberta has adopted by reference the following National Safety Code (NSC) Standard 13, Trip Inspections, inspection “schedules” that drivers (or designated inspectors) must use when inspecting the vehicle:

• Schedule 1, Truck, Tractor & Trailer
• Schedule 2, Bus
• Schedule 3, Motor Coach (Daily)
• Schedule 4, Motor Coach (30-days or 12,000 kilometers)

The inspection schedules list vehicle parts and what defects would be considered minor defects or major defects of those vehicle parts. Drivers must carry the applicable inspection schedule with them while operating the vehicle.

If an Alberta-based carrier is operating outside of Alberta, then the carrier must be prepared to comply with other Canadian jurisdictions pre-trip inspection regulations, or National Safety Code Standard 13, Trip Inspections, as the regulations of those jurisdictions or the National Safety Code Standard may be more stringent than Alberta’s requirements.

Inspection schedules may be modified to add and/or delete components applicable to the vehicles undergoing inspection.

Schedule 4, Motor Coach (30-days or 12,000 kilometers), applies to the motor coach under-vehicle inspection required every 30 days or 12,000 kilometres.

A driver is not required to carry Schedule 4 in the vehicle; however, if a motor coach is inspected according to Schedule 3 above, then the driver must also be in possession of a valid inspection report, documenting an inspection performed in accordance with Schedule 4. The under-vehicle inspection must be conducted while the motor coach is raised over a pit and must be performed by a person holding a Heavy Equipment Technician trade certificate or a person meeting other requirements specified by the Registrar. A carrier may authorize a person to conduct under-vehicle inspections and inspection reports.

Requirements

An owner or a carrier may not allow a driver to drive, and a driver cannot drive, a commercial vehicle unless the vehicle has been inspected and no major defects were found during the inspection.

An inspection is valid for 24 hours from the time recorded on the inspection report.

Inspection Reports

If an Alberta-based carrier is operating outside of Alberta, then the carrier must be prepared to comply with other Canadian jurisdictions pre-trip inspection regulations, or National Safety Code Standard 13, Trip Inspections, as the regulations of those jurisdictions or the National Safety Code Standard may be more stringent than Alberta’s requirements.

Upon completing the inspection, the driver is required to complete an inspection report containing the following information:

• The licence plate number, the commercial vehicle identification number, or unit number of the commercial vehicle;
• The odometer or hubodometer reading of the commercial vehicle at the time of inspection;
• Carrier’s name;
• Municipality or highway location of the inspection;
• Date and time of inspection;
• Inspection person’s name and signature attesting to the fact that the vehicle was inspected according to Alberta’s pre-trip inspection requirements;
• Driver’s signature, if the driver was not the inspector of the vehicle; and
• A listing of major and/or minor defects found or a statement that no defects were found.

A driver who discovers a minor defect must report the defect to the carrier before the next required inspection (24 hours) or immediately if the defect is a major defect.

Drivers must also report to the carrier any defects found in the course of operating the vehicle.

Electronic Inspection Reports

Pre-trip inspection reports are allowed in an electronic format, but they must be acceptable to the Registrar; see http://tinyurl.com/ABtripinspection for details or contact Alberta Transportation for more information.

Repairing Defects

A carrier may not allow a driver to drive, and a driver may not drive, a commercial vehicle unless the major defects listed on the trip inspection report have been repaired. If the defects listed did not require repair, then the person authorized to perform repairs must state that fact on the report.

Recordkeeping

Drivers are required to forward pre-trip inspection reports to the carrier within 20 days after preparation.

Carriers are required to forward the completed reports to the principal place of business within 30 days and keep inspection reports in chronological order for at least six months.

Law

Traffic Safety Act, Section 156

Regulation

Commercial Vehicle Safety Regulation, 121/2009