In just a few days, thousands of commercial enforcement personnel will be out in force for Road Check 2023. Officers will set up to do truck and driver inspections at regular weigh stations or scale facilities, rest areas and even some truck stops.
According to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), brakes will get special emphasis again this year as officers focus on anti-lock braking systems (ABS). Although ABS violations are not out of service (OOS) violations, ABS reduces the risk of a crash by preventing wheels from locking up or skidding, allowing a driver to maintain control of the vehicle while braking. During Road Check 2022, two of the top three OOS violations were brake-related, with brake systems accounting for more than one-fourth of violations and defective service brakes at 12.7%.
Here's a general Road Check trip from ICSA’s Executive Director Karen Rasmussen: “It’s important that drivers not try to evade these inspections. I’ve worked alongside highway patrol officers at numerous Road Check events. Almost always, the agencies post chase cars down the road to pursue and pull over any truck that attempts to evade,” she said. “Then, in addition to potential inspection violations, the driver is also cited for failure to obey a traffic control device. In many states, this violation is good for three points on the CDL,” Rasmussen added. ICSA’s advice is to be ready for Road Check and follow the signs to the inspection site.
What should ICSA members do to be ready for this intensive 72-hour inspection and enforcement event?
Ensure your cargo is properly secured. In addition to brakes, officers will also be focusing on cargo or load securement. Improper cargo securement poses a serious risk to drivers and other motorists by adversely affecting vehicle maneuverability, or worse, causing unsecured loads to fall, resulting in traffic hazards and vehicle collisions. Cargo securement was the No. 5 OOS violation in last year's enforcement blitz, making up more than 10% of all OOS violations. Ensure your cargo is properly secured.
In addition to these two areas of focus, ICSA members should be prepared for full inspections in which officers may review operating credentials, hours-of-service/ELDs, the driver’s status in the drug and alcohol clearinghouse, seat belt usage, and for alcohol and/or drug impairment. Complying with each of these potential inspection targets is a no-brainer!
Vehicles that successfully pass a Level I or Level V Inspection without any critical vehicle inspection item violations may receive a CVSA decal, which is valid for three months. If an inspector does find critical violations, as outlined in the North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria, the vehicle will be restricted from operating until the identified out-of-service conditions have been corrected. Inspectors may also restrict the driver from operating if the driver is found to have driver out-of-service violations, such as not possessing a valid or necessary operating license or exhibiting signs of impairment.
Every year, TAT (formerly called Truckers Against Trafficking) honors a member of the trucking, bus or energy industry, whose direct actions help save or improve the lives of those exploited or prevent human trafficking from taking place, with the Harriet Tubman Award
Bob Costello has indicated that the freight market has improved – but very slowly – since January. It must be said that ATA’s indices are dominated by contract freight as opposed to spot rates.
Now, however, with Republican control of both houses of Congress and the White House (and, some say, the Supreme Court) I am optimistic that trucking will get a fairer shake than it has during Biden’s term in office.