Truck preventive maintenance: a schedule you can prove
A truck that runs fine today can still fail a roadside inspection or an audit. Preventive maintenance is the schedule that keeps parts from failing, and the record that shows the work was done.
Written by Inely Baez
Truck maintenance in numbers
Truck preventive maintenance is the scheduled inspection, servicing, and repair of trucks and trailers before parts fail. Under 49 CFR 396.3, every motor carrier must systematically inspect, repair, and maintain the vehicles it controls, track what is due and when, and keep records that prove the work was done.
When a maintenance problem turns into a violation, the cause is usually a missed due date or a defect nobody closed out, not a shortage of mechanics.
I lead operations at Simplex, and I treat preventive maintenance as a system with three parts: a schedule, a loop that turns every reported defect into a repair, and a record that proves both.
The full briefing, read aloud
7 chapters. Select one to jump to it.
Generated with AI text-to-speech from this article's key insights, in order, rather than reading it word for word. Chapter times come from a transcript of the audio. The article itself was written and reviewed by Inely Baez.
Key takeaways
The rule requires a system, not a mileage interval
49 CFR 396.3 requires systematic inspection, repair, and maintenance, plus a way to show the nature and due date of each task. You set the intervals.
Drivers close the daily loop
A driver who finds or is told of a defect reports it in writing at the end of the day. The carrier repairs it, or certifies no repair is needed, before the vehicle runs again.
Every unit needs an annual inspection
Each tractor, trailer, and converter dolly must pass a periodic inspection at least once every 12 months, with proof on the vehicle.
Each record has its own clock
Maintenance records: 1 year, plus 6 months after the vehicle leaves your control. Annual inspection reports: 14 months. DVIRs: 3 months.
Missed maintenance reaches your CSA scores
Vehicle violations count in the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC for 24 months. Tire violations carry a severity weight of 8 on a scale of 1 to 10.
In this articleContents
What is truck preventive maintenance?
Truck preventive maintenance, or PM, is maintenance done on a schedule instead of after a breakdown: inspections, lubrication, fluid and filter service, adjustments, and replacing worn parts before they fail. A PM service is one of those scheduled visits.
The federal rule behind it is short. Under 49 CFR 396.3(a), every motor carrier must systematically inspect, repair, and maintain all motor vehicles subject to its control, and keep parts and accessories in safe and proper operating condition at all times.
The rule reaches beyond the equipment list in Part 393, naming frames, suspension systems, axles, wheels and rims, and steering systems. It sets no mileage or day interval. Instead, it requires a means to show the nature and due date of each inspection and maintenance task. In practice, that is your PM schedule.
Why is preventive maintenance important?
- It is the law. Under 49 CFR 396.7, a vehicle may not be operated in a condition likely to cause an accident or a breakdown.
- Inspectors find what PM misses. In CVSA's 2026 International Roadcheck, 23.5% of the vehicles given a vehicle inspection were placed out of service, led by brakes and tires.
- It shapes your safety record. Maintenance violations count in FMCSA's Vehicle Maintenance BASIC for 24 months.
- Repairs are getting more expensive. ATRI puts repair and maintenance at 21.5 cents per mile in 2025, before tires.
What does the DOT require for truck maintenance?
Part 396 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations sets the maintenance duties, and a preventive maintenance program is how you meet them. Each section comes with a record and a retention period.
| Section | What it requires | Record and how long |
|---|---|---|
| 396.3 | Systematic inspection, repair, and maintenance, with a way to track the nature and due date of each task | For each vehicle controlled 30 consecutive days: 1 year where it is housed or maintained, and 6 months after it leaves your control |
| 396.5 | Vehicles properly lubricated and free of oil and grease leaks | No separate record |
| 396.11 | A written driver vehicle inspection report (DVIR) at the end of each day's work when a defect is found or reported; repair or certify before the vehicle runs again | DVIR, repair certification, and the driver's review: 3 months |
| 396.13 | Before driving, the driver is satisfied the vehicle is safe, reviews the last DVIR, and signs it when a defect was listed | The driver's signature on the DVIR |
| 396.17 | Each vehicle in a combination passes a periodic inspection at least once every 12 months, covering Appendix A | The report, or a sticker or decal based on it, on the vehicle |
| 396.19 and 396.25 | Annual inspectors and brake inspectors qualified by training, certification, or experience | Evidence of qualifications: while they do the work, plus 1 year |
| 396.21 | The inspector's report of the annual inspection | 14 months, where the vehicle is housed or maintained |
Exceptions exist. The DVIR rule does not apply to a motor carrier operating only one commercial motor vehicle, and Part 396 does not apply to covered farm vehicles.
