On Thursday, August 1, 2013, U.S Transportation Secretary, Anthony Foxx, announced the proposal to cut costs by eliminating the mandatory paperwork required by commercial truck drivers. Currently, they are required to conduct pre- and post-trip equipment inspections and file Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports (DVIRs) after each inspection, regardless of whether or not the vehicle has any defects. DVIRs are considered to be the 19th-highest paperwork burden but only 5 percent of the reports filed include defects.
The changes will not have any adverse effects on public safety. Commercial truck drivers will still be expected to do pre- and post-trip inspections. A DVIR will need to be submitted only if defects or deficiencies are discovered by or reported to the driver.
In addition, every commercial vehicle in the U.S. is required to have an annual safety inspection done by a certified commercial vehicle mechanic. The state and federal inspectors also conduct sporadic examinations of commercial vehicles at terminals, weigh stations, when a truck driver stops along the roadside and or at their destination.
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