Which of the following statements about preventative maintenance plans is incorrect?

• A. On-road inspections received from an enforcement officer must be reported to the carrier
• B. Small defects discovered during an inspection do not need to be reported to the carrier
• C. Every driver is responsible for carrying out inspections required by the owner and required by legislation
• D. Leased vehicles are not exempt from the requirement to follow an established preventative maintenance plan

Answer: (B)

Preventative maintenance plans rely on timely reporting of any detected issues so repairs can be scheduled and records kept. If a defect is found during an inspection, even a small one, it should be reported to the carrier so they can arrange maintenance and ensure the vehicle remains safe and compliant. This creates a clear line of responsibility from the driver through the carrier to the maintenance provider, and it keeps the vehicle's condition up to standard.

On-road inspections from enforcement officers fit into this same system and must be reported to the carrier, so follow-up maintenance can be arranged. Every driver has a duty to perform the inspections required by the vehicle owner and by legislation, and leased vehicles are not exempt from following the established preventative maintenance plan. Therefore, the idea that small defects do not need to be reported contradicts how preventative maintenance plans are designed to operate.