Updated: March 5, 2025
BIT inspections keep your commercial vehicle fleet and drivers in compliance and ensure they stay up-to-date with the latest state and federal transportation guidelines. And the best way to pass these inspections is not to let them sneak up on you.
Drivers who undergo BIT inspection training will be taught how to prepare for the inspection, what the process entails, and what happens afterward. This training prepares your drivers and ensures they pass with flying colors.
What is a BIT inspection?
In 1988, California passed the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act, which is commonly referred to as the Biennial Inspection of Terminals (BIT) Program. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) conducts these basic inspections every 90 days on any commercial vehicle over 10,000 pounds, from light-weight box trucks to passenger buses.
During a BIT inspection, the inspector looks at the trucks’ safety systems and potential problem areas, including, for example:
- Wiper blades (must work and be in good condition)
- Tire tread depth (must remain within legal limits)
- Flat tires
- Brake Systems
- Functioning lights
- Defroster
- Emergency equipment
- Suspension and steering systems
BIT and DOT inspections are similar, and it’s a good idea to give your drivers DOT inspections training, too. These inspections play a pivotal role in road safety. The safer a vehicle is, the less dangerous it is while on the road, both for the driver and the other cars on the road.
Why you need BIT inspection training
These truck inspections have many moving parts, including having all the proper paperwork and detailed records ready beforehand. Training is necessary for your team because it will help the entire process move more smoothly.
We understand it may be difficult to keep up with changes or additions to safety regulations, especially when you’re busy running your business. This is why BIT inspection training and DOT compliance training (and hazardous material transportation training, if needed) are so important. These training courses help make sure that the drivers working in your fleet follow current DOT compliance and safety guidelines.
Such training educates your team on the basics of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations as well as California rules and regulations, boosts their preparedness, and cultivates awareness.
Understanding the BIT inspection process
Before undergoing an inspection, it’s important to know what to expect. While performing BIT inspections, CHP Motor Carrier Specialist personnel will look at a sample of regulated vehicles, maintenance records, and driver records. This data helps them determine a carrier’s safety performance and shows whether they are in compliance with the proper statutes and regulations as part of the state’s motor carrier program.
If you transport hazardous materials or waste, relevant records and safety practices will also be inspected, and drivers should undergo hazardous material transportation training to prepare for inspection.
If the Motor Carrier Specialists find any violations, they do not issue citations. Instead, they will assign a safety compliance rating in several categories, which are either satisfactory or unsatisfactory.
Common mistakes that can lead to BIT inspection violations
No one likes to think about failing a BIT inspection, but it does happen. In our decades of experience with these assessments, poor marks are usually due to one of the following problems:
- Lack of Proper Documentation: Driver records, maintenance logs, and inspection reports are critical components of a clean BIT inspection. If you’re missing any of these records or they’re out of date, you won’t pass.
- Ignoring Routine Maintenance: It’s best practice to conduct regular vehicle inspections on your own fleet so that minor issues don’t escalate into costly repairs. But even small maintenance problems will show up in a BIT inspection, so it’s best to address them beforehand with preventative maintenance.
- Inadequate Driver Training: Your drivers need to be fully aware of BIT compliance requirements and how to prepare for inspections. Not only does preparation make it more likely that your fleet will pass, training gives your drivers confidence and helps them do their job better.
- Poor Record-Keeping: You need to keep your records for a specific amount of time, so if you have deleted or trashed them, you’ll have to find a way to reinstate them.
- Neglecting Follow-Ups on Past Violations: Your BIT inspection record follows you. If you have repeated violations due to unresolved past issues, they won’t go away. Address past issues before your next BIT inspection.
Prepare your documents
To help your team prepare for their BIT inspection, it’s important to have the following documents ready.
Driver Records:
- DMV Driving Record: This is required for new drivers until a Pull Notice Record is obtained.
- Employer Pull Notices: These must be current within 12 months, signed and dated.
- Driver Qualifications Hours of Service: These include all timekeeping records and records of duty status, which must be kept for at least six months.
- Driver Proficiency Records (California only) and/or Road Tests (for all other states): Records showing the different types of vehicles each driver operates proficiently must be maintained for the term of employment.
- Driver Employment Application
- Complete Driver Qualification File
Maintenance Records:
- Daily Vehicle Inspection Reports (DVIRs): These should be kept for a minimum of three months.
- Mandated Carrier Inspection Reports: You must perform these every 90 days, and they should be kept for at least two years.
- Documentation of All Inspection, Maintenance, Lubrication, and Repairs: Keep these for at least one year.
- Published Lubrication Policy
Vehicle Condition:
- Vehicle Inspection
- On-Highway Vehicle Inspection
Hazardous Materials Records:
- Hazmat Training
- Cargo Tank: including proper labeling of packaging and containers.
- Shipping Papers: Including proper entries, sequence, and certification when required, and retained for a minimum of one year.
BIT inspection training provides valuable knowledge
Road safety encompasses much more than following the rules of the road. BIT inspection training and DOT compliance training play a key role in ensuring your fleet or fleet leasing company remains in top shape and your drivers are educated about every aspect of their vehicle. This is especially important as regulatory agencies are increasing oversight, leading to more frequent inspections for many carriers.
This training builds awareness and confidence and brings peace of mind to your business. When your team knows what to expect and what’s required, they go into the process feeling confident about their knowledge and the outcome.
Our available BIT trainings
We offer training for California BIT inspections, DOT inspections, and more. Each session is conducted by our experienced staff and will help improve your carrier’s safety performance in scheduled inspections and on the road.
- The “Sailing thru the BIT” program will teach management what is required to operate and be compliant in the state of California.
- The “DOT A-Z” class will teach management the requirements of running “interstate” commerce (across state lines or from the ports).
- The “90 day” and DOT “Annual” inspection trainings will teach inspectors and company mechanics how to properly document and inspect vehicles.
Get more details and contact us to schedule your training sessions