Trucking Industry
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s International Roadcheck Starts Today – Are You Ready?
May 4, 2021
This year the CVSA will focus extra attention on two specific driver and vehicle categories – hours-of-service and vehicle lighting during its annual inspection event that is conducted across all of North America.
In 2020, lighting violations or “lamps inoperable,” was the No. 1 vehicle violation, accounting for 12.24% of all vehicle violations according to the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration (FMCSA). On the driver’s side, hours-of-service (HOS) was the leading out-of-service (OOS) violation during last year’s CVSA International Roadcheck, accounting for 34.7% of all driver OOS conditions. During last year’s event, which was pushed back from May to September due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the CVSA conducted 50,000 inspections.
From the 2020 CVSA International Roadcheck, the top OOS violations were:
Top Five Vehicle OOS Violations – North America
- Brake System 25.8%
- Tires 19%
- Lights 13.5%
- Cargo Securement 12.9%
- Brake Adjustment 12.8%
Top Five Driver OOS Violations – North America
- HOS 34.7%
- Other (moving violations, cell phone use, etc.) 21.8%
- Wrong Class License 21.2%
- False Logs 14%
- Suspended License 4.3%
There is a reason the CVSA announces ahead of time when the three-day inspection event will be, and what their focus areas are. They want you to be prepared.
The more you can do now to ready your vehicles and drivers for the upcoming event, the quicker drivers will be able to get back on the road after their inspection. That’s a win-win for everyone.
Some things you should keep in mind that can help keep your driver and vehicle compliant.
- Do a thorough pre-trip inspection
- Stay ELD compliant
- Know how the inspection process works
Vehicles that pass inspection with flying colors, without any critical vehicle inspection violation, will receive a CVSA decal. With the decal, the vehicle will not be re-inspected during the three-month period that the decal is valid for. That’s a nice bonus. Inspectors want to focus their attention on vehicles and drivers who do need inspecting.
On the flip side, if your vehicle fails to meet the OOS criteria to pass, it will be placed OOS until the identified problem(s) has been corrected. Drivers will also be placed OOS if an inspector discovers a driver-related OOS condition such as alcohol and/or drug impairment, issues with HOS, driving with the wrong class license or suspended license, and more. For a fleet or driver, resolving the issue could have serious time and costs impacts depending on the severity of the issue. Not to mention the potential ramifications it has on safety scores.
A Note to Drivewyze PreClear Customers During Road Check Week…
During this time, commercial vehicle safety inspectors in jurisdictions across North America will be conducting an increased number of inspections, both at weigh stations and at temporary pop-up locations.
During this 3-day period, some participating Drivewyze weigh stations and inspection sites may enforce a 100% pull-in screening rule, which means that your drivers may receive an increase in pull-in notifications.
Don’t be caught off-guard for this year’s event. Safe driving!
For more information on the upcoming CVSA International Roadcheck: https://www.cvsa.org/news/2021-international-roadcheck/