Two parts changed in 2026. A rule effective March 23, 2026 states explicitly that DVIRs may be created and kept electronically. A technical rule effective July 21, 2026 dropped tire size from the vehicle identification required in maintenance records.
For the wider set of equipment rules and what belongs in a vehicle file, see our guide to equipment maintenance and DOT regulations.
What belongs on a truck preventive maintenance checklist?
A truck preventive maintenance checklist works in tiers. Federal rules fix the daily and annual tiers. The manufacturer's schedule and your own duty cycle set everything in between.
| When | What to check | Set by |
|---|---|---|
| Before each trip | The vehicle is in safe operating condition; the last DVIR is reviewed and signed if it listed defects | 49 CFR 396.13 |
| End of each day's work | Service brakes and trailer brake connections, parking brake, steering, lights and reflectors, tires, horn, wipers, mirrors, coupling devices, wheels and rims, emergency equipment | 49 CFR 396.11 |
| Each scheduled PM service | Lubrication and leaks, fluids and filters, brake adjustment, and every item on the manufacturer's service schedule | The manufacturer, plus 49 CFR 396.3 and 396.5 |
| At least every 12 months | The 15 Appendix A categories, for every tractor, trailer, and converter dolly | 49 CFR 396.17 and Appendix A |
The annual inspection in Appendix A to Part 396 covers the brake system, coupling devices, exhaust, fuel system, lighting, safe loading, steering, suspension, frame, tires, wheels and rims, windshield glazing, windshield wipers, motorcoach seats, and the rear impact guard.
Appendix A also sets pass-fail limits, such as the maximum pushrod stroke for each brake chamber type. Using the same limits at every PM service means the annual inspection holds no surprises.
Emergency equipment belongs on the daily list. Our DOT fire extinguisher guide covers the rating and mounting rules.
How do maintenance violations affect your CSA scores?
Violations found in a vehicle inspection feed the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC in FMCSA's Safety Measurement System (SMS). It counts Level 1, 2, 5, and 6 inspections from the past 24 months, including the clean ones.
| Violation group | Severity weight (1 to 10) |
|---|---|
| Operating a vehicle declared out of service | 10 |
| Tires | 8 |
| Suspension | 7 |
| Lighting; steering mechanism | 6 |
| Brakes; inspection reports, such as a missing DVIR or no proof of a periodic inspection | 4 |
| Coupling devices; improper lubrication | 3 |
An out-of-service violation adds 2 to its weight, and violations from the last six months count three times as heavily as those more than a year old. A carrier at or above the 80th percentile in this BASIC is flagged for intervention (75th for hazmat carriers, 65th for passenger carriers).
Investigators check the program itself. Failing to keep minimum maintenance records, using a vehicle that was not periodically inspected, and failing to require DVIRs are critical violations. Running a vehicle before fixing out-of-service defects a driver reported is an acute one.
At roadside, brakes and tires lead. In CVSA's 2026 International Roadcheck, brake problems made up 39.1% of vehicle out-of-service violations, tires 20.9%, and lights 11.9%. See how CSA scores are built, and what each CVSA inspection level covers.
What does truck maintenance cost?
Repair and maintenance rose 8.6% in 2025, according to ATRI's 2026 Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking. Only tolls rose faster in percentage terms.
The average was 21.5 cents per mile, The Trucker reports, covering parts, labor, and roadside service. Tires are tracked separately, at about 5 cents per mile. Preliminary 2026 data showed another 2.4% increase.
ATRI ties part of the rise to older equipment, as carriers hold on to trucks longer. Fleets of five trucks or fewer reported higher costs still, which ATRI credits to many small carriers buying older, used equipment.
