Given the sheer number of trucks out there on the road, chances are you probably didn’t get pulled into a weigh or inspection station for a Level I, II, or III inspection during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance 2017 Roadcheck held from June 1-3. But if you, your drivers or your trucks drew the short stick and were called in, there was a 4 in 5 chance your truck remained on the road following the inspection. Plus, there was a 95% chance you or your driver didn’t get sidelined with an out-of-service violation.
According to the CVSA, of the 62,000 Level I, II and III inspections conducted during 2017 Roadcheck, about 19% of the commercial motor vehicles inspected were placed out of service. Also, of the 62,000 drivers examined, 4.7% were taken off the road.
The top three vehicle-related violations:
- Issues with brake systems topped that list, making up nearly 27% of all vehicle out-of-service violations
- Next came cargo securement at almost 16%
- Then tires and wheels for 15%
Top driver-related violations:
- At just over 32% of the 2,940 drivers placed out of service, issues related to hours-of-service topped the list
- Driving with the wrong class of license came in a distant second at nearly 15%
- Then false log books at a little over 11%
For those of you who didn’t get the invite to this year’s Roadcheck, perhaps these results might have you a bit concerned about just where you or your drivers would stand if you had been among the chosen? And how things might go if you do get the invitation next year?
For next year’s proverbial exam, we say what better way would there be to prepare for it and ace it then by learning the questions and answers beforehand? When inspecting commercial vehicles,commercial vehicle inspectors and officers use the CVSA North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria handbook and pictorial as their guide or manual. Because the handbook acts much as an answer key or a textbook’s accompanying planner for instructors, it contains most if not all of the answers. Still, you won’t be accused of cheating. That’s because CVSA gladly offers you an opportunity to buy the publication in print or electronic format, allowing drivers to review it on smartphones, tablets or laptops.