The DOT requires every commercial motor vehicle driver to complete a Driver Vehicle Inspection Report before and after every trip. Under 49 CFR 396.11, drivers must complete a written DVIR at the end of each day's work, and 49 CFR 396.13 requires motor carriers to review those DVIRs before dispatching vehicles. The report must document the condition of brakes, lights, tires, steering, and other safety-critical systems. Fleets that fail to maintain complete DVIR records face FMCSA civil penalties exceeding $16,000 per violation, and a pattern of missing reports can trigger a full DOT compliance review. For a complete guide to DVIR requirements and a detailed breakdown of FMCSA DVIR requirements explained for bus fleets, see the BusFleetAI blog. BusFleetAI monitors your fleet platform and sends an alert the moment a DVIR is not filed on schedule, giving you time to address it before it becomes a compliance record.
