ARA resources can help with trip inspection compliance

Equipment and event rental businesses that utilize commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in their fleets need to perform certain trip inspections on those vehicles — it’s federal law. Knowing what to inspect and keeping good records are important to reduce risk and could protect your company in the event of an accident or injury.

The American Rental Association (ARA) offers several resources designed to help members understand and carry out the vehicle trip inspection process. These include:

Downloadable vehicle forms, including a Daily Inspection Form and a Vehicle Pre-trip Inspection Checklist, can be accessed online at ARArental.org/manage-business/forms-and-resources.

The Equipment and Event Catalogs at RentalU — ARA’s online education platform — each feature a “Transportation & Vehicles” section with videos covering safety on the road, including “Commercial Motor Vehicle Inspections.” You can get started on this title at ARArental.org/rentalu.

The Load Securement, Safety and Driving course, a rental-specific course covering how to safely load, secure and unload rental equipment as well as the basics of defensive driving. This course can be found in the “Transportation & Vehicles” section within the Equipment and Event Catalogs in RentalU.

The ARA Box Truck Training Program, a rental-specific course covering box truck operations specifically for the event rental industry, includes a “Licensing & Regulations” module that guides drivers through the classifications, regulations and licenses for delivery vehicles. You can learn more about the program and enroll under the “Learn” tab at ARArental.org.

A new and improved ARA Professional Driver Education Program, which focuses on delivering, loading, and securing equipment and operational best practices, is coming soon. You can learn more about the program under the “Learn” tab at ARArental.org.