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Download Pre-Trip Inspection and PM Compliance Policy Template (PDF)
Free sample, provided as is. Not legal advice. Adapt it to your state's laws and review it with your attorney, HR and IT before adopting it. Free to use and adapt for your organization; please don't resell it. Current as of October 2026.
What this is and who it's for
In the template's words, a unit that is inspected every day and serviced on schedule breaks down less, costs less over its life and is safer for the people who drive it and the public around it. This policy sets the operator inspection and preventive maintenance (PM) requirements for your vehicles and equipment.
It applies to all Organization vehicles and self-propelled equipment, the employees who operate them, the departments that use them and the fleet shop or vendors that maintain them. It notes where federal motor carrier rules may or may not apply to government vehicles, with a placeholder for your legal counsel to confirm.
What's inside
- Purpose and scope
- Definitions
- Operator pre-trip and post-trip inspections
- Defect reporting and out-of-service
- Preventive maintenance program
- PM compliance, scheduling and escalation
- Annual and specialty inspections
- Records
- Responsibilities and policy review
- Appendix A. Light vehicle pre-trip checklist
- Appendix B. PM program setup checklist
How to adapt it for your city
- Replace every [BRACKETED] field with your organization's information.
- Read the Guidance notes, which explain why each section is there and what to think about, then delete them before you adopt the policy.
- Cut what does not fit your operation and add what is missing. A two-person shop and a 1,000-unit county fleet will not end up with the same policy.
- Run the draft past department heads, risk management, shop supervisors, legal counsel and, where you have one, your labor union before it goes to your approving authority.
Questions
Is the template free?
Yes. It is free to use and adapt for your organization. Please don't resell it.
Do I need to give my email?
Yes, an email address. Your name is optional. The PDF downloads right away, and we only send occasional fleet resources if you check the box.
What is in the PDF?
8 pages: 9 policy sections with [BRACKETED] fields and guidance notes, a light vehicle pre-trip checklist (Appendix A) and a PM program setup checklist (Appendix B).
Who should review it before we adopt it?
The template suggests department heads, risk management, shop supervisors, legal counsel and, where you have one, your labor union, before it goes to your approving authority.
Is this legal advice?
No. It is a free sample. Adapt it to your state's laws and review it with your attorney, HR and IT before adopting it.
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