Starting today, June 5, 2018, commercial motor vehicle inspectors will conduct high-volume, high-visibility inspections of large trucks and buses for 72 hours as part of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) International Roadcheck annual enforcement initiative. Commercial motor vehicles and their drivers will be checked at inspection sites, weigh stations and roving patrol locations along major roadways in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Each year, International Roadcheck places special emphasis on a category of violations. This year’s focus is on hours-of-service enforcement. While checking for compliance with hours-of-service regulations is always part of a roadside inspection, CVSA is highlighting its importance as it coincides with this year’s April 1, 2018, full enforcement of the electronic logging device mandate that went into effect on Dec. 17, 2017, throughout the United States.
“Hours-of-service violations is the leading category of driver-related violations cited,” said CVSA President Capt. Christopher Turner with the Kansas Highway Patrol. “Hours-of-service rules are designed to reduce driver fatigue, which can be a contributing factor in many commercial motor vehicle crashes. Enforcement of hours-of-service requirements is essential to ensuring compliance and combating driver fatigue.”
During International Roadcheck, inspectors will primarily conduct the North American Standard Level I Inspection, a 37-step procedure that includes an examination of both driver operating requirements and vehicle mechanical fitness.
The vehicle inspection includes checking brake systems, cargo securement, coupling devices, driveline/driveshaft components, exhaust systems, frames, fuel systems, lighting devices, steering mechanisms, suspensions, tires, van and open-top trailer bodies, wheels, rims and hubs, and windshield wipers. Additional items for buses include emergency exits, electrical cables and systems in the engine and battery compartments, and seating.
Drivers are asked to provide their operating credentials and hours-of-service logging device (or documentation, as applicable) and will be checked for seat belt usage. Inspectors will also be attentive to apparent alcohol and/or drug impairment.
International Roadcheck is sponsored by CVSA, North America’s leading commercial motor vehicle safety enforcement organization, with participation by the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators and the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation in Mexico.