Why Fleets Benefit from an Upfitter Pre-Delivery Inspection and How to Make It Happen

Make Sure Every Truck Arrives Road-Ready

Ensuring your fleet is road-ready before your vehicles hit the road for the first time, is not only a best practice, it’s a business imperative! A robust Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) keeps drivers safe and avoids unplanned downtime by catching hidden issues, even those that won’t surface until far in the future.

OEM manufacturers require a PDI to be conducted on every new vehicle before it’s put into service. Dealerships perform a PDI on every new vehicle they deliver, but the PDI is limited in scope to what’s inspected.

Commercial fleets that leverage direct ship-to delivery options, bypassing a courtesy delivery dealer adds a level of complexity and burden to the fleet. That’s where upfitters like National Fleet Services can perform PDI for your fleet vehicles.

Better yet, even if your vehicle receives a PDI prior to delivery, you could consider going to another level and ordering a Quality Inspection process (QIP) from National Fleet Services.

Why a PDI Matters to Your Fleet

1. Minimize Unexpected Downtime

A PDI checks the vehicle for any issues that may have occurred during manufacturing, assembly, or transportation. When you order a PDI from NFS, our technicians inspect every major system—fluids, electronics, safety systems, and upfit components to catch any hidden defects or malfunctions before they sideline a truck (and your schedule).

2. Protect Driver Safety and Satisfaction

Your drivers rely on safe, dependable vehicles. A properly inspected vehicle helps ensure all safety and operating systems work as intended, giving them the confidence and tools needed to do their jobs effectively.

3. Improve Your Bottom Line

Repairs discovered mid-route are always more expensive than fixes caught pre-delivery. An in-depth PDI/QIP helps optimize your total cost of ownership (TCO) and uptime. By verifying everything a delivering dealer would inspect before a retail delivery, a thorough PDI and especially a QIP, safeguards your budget against major and avoidable maintenance surprises.

4. Stay Compliant with Evolving Regulations

Regulations and safety standards continue to evolve, especially for medium and heavy-duty commercial vehicles. A thorough PDI helps your fleet meet the latest federal and state mandates, helping you avoid fines and protect your company’s reputation.

QIP vs. PDI—What’s the Difference?

A PDI is required by the original manufacturer before any new vehicle is put into service. It's a standard check of the vehicle's features and functions.

A QIP from National Fleet Services takes the pre-delivery process to the next level. Our comprehensive QIP includes approximately 90 inspection points to verify that several key components and functions on the vehicle are in top working order—everything is inspected including chassis components, electrical system, braking and safety systems, steering systems, exhaust and engine functions to name a few.

Requesting a QIP helps ensure the vehicle is set up for a long healthy life, especially when ordering incomplete vehicles from the chassis manufacturer.

To avoid delays, downtime, and cost overruns, fleets should explicitly request a PDI or QIP whenever ordering vehicle modifications or upfits.

The good news? Regardless of make or model, a PDI or QIP from National Fleet Services can be added easily by whoever places the order.

How to Request a QIP From National Fleet Services

Provide these instructions to your ordering dealership or Fleet Management Company:

1. Add National Fleet Services as a Ship-Through for PDI and/or QIP

When placing an order, designate National Fleet Services (NFS) adding the code shown on the ship-thru chart on the vehicle order ship-through field (see our ship-through grid).

Then, contact us using either this website form, or call to let us know what you need and how to reach you.

2. PDI for Ford F-650/F-750 Medium Duty Orders

You can order PDI automatically at NFS on Medium Duty trucks in the Ford Pro CVT ordering system by selecting the PDI ship-through option (see our step-by-step guide).

Why Fleets Choose National Fleet Services

Safety, Quality, Delivery

National Fleet Services specializes in vehicle modifications and complex upfits for commercial vehicles from Class 1 through Class 7. Our seasoned technicians catch issues prior to vehicle delivery.