Roadcheck 2020 will focus on driver requirements

Posted January 30, 2020

Driver requirements will be the emphasis of the 2020 International Roadcheck, hosted annually by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA).

This year’s Roadcheck is scheduled to take place May 5-7, a month earlier than its traditional date. Organizers said the date change may allow for more favorable weather conditions in many of the participating jurisdictions across North America.

During that 72-hour period, commercial motor vehicle (CMV) inspectors throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico will conduct roadside inspections on drivers and CMVs.

Driver requirement inspections

During the inspection, inspectors will collect and verify the driver’s documents, identify the motor carrier, check the driver’s license and record of duty status, and review periodic inspection reports. If applicable, the inspector will also check the driver’s medical examiner certificate, medical variance documents, and daily vehicle inspection report. Other driver-focused categories include seat belt use, sickness or fatigue, and alcohol and/or drug possession or impairment.

Driver requirements and vehicle mechanical fitness are the two primary parts of a North American Standard Level I inspection, a 37-step procedure. A third part, hazardous materials/dangerous goods, may also be part of a Level I inspection if applicable.

Driver violations reached almost 950,000 in 2019

Driver violations made up a significant number of violations in 2019, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

Based on the most recent 2019 FMCSA data released on December 27, of more than 3.35 million inspections conducted, 944,794 resulted in driver violations, of which 195,545 were out-of-service conditions.

Prepare drivers for Roadcheck

Inspections are conducted every day of the year across North America, but drivers should realize that the risk of being stopped will increase during Roadcheck.

While the May 5-7 dates are important, Roadcheck should serve as a reminder to carriers and drivers that they should always be ready for roadside inspections regardless of the time of year.

This article was written by David Lubach of J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.