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Say Your Pre-Trip Like You’ve Done It for Years.
This page focuses only on your Pre-Trip Inspection: exterior, under-hood, steering, suspension, brakes, wheels, coupling, and trailer. Use the stop-light system so you always hit the critical red items while still sounding polished.
Goal: Be able to walk a truck and talk non-stop using DMV-style language without freezing, pausing, or guessing.
- Properly mounted and secured — say this on every major part.
- Not cracked, bent, or broken — structural and metal components.
- No leaks — hoses, lines, seals, engine, air system.
- No abrasions, bulges, or cuts — tires, hoses, rubber parts.
- All lug nuts present and tight — wheels / rims.
- Lights: Clean, working, proper color, not cracked or broken.
- Suspension: No shiny metal, no shifted or missing parts.
- Brakes: No more than 1/4" play, no contaminants.
- Frame: No illegal welds.
- Coupling: Fully locked, no visible gap between 5th wheel & apron.
- “I would check this the same on the other side.”
- “Nothing loose, missing, or damaged.”
- “No signs of leaks on the ground or under the vehicle.”
- “No illegal welds or modifications on safety components.”
- “In good working condition for safe operation of the vehicle.”
Sample Pre-Trip Script · Exterior & Under-Hood
Use these as a base. You’ll eventually customize them in your own words, but never lose the red keywords.
Front of Vehicle & Lights
“I’m checking the front of the vehicle. The header board and front of the cab are properly mounted and secured, not cracked, bent or broken. No holes or damage that could allow cargo to shift. My clearance lights, turn signals, and headlights are all proper color, clean, not cracked or broken, and working properly.”
Steering Box & Hoses
“The steering box is properly mounted and secured, not cracked, bent or broken. No leaks from the box or hoses. All hoses are properly mounted, no abrasions, bulges, or cuts, and no leaks.”
Suspension · Spring Hangers & U-Bolts
“The spring hangers, leaf springs, and U-bolts are properly mounted and secured, not cracked, bent, or broken. No shifted or missing parts and no shiny metal that would show movement.”
Brake Hoses, Chambers, & Drums
“My brake hose is properly mounted and secured, no abrasions, bulges or cuts, and no leaks. The brake chamber is properly mounted and secured, not cracked, bent, or broken, and not leaking. The brake drum has no cracks, no contaminants like oil or grease.”
Wheels, Rims, & Tires
“My rims are properly mounted and secured, not cracked, bent or broken. No illegal welds. All lug nuts are present and tight – no rust trails or shiny threads. The tire has no abrasions, bulges, or cuts and at least 4/32” tread depth on steering axle, and is properly inflated.”
Fifth Wheel & Coupling
“The fifth wheel and mounting plate are properly mounted and secured, not cracked, bent or broken. The locking jaws are fully engaged around the shank of the kingpin, and there is no visible gap between the fifth wheel and trailer apron.”
Click-to-Practice · Pre-Trip Script Trainer
Click an item below and read the script out loud. The goal is to reach a point where your mouth knows what to say before your nerves kick in.