![]() ![]() Per the FMCSA (§390.29), an organization will be given 48 business hours to produce DVIR records after a request by the FMCSA has been made. ![]() How Long You Have to Produce DVIR Records in the Event of an FMCSA Audit If your manager has a smartphone at the principal place of business, they have access! Not only are digital records a best practice for your driver vehicle inspection reports, but also for other report types the DOT requires of motor carriers.įor guidelines on record keeping in many of these different areas that can impact your CSA scores, check out our post on DOT compliance for a breakdown of the requirements in these different categories. The hands-down format for keeping these records is digitally since it takes the burden of physical storage of these files out of the equation. According to §390.29, these may also be kept at a regional office or driver-work reporting location if applicable. Where to Keep Your DVIR RecordsĪccording to the FMCSA, the records must be kept “at the motor carrier’s principal place of business or the location where the vehicle is housed or maintained”. This is just one example of why keeping digital records has immense benefits. By having access to this type of mileage data, and actually doing something with it (like setting reminders), potential problems stemming from manual record-keeping can be avoided entirely. This could lead to potential overheating or accelerated engine wear over time if these guidelines are not adhered to. Let’s say a driver heads off on a cross-country trip but forgets to check the windshield sticker indicating that the vehicle is a few thousand miles over the recommended oil change mileage. There are also added benefits to keeping these types of records for preventative maintenance purposes.įor example, when using a digital DVIR solution like Whip Around, the instant a driver enters the mileage of their vehicle in the app, this triggers a reminder, notifying the fleet manager that the vehicle is due for an oil change. Drivers can reference them at any point in the event they are stopped. While you may not be asked to produce records outside of this 3-month range, there are benefits of keeping them in a digital format. Still, the benefits of long-term record keeping have tremendous advantages for fleet owners.įor motor carriers bound by DOT regulations that are outlined by the FMCSA, daily DVIRs (Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports) are a necessary part of the job for drivers, but having records available to reference digitally at any time offers so much more value as opposed to only keeping them in case of an audit.Īfter all, what good are handwritten notes and other information on your vehicles if you can’t do anything helpful with them? The Benefits of Keeping Digital Records So why stop at 3 months? This 3-month minimum makes sense if your organization is still storing paper forms in filing cabinets and just needs to save space. ![]() While these 3 months are necessary for compliance, the vital thing to understand is that record retention of at least 3 months is just a starting point. How Long to Keep DVIR RecordsĪccording to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the DOT agency responsible for regulating the trucking industry in the United States, a motor carrier is responsible for retaining the original copy of each DVIR and the certification for repairs for at least 3 months from the date that the report was prepared. ![]() In this post, we’ll break down these federal guidelines on how long to retain your DVIR records, where to keep them, and a few best practices you will want to embrace moving forward. When it comes to record retention, there are a few things to know in order to, not only comply with DOT regulations but also to protect the assets you depend on by using this collected information to be proactive. While you may be required by law to complete DVIR reports, you may ask yourself “ How long should I keep these”, or “ where and how should I be creating and keeping these?” All are important questions to get right in order to stay compliant, especially as you grow your fleet. ![]()
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