JUNE 3, 2019 – Are you ready for Roadcheck?
Starting tomorrow and lasting for the next 72 hours, inspectors across North America will be pulling over trucks for random roadside inspections as part of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual roadcheck. The focus of this year’s event is steering and suspension systems.
“Steering and suspension are safety critical systems for any commercial motor vehicle,” said CVSA President Chief Jay Thompson with the Arkansas Highway Police. “Not only do they support the heavy loads carried by trucks and buses, but they also help maintain stability and control under acceleration and braking, keeping the vehicle safely on the road. Furthermore, they keep tires in alignment, reducing chances of uneven tire wear and possible tire failure, and they maximize the contact between the tires and the road to provide steering stability and good handling.”
In most cases, inspectors will conduct a 37-point, Level 1 – North American Standard Inspection, which will look for both driver and vehicle safety requirements. This will include an inspection of the driver’s CDL, medical card, record of duty status (if required), seat belt usage and vehicle inspection reports. It will also include a comprehensive look at things such as the vehicle’s brake systems, cargo securement, fuel systems, frames, exhaust systems, steering mechanisms, suspensions, tires and windshield wipers.
Last year there were 67,603 roadside inspections conducted as part of the CVSA’s International Roadcheck event, with 11,910 vehicles and 2,666 drivers put out of service. The top reasons these drivers and vehicles were put out of service were problems with a vehicle’s brake systems, tires and wheels and brake adjustments. For drivers, the top issues involved hours of service, having the wrong license class and false record of duty status.
Before you head out on the road, it’s a good idea to give everything one last check to make sure you’re operating compliantly. If you have any last-minute questions, please give us a call at (800) 253-5506 and one of our audit specialists will be happy to assist you.