CONCERN REGARDING SAFETY COMPROMISES.

Narrative

THIS WAS THE LAST LEG OF THE SECOND DAY OF A 3 DAY TRIP. THE FLT WAS SCHEDULED FOR AN ACFT CHANGE; MY F/O AND I PICKED UP SOMETHING TO EAT AT THE ARPT ON THE WAY TO THE NEW GATE. WE ARRIVED AT THE GATE APPROX 40 MINS PRIOR TO DEP. THE AGENT WAS WAITING FOR US TO INFORM US THAT AN FAA AIR SAFETY INSPECTOR WAS GOING TO RIDE WITH US. THE ACFT ARRIVED WITH AN INOP APU. A MECH CAME OVER TO DISCUSS THE PROB AND TO INFORM ME THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE DEFERRED. A NEW CHKLIST WAS INSTALLED CONTAINING SOME CHANGES THAT WERE IMPLEMENTED HAVING TO DO WITH STANDARDIZING THE CHALLENGE AND RESPOND PHRASEOLOGY FOLLOWING A MERGER. THE TIME NEEDED TO BRIEF THE INSPECTOR; REVIEW THE NEW CHKLIST; CHK THE MEL FOR THE LIMITATIONS PERTAINING TO THE APU; BRIEFING THE GND CREW ON THE PROC FOR USING EXTERNAL AIR AND ELECTRICAL PWR; IN ADDITION TO THE NORMAL DUTIES OF CHKING THE FLT RELEASE; FUEL LOAD; WX; NOTAMS; TURB PLOTS; ETC; IS OVERWHELMING. THE PURPOSE OF THIS RPT IS TO LET YOU KNOW THAT FLTS SUCH AS THIS ONE ARE BECOMING THE NORM. THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF PRESSURE PUT ON EVERYONE INVOLVED IN ACR OPERATIONS TO GET THE FLT OUT ON TIME. BEFORE THE NEW ON TIME RPTING PROCS TOOK EFFECT; MOST OF US WOULD SPEND A LITTLE MORE TIME CHKING THINGS OUT. I BELIEVE ALL OF US ARE BECOMING VICTIMS OF THE ON TIME SYNDROME AT THE EXPENSE OF SAFETY.