The CVSA had postponed their International Roadcheck because of the pandemic. However, they have rescheduled the International Roadcheck, and it’s going on now. It started on Sept. 9th and will continue through Sept. 11th. (Attention has been able to shift back to inspecting drivers and vehicles now that safety standards and Out of Service criteria.)
What is the CVSA International Roadcheck?
The International Roadcheck is a CVSA program that the FMCSA, the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators, Transport Canada, and the Ministry of Communications and Transportation of Mexico. It’s a three-day period in which there is a heightened inspection and enforcement effort. This takes place with the help of CVSA-certified inspectors in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. These inspectors do their inspections at weigh stations.
These law enforcement personnel inspect commercial vehicles to make sure that they are in compliance with federal regulations – and the North American Standard Out-of-Service criteria. The inspections are meant to use these regulations and standards to check for violations in the inspection items.
How does the roadcheck work?
Typically the International Roadcheck places an emphasis on one specific area of violations. This year it’s driver requirements.
For the driver portion of the inspection, the inspector goes over the driver’s documents. They check the motor carrier, check the license, check the record of duty status, and check the periodic inspection reports. (And they also may check the Medical Examiner’s Certificate, the Skill Performance Evaluation Certificate, and the driver’s daily vehicle inspection report if relevant.) They’ll also check to make sure seatbelts are being used and that the driver is not showing any signs of illness, fatigue, or impairment from alcohol or drug use.
There are a few reasons that a driver might be placed out of service. If they’re operating the vehicle without the right credentials, if they’re in possession or under the influence of drugs or alcohol, if they’re operating a commercial vehicle while they are ill or fatigued, or if they are in violation of hours-of service rules, that could cause them to be placed out of service.
Then there is also the vehicle portion of the inspection. In this portion, certain aspects of the commercial vehicle will be looked over – for example, the brakes, the way the cargo is secured, the coupling devices, the drive-line and drive-shaft, the driver’s seat, the exhaust system, the frame, the fuel system, the lighting, the steering, the suspension, the tires, the wheels, and the windshield wipers.
Now, if an inspector finds that there are inspection items that are in violation, they will put the vehicle out-of-service. And then the vehicle can’t move until the violation is addressed and fixed. This is why it is so important to make sure the trucks are in good operating order and that they are in compliance.
What standards are used?
In the U.S., the Federal Motor Commercial Safety Regulations are used to evaluate vehicle and driver compliance. In Canada, the standards are based on their National Safety Code and provincial regulations. And in Mexico, it’s the Normas Oficiales Mexicanas.
While the International Roadcheck is going on, the inspectors usually do a North American Level 1 Inspection. (This is a procedure that uses over 30 steps. There is a a category for driver requirements, a category for vehicle fitness, and a potential third category for hazardous materials.)
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Source:
https://www.ttnews.com/articles/international-roadcheck-rescheduled-sept-9-11