What Is the International Roadcheck?
The International Roadcheck, organized by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), is an annual event focused on improving road safety and compliance for commercial vehicles. During this event, which typically lasts 72 hours, enforcement officials conduct inspections on commercial vehicles across North America. The goal is to ensure that vehicles are safe and meet regulatory standards.
Inspectors check various aspects, including the vehicle’s mechanical components, driver qualifications, and compliance with regulations related to hours of service, vehicle maintenance, and more. The event also highlights the importance of safety and encourages drivers and fleet operators to prioritize vehicle maintenance and compliance year-round.
Impact on Canadian Trucking
The CVSA (Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance) 2024 Roadcheck results can have several impacts on Canadian truckers:
- Safety Standards Enforcement: The results may highlight areas where safety compliance needs improvement, leading to more rigorous inspections and enforcement. Canadian truckers may face increased scrutiny if specific violations are noted.
- Operational Adjustments: If certain issues are prevalent in the results (e.g., brake failures, load securement), trucking companies might need to adjust their training and maintenance protocols to avoid similar violations.
- Interstate Travel: Given the interconnectedness of Canadian and U.S. trucking routes, changes in U.S. enforcement practices based on the Roadcheck results could affect cross-border operations, potentially leading to delays or increased inspection frequency.
- Public Perception and Trust: Positive Roadcheck results for the Canadian trucking industry can enhance public trust and confidence in the safety of trucking operations, which is vital for business and customer relations.
- Regulatory Changes: If the results indicate significant issues, there could be calls for regulatory changes that affect how truckers operate in Canada, potentially leading to new compliance requirements.
Overall, the Roadcheck results serve as an important benchmark for safety in the industry and can influence policies, practices, and perceptions within the Canadian trucking community.
And The Results Are In…
The 2024 Roadcheck results highlight the findings from the annual inspection event conducted by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA). This year’s Roadcheck took place over three days and involved thousands of commercial vehicle inspections across North America. Key highlights include a notable percentage of vehicles placed out of service due to critical safety violations, emphasizing ongoing concerns in vehicle maintenance and driver compliance. The event aims to promote safety and awareness within the trucking industry, ultimately striving to reduce crashes and improve road safety.
Additional data details the most common violations found during inspections, underscoring areas for improvement in fleet operations. The top vehicle out-of-service violation in North America was for defective service brakes (nearly 25%), followed by tires, other service brake violations, lights, and cargo securement rounding out the list.
Breaking Down the Canadian Stats
In Canada, 5,411 inspections were conducted between May 14 and 16 across the nation. Inspectors identified 1,798 vehicle, 102 driver, and 23 dangerous goods out-of-service violations (CVSA, 2024).
The top five vehicle out-of-service violations in Canada were Other Brake Violations (29.9%), Defective Service Brakes (15.8%), Cargo Securement (15.4%), Tires, and Lighting Devices (8.8%).
When considering driver out-of-service violations, Hours of Service led the list at 24.5%, followed by No Commercial Driver’s License (23.5%), False Logs (13.7%), License Restriction (12.7%), and Expired License (8.8%) (CVSA, 2024).
The driver emphasis area this year was on alcohol and controlled-substance possession and safety belt usage. A total of 78 drug and 26 alcohol possession/use out-of-service violations were issued by officers throughout North America, along with 535 safety belt violations (CVSA, 2024).
We Care About Your Safety
So how can Verduyn Tarps help truckers be safer and more compliant? We certainly feel like we have some responsibility to at least offer products and services which aim to keep drivers safe and educated while on the road.
- Cargo Securement: When it comes to cargo securement (a category which approximately 1 in 4 of the total violations came from), Verduyn Tarps offers a comprehensive assortment of cargo tie-down specialty products and accessories. Our products are designed to keep your shipments secure and protected across diverse Canadian landscapes. Our inventory features some of the best cargo tie-down specialty equipment available, including winch and tie-down straps, ratchet strap assemblies, strap winders and ratchets, and so much more!
- Complimentary Inspections: At Verduyn Tarps, a general safety inspection is always included when our team is quoting a tarp repair. We do it as a courtesy almost every day, whether in person or through email pictures. Normally, the inspections are to address specific damage or operational issues. A complimentary Trailer Light Check is conducted on every trailer backed into our bays. It is not uncommon for a trailer to be dropped off at one of our competitor’s shops, where it can sit for weeks without being inspected and/or quoted. This is a 15-minute job that we typically complete same-day or within 24 hours of rolling up to one of our two Canadian locations, so that you get back out on the road safely and as soon as possible.
The CVSA International Roadchecks are something we feel very strongly about, which help to keep not only our Canadian customers safe but make the Canadian roads safer for everyone. We will continue to support truckers and encourage safe driving practices as part of our core values. We encourage you to make safety a top priority while en route and we wish you all safe travels!