The DVIR is the cheapest defect-detection system you own. Run as a real program, it pays for itself in week one.
Most DVIRs are signed-in-the-parking-lot rubber-stamps. That makes them a legal liability, not an asset.
Driver must inspect at the end of each shift and submit a written report listing any defects affecting safe operation. Defects must be reviewed, fixed (if safety-critical), and certified before the next driver takes the unit.
Paper DVIRs disappear. Mobile DVIR with photo evidence on critical items (brakes, tires, lights) cuts fraud and gives you a permanent compliance record. Most fleet tools include this; Repairius Fleet does too.
Defect → maintenance ticket → tech assignment → fix + signature → driver acknowledgment. Without the loop, drivers stop reporting.
Federally, only when a defect is reported — but many states (CA, NY) and most safety programs require a daily report regardless.
Yes — FMCSA accepts electronic DVIRs as long as they're retrievable on demand. Mobile-first DVIR is the norm in 2026.