6,710 commercial vehicles (16.5% OOS Rate) and 2,080 drivers (5.3% OOS Rate) were removed from roadways during the CVSA International RoadCheck.  Roadcheck 2020, held in late September, had a vehicle out-of-service rate of 22.2% and a driver out-of-service rate of 5.3%.

Inspectors primarily conducted the North American Standard Level I Inspection, a 37-step inspection process that involves a thorough inspection of the vehicle (including underneath the vehicle) and the driver. Inspectors performed 23,135 Level I Inspections and removed 5,048 vehicles (21.8%) and 1,200 (5.2%) drivers from roadways.

In Canada and the U.S., inspectors conducted 9,410 Level II Inspections and placed 1,593 (16.9%) vehicles and 549 drivers (5.8%) out of service. They also conducted 6,836 Level III Inspections and placed 331 drivers out of service for a 4.8% driver out-of-service rate.

There were 1,367 out-of-service lighting violations, accounting for 14.1% of all vehicle out-of-service violations. It was the third most-cited violation, after brake systems and tires. Out-of-service lighting device violations include headlamps, tail lamps, stop lamps, turn signals and lamps on projecting loads. Of the 9,691 out-of-service vehicle violations issued, the top five violations were for:

• Brake systems – 2,564 (26.5%)
• Tires – 1,804 (18.6%)
• Lights – 1,367 (14.1%)
• Brake adjustment – 1,203 (12.4%)
• Cargo securement – 1,192 (12.3%)

The second focus area, hours of service, was the most cited driver out-of-service violation, accounting for 41.5% of all driver out-of-service violations, or 1,203 violations. Of the 2,898 out-of-service driver violations issued, the top five violations were for:

• Hours of service – 1,203 (41.5%)
• Wrong class license – 565 (19.5)
• Other – 482 (16.6%)
• False logs – 427 (14.7%)
• Suspended license – 132 (4.6%)

What to expect from International Roadcheck 2022

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) has announced this year’s International Roadcheck dates as May 17-19, 2022, with a focus on wheel end components.

International Roadcheck is a 72-hour high-visibility, high-volume commercial motor vehicle inspection and enforcement initiative.  North American Standard Inspections of commercial motor vehicles and drivers will be conducted at the following:

• Weigh Stations
• Inspection stations
• Patrols
• Temporary Inspection Sites

Each year, CVSA focuses on a specific aspect of a roadside inspection. This year, the focus will be on wheel ends. Wheel end components support the heavy loads carried by commercial motor vehicles, maintain stability and control, and are critical for braking. Violations involving wheel end components historically account for about 25% of the vehicle out-of-service violations discovered during International Roadcheck, and past International Roadcheck data routinely identified wheel end components as a top 10 vehicle violation.

During International Roadcheck, commercial motor vehicle inspectors examine large trucks and motorcoaches and the driver’s documentation and credentials using CVSA’s North American Standard Inspection Program procedures which are the uniform inspection steps, processes and standards established to ensure consistency in compliance, inspections and enforcement. Using the North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria, also established by CVSA, inspectors identify critical out-of-service violations that if found, require the inspector to restrict the driver or vehicle from travel until those violations or conditions are addressed.

Vehicles that successfully pass a North American Standard Level I or Level V Inspection without any critical vehicle inspection item violations may receive a CVSA decal. In general, a vehicle with a valid CVSA decal will not be re-inspected during the three months while the decal is valid. Instead, inspectors will focus their efforts on vehicles without a valid CVSA decal.