Section § 396.3: Inspection, repair and maintenance.

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Guidance Q&A

Question 1: What is meant by ‘‘systematic inspection, repair, and maintenance?”

Guidance: Generally, systematic means a regular or scheduled program to keep vehicles in a safe operating condition. § 396.3 does not specify inspection, maintenance, or repair intervals because such intervals are fleet specific and, in some instances, vehicle specific. The inspection, repair, and maintenance intervals are to be determined by the motor carrier. The requirements of § 396.11, 396.13, and 396.17 are in addition to the systematic inspection, repair, and maintenance required by § 396.3.