Roadside inspections are critical to ensure truck drivers are in full compliance with the law and are operating safely on the road. Every year, The Commercial Vehicle Safety Association (CVSA) conducts its annual 72-hour inspection blitz across North America in order to catch any vehicles or drivers that do not meet safety standards. This year’s inspection will take place from Tuesday, June 4, to Thursday, June 6.
Roadcheck places a special emphasis on a category of violations each year. Roadcheck 2018 focused on hours-of-service violations as the electronic logging device mandate had recently went into effect. During the inspection, a total of 67,502 roadside inspections were conducted, putting nearly 12,000 trucks and busses out of service [http://bit.ly/2Qp8bpA].
This year’s focus will be put on steering and suspension systems in addition to the standard vehicle compliance check. According to CVSA President Chief Jay Thompson, “…aside from the increased inspections, [CVSA is] not doing anything differently than any other day. The inspections performed during International Roadcheck are the same inspections that are conducted the day before International Roadcheck starts and the day after it concludes, as well as any other day of the year” [http://bit.ly/2K2gZ3i].
What does the inspection include?
Roadcheck inspections include checking all tire components, brakes, lights, all sides of the tractor and trailer, major safety components, and proper load securement. In addition to the truck parts that will be inspected, drivers must also provide proper, up-to-date, paperwork and identification such as their Drivers License/CDL and Vehicle Inspection Certificate. Having these documents is equally important as having the vehicle up to standards.
If a critical item violation is found, the motor vehicle may be placed out of service and the vehicle may not be operated until the violation(s) are corrected. A driver can also be placed out of service for improper paperwork or driver-related issues such as fatigue. If no critical violations are found during the inspection, a CVSA decal will be applied to the motor vehicle to indicate the vehicle has successfully passed the inspection and the carrier may resume normal operations.
How will Roadcheck affect my shipments?
International Roadcheck may lead to increased costs and/or delays in transit times for these reasons:
- Many drivers will choose not to be on the roads during this time frame
- Some drivers/equipment will be put out of service
- Capacity will quickly shrink in the days prior to Roadcheck depending on the length of the haul
- On-time service numbers may drop slightly
- Rates might be higher depending on ship/delivery date, length of haul, and mode