How to build a truck preventive maintenance program
Each step turns one part of Part 396 into a routine with an owner.
Step 1: List every unit, trailers included
The annual inspection applies to each vehicle in a combination: tractor, semitrailer, full trailer, and converter dolly. Record each unit's company number, make, serial number, and year, and who furnished any unit you don't own.
Step 2: Set intervals and due dates
Start from the manufacturer's schedule, adjust for your miles and duty cycle, and record the due date of every task. Section 396.3(b)(2) requires exactly that.
Step 3: Close the DVIR loop
Turn every reported defect into a work order. Repair anything likely to affect safety before dispatch, certify it on the report, and have the next driver sign. Keep all of it for 3 months.
Step 4: Qualify who inspects and who works on brakes
Annual inspectors need a federal- or state-sponsored training program, a state or provincial certificate, or at least 1 year of qualifying training or experience. Brake work needs a qualified brake inspector. Keep the evidence while they work for you, and for 1 year after.
Step 5: File records where the truck is kept
Keep maintenance records where the vehicle is housed or maintained, annual inspection reports for 14 months, and proof of the last annual inspection on the vehicle. Our DOT safety compliance team helps carriers set up these vehicle files.
Step 6: Feed roadside results back into the schedule
Review inspection reports monthly, by unit. When the same tire or brake finding repeats, fix the interval or the check, not just the part. Our compliance programs include CSA monitoring and mock audits.
How Simplex helps you run preventive maintenance
Your mechanics do the work. We help with the files, the routines, and the inspection data around it.
Maintenance compliance
Our DOT safety compliance team covers equipment maintenance and repair compliance, including vehicle files with the annual inspection and maintenance receipts.
Inspections in one view
SimplexHub shows your BASIC scores and the last 24 months of inspections and violations, linked to driver and equipment details.
Ready for the safety audit
Our safety audit guidance and support covers maintenance and inspections alongside hours of service and driver qualifications.
Frequently asked questions
What is a PM on a truck?+
What should a truck preventive maintenance checklist include?+
How often does the DOT require a truck to be inspected?+
Do trailers need an annual DOT inspection?+
How long must truck maintenance records be kept?+
Can a DVIR be electronic?+
Where this information comes from
The requirements below come from federal regulations, FMCSA's Safety Measurement System documents, CVSA, and ATRI, checked on September 24, 2026.
-
1
eCFR — 49 CFR 396.3
Systematic inspection, repair, and maintenance; required records and how long to keep them.
-
2
eCFR — 49 CFR 396.17
The periodic inspection of every vehicle in a combination, at least once every 12 months.
-
3
eCFR — 49 CFR Part 396
Lubrication, unsafe operation, DVIRs, driver review, inspector qualifications, and Appendix A.
-
4
FMCSA — SMS Methodology, version 3.21
How the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC is measured, time weights, and intervention thresholds.
-
5
FMCSA — SMS Methodology Appendix A
Severity weights for maintenance violations, and the acute and critical violations list.
-
6
CVSA — 2026 International Roadcheck results
Vehicle out-of-service rates and the top out-of-service violations.
-
7
ATRI — 2026 Operational Costs of Trucking release
The 8.6% rise in repair and maintenance costs in 2025.
-
8
The Trucker — ATRI cost report coverage
ATRI's 21.5 cents per mile repair and maintenance average, tire costs, and the aging-equipment finding.
Written by
Inely Baez
Chief Operating Officer, Simplex Group
Chief Operating Officer at Simplex Group, with nearly eight years at the company leading operational strategy and execution across compliance, technology, logistics, and performance systems. She is a Certified Public Accountant with a background spanning operations and finance, including leadership roles within Simplex's Freight 4 U division and Velox Transport Solutions. Her work focuses on building scalable, disciplined systems that support long-term performance and growth.
Published · Updated
Related articles and services
Make maintenance a schedule you can prove
Mechanics fix trucks. Your program decides whether the right work happens on time, and whether your records show it at a roadside inspection or an audit.
If you want help setting up vehicle files, DVIR routines, and a monthly inspection review, talk to our team.