The fall inspection rush is real: departments discover mid-September that annual inspections lapse in December, and October slots vanish first. If your fleet’s last advanced inspection was more than ten months ago, this is the booking window.
Why does fall pile up?
Three deadlines converge: annual-inspection anniversaries from last fall’s rush, budget documentation needs (“inspected fleet” reads better in a funding request than “we’ll get to it”), and grant applications that want current condition data. Every year the same convergence, every year the same calls we cannot fit in November.
What does booking now change?
- Choice of dates — batch by shift on your calendar, not ours.
- Gear back before winter — with repairs done, not queued.
- Documentation in hand for budget season — the reports double as your funding exhibits.
- A calmer December — the compliance clock reset with weeks to spare.
How should a department prep the batch?
Count what is due, survey crews for known issues, and follow the turn-in instructions when shipping. The prep checklist from our May post applies in full — prepared batches turn around fastest.
FAQ
When exactly should we call?
Now — schedule service for October and you will have gear and paperwork home before the snow flies.
What if some gear can’t leave service?
Split the fleet and ask about loaners — partial batches are normal; lapsed inspections are the thing to avoid.