May 22, 2019
Are You Prepared for the CVSA International Roadcheck?
By Mike Owens, PacLease Field Service Manager
As we enter into summer, it is time to prepare for the CVSA International Roadchecks being held June 4th - 6th that is if you have not already been busy preparing your fleet. According to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, the roadside inspection program will inspect 17 commercial vehicles a minute over the 72-hour period across North America, which will equate to over 73,000 commercial vehicles. Will your truck be one of them? This international roadcheck is the largest targeted enforcement program on commercial motor vehicles in the world and covers the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Since the inception of the International Roadcheck campaigns in 1988, CVSA has performed more than 1.6 million roadside inspections. According to the CVSA, this year’s International Roadcheck will be highlighting steering mechanisms along with suspension systems. These items will include, but are not limited to steering wheel lash, steering column integrity, front axle and hub integrity, steering gearbox and pitman arm, ball joints, tie rods, drag links, axle members, spring assemblies, air springs, torque rods, radius rods, and sway bars. Steering and suspension systems are vital components to stability and control. Failures in the suspension or steering systems could reduce the ability of the driver to maintain stable handling and adequate control of the vehicle.
During the 72 hour period, CVSA certified inspectors will be primarily conducting the North American Standard Level I inspection; however inspectors may opt to conduct a Level II walk-around driver/vehicle inspection, Level III driver/ credential/administrative inspection, or Level V Vehicle-only inspection.
A key component to avoid an out of service vehicle-related violation is to verify that your commercial vehicle is up to date on its regularly scheduled preventative maintenance inspection. PacLease’s preventative maintenance inspection procedure includes checking the proper functionality of all the vehicle related components outlined in the NAS Level I inspection and much more. Many PacLease locations also offer a full service fuel island and, as a part of the full service, a 10 point inspection is completed by a general shop assistant.
Last year’s focus for the International Roadcheck was on hours of service compliance, which related to the ELD mandate that went into effect late 2017. However, while the emphasis was on hours of service compliance, this did not keep brake systems and adjustments from being a leading cause of out of service vehicle-related violations. In fact, brake systems and adjustments represented 44.7 percent of all out of service vehicle-related violations. Another 19.1 percent of the out of service vehicle-related violations were attributed to tires and wheels. Therefore, 63.8 percent of all out of service vehicle-related violations were attributed to brakes, tires and wheels.
In 2018, CVSA conducted 67,603 roadside inspections and during those inspections, inspectors found 11,910 vehicles with out of service conditions.
- 21.6 percent of the North American Standard (NAS) Level I Inspections resulted in an out of service condition being identified.
- 3.9 percent of the NAS Level I, II, and III Inspections resulted in an out of service condition being found.
As June 4th quickly approaches, make sure your fleet is prepared and your drivers know what to expect. Here at PacLease, we are your transportation solution, offering training solutions that are convenient for you and your drivers. Prepare your fleet for the road using PacTrainer an accessible online platform available 24/7 to provide access to quality, relevant and current training content to enhance driver awareness of safety and regulatory compliance.
For more helpful solutions:
https://www.jjkellertraining.com/pactrainer
For more information on the CVSA International Roadcheck Program visit: