The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance has announced that the 2021 International Roadcheck will take place on May 4-6. For three days, road inspectors will check commercial vehicles and drivers. This event will take place in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
International Roadcheck is an inspection where the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators, Transport Canada, Mexico’s Ministry of Communications and Transportation, and its National Guard participate.
The Alliance shares the dates earlier to remind CMV drivers and automobile carriers of the importance of regular vehicle inspections. This Roadcheck aims to raise awareness among commercial drivers of the North American Standard Inspection Program rules and regulations.
What will be checked during the International Roadcheck? Brake systems, coupling devices, driveline/driveshaft components, exhaust systems, frames, fuel systems, lighting devices, steering mechanisms, tires, wheels, etc. Also, inspectors will check the driver’s seat and cargo securements. All these items must comply with regulations. As for the passenger-carrying vehicles, inspections will include emergency exits, electrical cables and systems in the engine and battery compartments, and seating.
If officials find critical violations and non-conformities, the vehicle will be taken out of service. It cannot be used until the problem is corrected. If the vehicle successfully passes the inspection, it will receive a CVSA decal and three months’ immunity’ to inspections as long as the sticker is valid. Due to these stickers, employees can concentrate on vehicles that have not yet been checked.
In addition to the transport’s technical condition, inspectors will check the electronic logbook and HOS, seat belt use, and the presence of drugs or alcohol in the blood.
According to CVSA President Sgt. John Samis, the International Roadcheck is no different from traditional road checks, in general. However, its purpose is primarily to collect statistics on the most common violations. It helps draw attention to the essential issues in the industry.
The most common violation in 2020 was the lighting violation “lamps inoperable” — approximately 12.24% of all vehicle violations discovered that year. There were also many violations related to hours of service — 34.7% of drivers received out-of-service orders. Therefore, this year, special attention will be paid to these issues.
Also, because of the COVID-19 situation, the 2021 International Roadcheck will be conducted according to health and safety protocols during last year’s inspection. Besides, the vehicles carrying the COVID-19 vaccine will not be stopped for the check unless there is a critical violation that is a significant hazard.
