Each year the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) performs an enforcement blitz called “Roadcheck”. Roadcheck focuses on commercial vehicles including trucks and buses from Mexico to Canada.
According to the CVSA, Roadcheck is the largest targeted enforcement program on commercial vehicles in the world. From California to Pennsylvania and from the southern tip of Mexico to the northern reaches of Canada. At any time during the event, approximately 14 trucks or buses will be undergoing inspection during the 72 hour period from June 3rd through June 5th, 2014.
Announced around the first of May, this three-day event, will have approximately 10,000 CVSA-certified local, state, provincial and federal inspectors at 1,500 locations across North America performing truck and bus inspections. CVSA sponsors Roadcheck with support from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators, Transport Canada, and the Mexican Secretariat of Communications and Transportation. According to the CVSA, “Roadcheck is one of a series of activities that occur year-round whereby CVSA-certified inspectors conduct compliance, enforcement and educational initiatives targeted at various elements of motor carrier, vehicle, driver and cargo safety and security.”
Since its inception in 1988, the CVSA Roadcheck program has inspected more than numbered over 1,000,000 commercial vehicles in roadside inspections. According to the CSVA this has resulted in more than 220 lives saved and 4,045 injuries avoided. During the roadside inspection, the CSVA also distributes countless pieces of educational literature and encourages participation in other safety events to educate the industry and the general public about the importance of safe commercial vehicle operations.
During the 2013 Roadcheck event, 24.1% of the trucks and buses inspected were placed Out Of Service (OOS) and 4.3% percent of drivers inspected put OOS. This was up slightly from the 2012 event when more than 70,000 inspections occurred during the program, resulting in a 22% OOS rate for equipment and a 4% OOS rate for drivers.
Brakes generally stand out as the main cause of out-of-service violations. In 2013, 49.6% of the vehicle violations were a result of failed brake adjustment or other brake system violations. Light violations accounted for 12.6% of the violations cited,and tires and wheels made up 10.1% of OOS orders.
When drivers were cited in 2013, Hours of Service (HOS) violations made up 51.8% of the citations where the drivers were placed OOS. This was up slightly from 50.2% in 2012. Of the other drivers placed OOS, false logs accounted for 13.2%, disqualified drivers made up 10.2%, and suspended licenses accounted for 5.2%.
Of the total number of vehicle inspections in 2013, 47,771 of them were Level 1 inspections according to the CVSA. A Level 1 inspection in North America includes the inspection of the following:
- Driver's License
- Driver's Daily Log
- Driver and Vehicle Inspection Report
- Coupling devices
- Medical card
- Seat belt
- Brakes
- Exhaust system
- Frame
- Fuel system
- Lights: Turn signals, Brake lamps, Taillights, Headlights
- Lamps on projecting loads
- Safe loading and Securement
- Steering mechanism
- Suspension
- Tires
- Trailer bodies
- Wheels and rims
- Windshield wipers
- Hazmat requirements
There is no mystery about what the CVSA will inspect during the Roadcheck. It has a checklist for drivers published on its website. The main items include brakes, coupling devices, fuel and exhaust systems, lighting, cargo securement, steering, suspension, suspension and tires, wheels, rims and hubs.
