FMCSA regulations (49 CFR §396.3) require motor carriers to systematically inspect, repair, and maintain all commercial motor vehicles they operate, and to keep records for each vehicle including: the identification of the vehicle (make, serial number, year, tire size), a schedule of inspections, a record of each inspection, maintenance, and repair performed (including date, nature of the action, and the vehicle mileage at the time), and the identity of the person who performed the maintenance. These records must be retained for 12 months for each vehicle during the period the vehicle is operated, and for 6 months after the vehicle is no longer operated by the carrier. Annual vehicle inspection documentation must also be retained for 12 months after the inspection date. Note: Specific recordkeeping requirements may vary for different carrier types and operations — always verify current requirements with your FMCSA compliance specialist.

FMCSA regulations and industry practice recommend brake system inspection intervals based on vehicle mileage rather than calendar time. Common industry practice for brake inspection intervals includes: brake adjustment check every 10,000–15,000 miles (or more frequently in operations with significant downhill grades or high stop frequency), comprehensive brake inspection (linings, drums, slack adjusters, hoses, chambers) every 25,000–50,000 miles depending on operation type, and brake drum measurement at each lining replacement to verify drums are within service limits. These are starting-point references — always verify appropriate inspection intervals with your vehicle manufacturer’s maintenance specifications and your FMCSA compliance consultant, as applicable intervals vary by vehicle type, brake system design, and operational intensity. S-cam and air disc brake systems have different inspection requirements.

QuipAssist supports mileage-based PM scheduling with mileage data entered at PM completions or at regular fuel or dispatch reporting intervals. For fleets using telematics systems (Samsara, Motive, Omnitracs, etc.) that track vehicle mileage continuously, mileage data can be imported or integrated to automatically update each vehicle’s accumulated mileage in QuipAssist — triggering PM threshold alerts when scheduled service mileage is reached without requiring manual odometer entry. Contact the QuipAssist team to discuss specific telematics integration options for your fleet management system configuration.

QuipAssist improves SMS scores by addressing the underlying maintenance compliance factors that drive vehicle maintenance violations — the category that most directly reflects maintenance program quality in the SMS framework. Systematic mileage-based PM programs that maintain brake adjustment, tire condition, and lighting systems within compliance standards reduce roadside inspection violation rates. DVIR workflow integration ensures that driver-reported defects are formally documented and repaired with records, rather than informally resolved without documentation that FMCSA can examine. Complete maintenance records that demonstrate systematic program execution provide the evidence that FMCSA compliance reviews and audit responses require. Note: SMS scores are calculated from roadside inspection violation data, crash data, and investigation findings — improving maintenance compliance is the maintenance team’s contribution to SMS improvement, but other operational factors also affect the overall score.