Starting today through May 14, commercial motor vehicle inspectors in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. are participating in the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) International Roadcheck inspection, enforcement and data-collection initiative.
Inspectors at weigh/inspection stations and temporary inspection sites are conducting inspections of commercial motor vehicles, drivers and cargo for compliance with federal regulations, utilizing the CVSA North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria to assess when a vehicle or driver should be restricted from travel on our roadways.
During International Roadcheck, inspectors conduct the same inspections as any other day of the year – the North American Standard Level I Inspection, which is a 37-step procedure that includes an examination of the driver’s operating requirements and an assessment of the vehicle’s mechanical fitness.
Alternative inspections include the Level II Inspection, which is a walk-around vehicle and driver inspection that only includes items that can be inspected without physically getting under the vehicle; a Level III Inspection, which is a driver, credential and administrative inspection; and the Level V Inspection, which is a vehicle-only inspection and may be conducted without a driver present, at any location.
Level I and V Inspections qualify for a CVSA decal, which is affixed to a vehicle when no critical inspection item vehicle violations are found. A valid decal signals to commercial motor vehicle enforcement personnel that the vehicle was inspected within the last three months and did not have any critical vehicle inspection item violations.
Driver Inspections
For the driver portion of an inspection, inspectors check the driver’s qualifications, license, record of duty status, medical examiner’s certificate, seat belt usage and skills performance evaluation certificate (if applicable). Inspectors also look for signs of impairment and in the U.S., they will check the driver’s status in the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse.
The driver focus for this year’s International Roadcheck is electronic logging device (ELD) tampering, falsification or manipulation. Inspectors will review the driver’s record of duty status as usual and check for false or manipulated entries, with special attention on ELD tampering.
If an inspector identifies any driver out-of-service violations, they will place the driver out of service, restricting that driver from operating their vehicle.
Vehicle Inspections
For the vehicle portion of an inspection, inspectors assess the brake systems, cargo securement, coupling devices, driveline/driveshaft components, driver’s seat, fuel and exhaust systems, frames, lighting devices, steering mechanisms, suspensions, tires, wheels, rims, hubs, and windshield wipers.
Inspections of motorcoaches/buses and other passenger-carrying commercial motor vehicles also include examination of emergency exits, seating, and electrical cables and systems in the engine and battery compartments.
This year’s International Roadcheck vehicle focus is cargo securement. An inspector will check for secured cargo by physically inspecting tie-downs, chains and straps for strength, damage and proper placement, verifying that the cargo and dunnage are secured properly and immobilized.
If any out-of-service violations are found, the vehicle will be placed out of service and restricted from movement until all out-of-service violations have been properly addressed.
At the conclusion of International Roadcheck, the data will be collected and analyzed, and the results will be released later this year.
CVSA is a nonprofit organization composed of local, state, provincial, territorial and federal commercial motor vehicle safety officials and industry representatives in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. The Alliance aims to prevent commercial motor vehicle crashes, injuries and fatalities and believes that collaboration between government and industry improves road safety and saves lives. Its mission is to improve commercial motor vehicle safety and enforcement by providing guidance, education and advocacy for enforcement and industry across North America.