24/7 Mobile & Roadside AssistanceA tech comes to the unit, booked ahead or at 2am on the shoulder.See more
Trailer RepairBrakes, axles, lights, landing gear and welded frame work.See more
General Diesel RepairFull heavy-duty diesel service across every major make.See more
Preventative MaintenanceScheduled PM that catches failures while the truck is parked.See more
DOT InspectionsAnnual inspections handled properly, paperwork filed.See more
Truck & Trailer AlignmentStops premature tire wear and pulls fuel numbers back in line.See more
Welding & FabricationFrames, brackets, crossmembers and door conversions.See more
Heavy Equipment RepairYard and off-road iron, same heavy-duty techs.See more
Bus RepairCommercial and school buses, including BraunAbility lifts.See more
RV RepairSuspension, brakes, axles and chassis for motorhomes.See more
Skip the form. Our 24 hour road call team answers the phone and rolls a stocked service truck to your location.
We are a stocking parts dealer for three major networks, so the part that fixes your truck is usually already on our shelf.
Keep the annual inspection current and get the truck or trailer checked against federal periodic inspection standards. Superior Truck & Trailer performs DOT inspections in Louisville, KY and can handle repair items found during the inspection through the same shop.
At our shop on Bishop Lane, or at your yard.
A periodic DOT inspection checks the safety-critical systems and components covered by federal minimum inspection standards. Use the selector below to see the inspection areas and the kinds of defects that can keep a truck or trailer from passing.
1 of 14 areas seen.
Linings, drums, air, ABS
Service brakes on every wheel, the parking brake, drums and rotors, hoses and tubing, the low air pressure warning, the tractor protection valve, the compressor and the ABS lamp.
Linings worn past the limit, a broken or missing part, audible air leaks, brakes out of adjustment, or an ABS lamp that stays on.
Fifth wheel, pintle, mounts
The fifth wheel and its mounting, locking jaws, pintle hooks, drawbars, safety chains and saddle mounts. This is the coupling system and the fastening devices that keep the trailer with the truck.
Loose or missing mounting fasteners, cracks in the plate or mount, worn locking jaws, or too much movement between the plate and the trailer.
Leaks and mounting
The whole system from the manifold back: pipes, clamps, mounting, and where the exhaust discharges relative to the cab and the fuel system.
A leak anywhere ahead of or below the cab, missing or broken mounting, or a system that lets exhaust into the cab or sleeper.
Tanks, lines, caps
Tanks and their mounting, lines and fittings, and the filler caps.
A dripping leak, a tank that isn't securely mounted, or a missing fuel cap.
Every required lamp
Every lamp the rule requires: headlamps, tail and stop lamps, turn signals, clearance and marker lamps, reflectors, and the wiring and 7-way that feed the trailer.
Any required lamp out or missing, a damaged 7-way cord, corroded pins or a bad ground. Lighting is one of the most written violations at roadside.
Securement and shifting
That the load is secured and protected against shifting, and that nothing in the cargo area blocks the driver's controls or exits.
Missing or damaged securement, a load that can shift, or tie-downs that don't add up to what the load needs.
Play, box, linkage
Free play at the wheel, the column, the steering box and its mounting, the linkage, arms and ball joints, and the power steering.
Play past the limit for the wheel size, a loose or cracked mounting, worn linkage, or a power steering leak.
Springs, bags, hangers
Springs and leaves, hangers and U-bolts, air bags and their lines, shocks, and the parts that hold the axle where it belongs.
A broken leaf or a cracked hanger, a blown air bag, a leaking air line, or loose U-bolts and axle positioning parts.
Cracks and cross members
Frame rails, cross members, and the mounting of the body and the fifth wheel to them.
Cracked, loose, sagging or broken rails or cross members, or fasteners missing where the body mounts.
Tread, damage, pressure
Tread depth, sidewalls and casings, inflation, and what's allowed where: steer tires need at least 4/32 of an inch of tread, the rest at least 2/32.
Tread under the limit, cuts or bulges that expose the fabric, flat or badly underinflated tires, or a regrooved or retreaded tire on a steer axle.
Cracks, lugs, studs
Wheels, rims and the fasteners that hold them: studs, nuts and clamps, plus the hub area around them.
A cracked wheel or rim, elongated bolt holes, loose or missing lug nuts, or signs a wheel end has been running hot.
Cracks in the sweep
The glass in the area the wipers sweep, and anything stuck to it that isn't allowed there.
Cracks, discoloration or damage in the sweep area, or stickers and objects placed where they block the driver's view.
Arms, blades, washers
Wiper arms, blades and the washer system, on any vehicle that needs them.
A wiper that doesn't work, a missing or shredded blade, or an arm that won't hold the blade on the glass.
Buses and coaches only
On a bus or coach, the passenger seats and their mounting are part of the annual too.
A seat that isn't securely fastened to the floor, or mounting hardware that's loose, broken or missing.
Covered commercial vehicles must pass a periodic inspection at least once every 12 months. Use the due-date tool to keep the next annual inspection in view and schedule the vehicle before its current inspection period runs out.
September 2026
Plenty of time
Book a few weeks early, so anything that fails still has time to be fixed.
Quick answers on inspection frequency, what gets checked, documentation, trailers, failed items, roadside inspections, and scheduling a DOT inspection in Louisville.
(502) 789-6644Commercial vehicles subject to 49 CFR 396.17 must pass a periodic inspection at least once every 12 months. The vehicle must meet the federal minimum periodic inspection standards, and documentation of the current inspection must be available on the vehicle.
Yes. Each segment of a combination vehicle is subject to the periodic inspection requirement when covered by the rule. That means the tractor, semitrailer, full trailer, and other covered segments are inspected on their own applicable 12-month cycle.
An annual DOT inspection checks the vehicle against the federal minimum periodic inspection standards for required safety systems and components. The inspection guide above breaks the check into fourteen areas so you can see what is reviewed and what can cause a failure.
A periodic DOT inspection must be performed by an inspector who meets the qualification requirements in 49 CFR 396.19. Those requirements cover the inspector's knowledge, ability to identify defective components, and qualifying experience or training.
Documentation of the most recent periodic inspection must be kept on the vehicle, and the motor carrier must retain the inspection report for 14 months. FMCSA does not require one specific inspection form, but the documentation must contain the information required by the regulations.
A component that does not meet the periodic inspection standards must be repaired before it can pass that portion of the inspection. Superior Truck & Trailer also provides truck and trailer repair, so repair items found during the inspection can be addressed through the same shop when the needed service is available.
No. A valid periodic inspection does not exempt a commercial motor vehicle from a roadside inspection by State or Federal inspectors. The annual inspection satisfies the periodic inspection requirement, while roadside inspections are a separate enforcement process.
Superior Truck & Trailer offers DOT inspections at its Louisville, KY shop for commercial trucks and trailers from the surrounding Kentucky and Southern Indiana counties. Call with the vehicle information and current inspection due date so the team can help schedule the inspection.
Need a DOT inspection in Louisville, KY? Call Superior Truck & Trailer with the truck or trailer information and current inspection due date so we can get the next annual inspection on the schedule.
(502) 789-6644
