MARCH 21, 2017 – The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) has announced the dates for its annual roadside inspection blitz, which will take place from Tuesday, June 6 through Thursday, June 8. During this 72-hour period, approximately 17 Level 1 Inspections will be conducted every minute.
During last year’s blitz, a total of 62,796 inspections were conducted, including 42,236 Level 1 inspections – the most thorough and detailed inspection type. Of those Level 1 inspections, 21.5 percent of vehicles and 3.4 percent of drivers were placed out of service.
The Blitz Focus
Each year the CVSA targets a specific area of compliance that inspectors pay special attention to. Last year’s focus was tire safety with 18.5 percent of out-of-service violations being a result of tire and wheel infractions.
This year’s focus is cargo securement.
Heads Up, Flatbeds!
Now is the time to schedule training sessions for all drivers operating flatbeds….you too owner operators!
Now I understand that many of you are seasoned drivers who know how to make sure your cargo is secured. But as you might expect, the FMCSA has particular specifications that must be met. So even though you know your cargo isn’t going anywhere, make sure you are clear as to what the FMCSA’s specifications are. This could save you a tremendous blitz headache.
You can learn more by reading the FMCSA’s comprehensive Driver’s Handbook on Cargo Securement.
Get Your Vehicles Inspected Now
This is the perfect time to complete full inspections on each of your vehicles – this includes every truck, tractor and trailer you own or lease. Remember, you are responsible for any vehicle that is operating under your authority with your DOT number on it, so if there are little repairs you’ve been putting off, now’s the time to get them fixed. Also keep in mind that if you use owner operators with their own vehicles, they need to make sure their vehicles are in tip-top shape – and you’ll want documentation that proves it.
Try to look at Roadcheck as the perfect opportunity for you to fine tune your DOT operation. You have a few months before the blitz, so try to take advantage of this time to make sure you’re prepared to go into the week with confidence.
Questions or concerns? Leave them in the comments section below!
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