Land Line Media
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s three-day enforcement blitz is underway.
CVSA’s International Roadcheck runs from May 12-14. During those days, enforcement personnel throughout North America will inspect commercial motor vehicles and drivers for compliance with vehicle, cargo and driver regulatory requirements.
During International Roadcheck, inspectors at weigh/inspection stations and pop-up inspection sites primarily conduct the North American Standard Level I Inspection. This 37-step procedure comprises two major parts: an examination of the driver’s operating requirements and an assessment of the vehicle’s mechanical fitness.
Inspections
For the driver portion of the inspection, inspectors check the driver’s qualifications, license, record of duty status, medical examiner’s certificate, seat belt usage, skill performance evaluation certificate (if applicable) and status in the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse. Inspectors also look for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment. If an inspector identifies driver out-of-service violations, they will place the driver out of service, restricting them from operating their vehicle.
For the vehicle portion of the inspection, inspectors assess the vehicle’s 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. If out-of-service violations are found during an inspection, the vehicle will be placed out of service and restricted from movement until all out-of-service violations have been properly addressed.
A vehicle that successfully passes a Level I or V Inspection without any critical violations may receive a CVSA decal, which is valid for up to three months. A valid decal signals to commercial motor vehicle enforcement personnel that the vehicle was recently inspected and had no out-of-service violations.
2026 emphasis
Each year, CVSA’s International Roadcheck places special emphasis on specific violations. This year’s Roadcheck is focusing on ELD tampering, falsification or manipulation for driver inspections and on cargo securement for vehicle inspections.
Last year, falsification of record-of-duty status was the second most-cited driver violation, at 58,382 violations. And five out of the top 10 driver violations were related to hours of service or ELDs. Additionally, 18,108 violations were issued because cargo was not secured to prevent leaking/spilling/blowing/falling and 16,054 violations were issued for vehicle components or dunnage not being secured.
