Pre-trip inspections -Prince Edward Island

Application

Prince Edward Island’s pre-trip inspection regulations went into effect on April 4, 2009. The trip inspection regulations apply to all commercial vehicles and vehicle combinations with gross mass exceeding 4,500 kilograms, and buses with a seating capacity of more than 10 passengers, with the following exceptions:

• Commercial vehicles providing disaster relief by transporting passengers or goods;
• Emergency vehicles;
• Recreational vehicles; or
• Two or three-axle trucks (not towing a trailer) used to carry farm, forest, sea, or lake primary products produced by the driver or the driver’s employer.

A driver is not required to complete a written inspection report if he/she is instructed to drive within a 160 kilometer radius of his/her place of employment and return there before being released for the day.

Requirements

Drivers (or in some cases designated inspectors) are required to inspect a vehicle prior to its operation. Pre-trip inspections are valid for 24 hours.

Prince Edward Island regulations contain inspection “schedules” that drivers must use when inspecting the vehicles. The inspection schedules list vehicle parts and what defects would be considered minor defects or major defects of those vehicle parts. The following daily inspection schedules are available in Prince Edward Island Regulation EC225/89, Commercial Vehicle (Trip Inspection and Records) Regulations:

• Schedule I, Daily Inspection of Trucks, Tractors and Trailers;
• Schedule II, Daily Inspection of Buses; and
• Schedule III, Daily Inspection of Motor Coaches.

Schedule IV, Motor Coach (30 days or 12,000 km), applies to the motor coach under-vehicle inspection required every 30 days or 12,000 kilometres. If a motor coach is inspected according to Schedule III above, then the driver must also be in possession of a valid inspection report, documenting an inspection performed in accordance with Schedule IV.

Insepction Reports

A written report, to be prepared at the time of inspection, must include the following:

• Vehicle licence plate number, VIN, or unit number;
• Vehicle’s odometer reading (if equipped);
• Carrier’s name;
• Date and time of inspection;
• Location of inspection (city, town, highway, etc.);
• A statement signed by the person conducting the inspection that the vehicle was inspected according to the applicable requirements;
• Inspector’s name printed;
• Driver’s signature (if the driver was not the inspector); and
• Any major and minor defects found during the inspection or, if none were found, a statement that no major or minor defects were found (a “no defects found” check box will suffice).

A driver is required to monitor the condition of the vehicle while in operation. If any minor or major defects are found during operation of the vehicle, the driver must update the inspection report and notify the carrier of the defects. If major defects are found during operation, the driver must cease operation of the vehicle and report the defect to the carrier immediately.

Drivers must submit the completed daily inspection reports to the carrier as soon as possible after the inspection is no longer valid, no later than 20 days after the inspection is no longer valid.

Recordkeeping

Trip inspection reports are to be kept by the carrier for a period of six months from the date of completion.

Law

Highway Traffic Act, Section 148(j)

Regulation

Commercial Vehicle (Trip Inspection and Records) Regulations