The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) International Roadcheck is coming up next month. It is a high-visibility, high-volume inspection and compliance enforcement initiative, and carriers should begin preparing now to avoid racking up unexpected violations.
This three-day Roadcheck — which takes place in Canada, Mexico and the United States — is scheduled for May 14-16.
“Don’t let this three-day event sneak up on you. Out-of-service inspections can dramatically impact a carrier’s safety scores across multiple CSA BASICs,” J. J. Keller Industry Business Adviser Josh Lovan said. In contrast, “clean inspections will improve safety scores, so start planning today to ensure success during Roadcheck 2024.”
Each year, the CVSA International Roadcheck focuses on slightly different areas, depending on the issues and trends observed over the past 12 months. For 2024, focus areas will include:
- Alcohol and controlled substance possession
Motor carriers must establish and strictly enforce clear policies to prevent controlled substance and alcohol possession or use in the workplace. The number of prohibited drivers listed in the U.S. Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse (DACH) has been increasing. U.S. motor carriers should regularly query the DACH to ensure their drivers are not in prohibited status.
- Tractor protection systems
Roadcheck aims to increase awareness for drivers, motor carriers, technicians and enforcement personnel of these critically important vehicle components. Emphasis will be placed on the tractor protection valve, trailer supply valve and anti-bleed-back valve.
Requirements for tractor protection systems:
- Every commercial motor vehicle equipped with an air brake system and used to tow a trailer with air brakes must be equipped with a tractor or towing-vehicle protection system.
- The test will only be performed on a vehicle that is towing a trailer equipped with an air brake system.
- Air-braked power units converted to tow trailers equipped with air brakes from a nontowing operation must have these systems properly retrofitted into the air brake system.
- Air escaping from either the supply/emergency or service/control gladhand line of any vehicle equipped to tow an air brake-equipped trailer indicates the unit has a defective tractor protection system and the vehicle is in an out-of-service condition.
Carriers can take a number of steps to prepare for this Roadcheck, including ensuring all company credentials are current, verifying that all driver paperwork is up to date and making sure all necessary vehicle maintenance has been completed.
Beyond paperwork and other housekeeping steps, carriers should focus on preparing drivers for Roadcheck. This means refreshing and retraining drivers on topics like vehicle inspections, hours-of-service limits, electronic recordkeeping and qualification requirements.
Safety personnel can take a handful of practical steps ahead of time to minimize violations during the event.
Conduct your own safety blitz
This can ensure drivers fully understand what is expected of them during a roadside inspection. A safety blitz will provide drivers — especially new drivers — with the knowledge and confidence needed to obtain clean inspections.
Conduct an audit on pre-trip inspections before drivers exit the yard
Previous experience revealed that more than 15% of drivers were failing to conduct a proper pre-trip. Safety teams should make sure drivers are walking around the trucks to assess lights, tires and placards. Drivers need to understand the importance of completing this step even when someone else hooks the set for them.
Investigate safety and maintenance collaboration
There should be a clear line of communication between a carrier’s safety and maintenance teams. For example, if a brake or tire violation occurs, the safety team should collaborate with maintenance to determine when the unit was last serviced. If the brakes were examined by the maintenance team within a couple of weeks of a brake violation, then there may be an issue with the maintenance team.
It is imperative that all roadside violations are investigated to prevent the same violations from occurring frequently.
When preparing for CVSA International Roadcheck — and discussing safety in general — it is imperative that every member of a carrier’s team understand and respect the scope of the job that safety personnel must perform on a daily basis.
“Until you wear the shoes of a safety manager, there is no way to truly understand the unique challenges in safety,” Lovan said. “Today’s safety professionals are responsible for driver coaching, injuries and accidents. There are no excuses for lack of preparation.”
The pressure safety managers face is high, but with preparation — and good partners — it is possible to keep everyone safe while minimizing violations every day, not just during Roadcheck.
Minimize downtime and out-of-service events with the J. J. Keller Encompass Fleet Management System. It can help you identify risks to your operation related to vehicle inspections and driver recordkeeping, ensuring you are prepared for every roadside inspection.
Download a free copy of the J. J. Keller Roadside Inspection Guide for useful tips on the driver interview with enforcement professionals, review of DVIRs and document verification.
For more Roadcheck resources, including free webcasts and checklists, visit http://jjkeller.com/Roadcheck.