International Roadcheck vehicle inspections set for May 17-19

Mark your calendars. One thing you might be doing May 17-19 is stopping for an International Roadcheck motor vehicle inspection.

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance is organizing the 72-hour high-visibility, high-volume commercial motor vehicle inspection and enforcement initiative. Commercial motor vehicle inspectors in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. will conduct North American Standard Inspections of commercial motor vehicles and drivers at weigh and inspection stations, on roving patrols, and at temporary inspection sites.

Each year, CVSA focuses on a specific aspect of a roadside inspection. This year, there will be an emphasis on wheel ends, according to a news release.

Wheel end components support the heavy loads carried by commercial motor vehicles, maintain stability and control. They are critical for braking. Violations involving wheel end components historically account for about a quarter of the vehicle out-of-service violations discovered during International Roadcheck. It has ranked in the top 10 vehicle violations in past International Roadcheck events.

During International Roadcheck, commercial motor vehicle inspectors examine large trucks and motor coaches and the driver’s documentation and credentials using CVSA’s North American Standard Inspection Program procedures. They 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.

The U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators, Transport Canada, and Mexico’s Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation all participate in International Roadcheck.

In last May’s Roadcheck, more than 40,000 commercial motor vehicle inspections were conducted. Well over 80% of the vehicles inspected passed. CVSA decals were placed on 9,951 power units. LL