As part of your pre-trip and post trip inspections, it’s important that you visually inspect your trailer before leaving the yard each day.
You’ll start by inspecting your trailer tires, including your spare tires, looking for any leaks or tears in the tire walls. If you see anything that looks overly worn or too damaged for transport, notify dispatch and have the tire replaced before leaving the yard. You’ll also need to inspect your bottle jack and lug wrench which can be found in the cab to ensure both are available and in working order.
If all checks out, you’ll then need to inspect the side rails of your trailer to ensure all removal bars, chains, and pins are all locked into place and not damaged. If a side rail refuses to latch properly, it must be secured by other means so it will not fall off during transport. If you encounter this while in the field, you must mark it on your paperwork and notify dispatch.
It’s also important that you test your trailer lights before leaving the yard each day. If you encounter a light problem while performing your pre-trip, be sure to notify dispatch immediately. They will then encourage you to have it repaired before you leave. If you notice it later in the day, make a note on your post-trip paperwork. Lights are incredibly important and will need to be repaired as soon as possible.
If you encounter any other issues during your inspection, please notify dispatch so they can have the issue addressed and fixed before you leave the yard.