Roadcheck inspections ground 27.2% of Canadian vehicles

Canadian enforcement teams placed 27.2% of inspected vehicles out of service during the international Roadcheck blitz that ran May 4-6, compared to a 20.9% out-of-service rate in the U.S.

Teams completed 3,349 Level 1 inspections on this side of the border, placing 912 vehicles and 117 drivers out of service, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) reports. In the U.S., there were 19,786 Level 1 inspections, with 4,136 vehicles and 1,083 drivers placed out of service.

Ontario truck inspection
(Photo: John G. Smith)

Level 1 inspections involve 37 steps, and include vehicles and drivers.

A special focuses on lighting and Hours of Service identified 1,367 lighting violations across North America, representing 14.1% of vehicle-related out-of-service violations. That still trailed brake systems, which accounted for 26.5% of the violations, and tires at 18.6%. Brake adjustment and cargo securement rounded out the Top 5 issues, each representing just over 12% of the violations.

Hours of Service clearly dominated driver-related violations, at 41.5% of the total. Trailing behind that were drivers with the wrong class of licence (19.5% of the total), false logs (14.7%), and suspended licences (4.6%). The remainder fell within broad category of “other” violations, such as running without the required operating authority or using an expired medical certificate.

But most equipment and drivers were good to go. Truckers earned CVSA decals for 9,951 power units and 3,795 trailers, meaning the equipment won’t be subject to inspections for the next three months.

Enforcement teams also conducted 6,836 Level 3 inspections in both countries, placing 331 drivers out of service for a 4.8% out-of-service rate. The Level 3 inspections focus on factors such as driver credentials and administrative issues. Level 2 walk-around and vehicle-specific Level 5 inspections were also conducted.

Loading was the top issue among the 195 hazardous material and dangerous goods violations, representing 40% of the total. This was followed by placards (17.9%), shipping papers (15.4%), markings (7.2%) and training certificates (4.1%).

Canada also recorded 305 seat belt violations, only marginally lower than the 464 recorded in the U.S.

Canada’s Top 5 vehicle OOS violations

  1. Brake systems – 400 — 30.2%
  2. Cargo securement — 236 — 17.8%
  3. Lights — 165 — 12.4%
  4. Tires — 159 — 12%
  5. Brake adjustment — 145 — 10.9%

Canada’s Top 5 driver OOS violations

  1. Hours of Service — 89 — 64%
  2. False logs — 16 — 11.5%
  3. Wrong class licence — 12 — 8.6%
  4. Violating licence restriction — 10 — 7.2%
  5. Suspended licence — 5 — 3.6%

Canada’s Top 5 dangerous goods OOS violations

  1. Training certification — 8 — 25.8%
    Package integrity — 8 — 25.8%
  2. Shipping papers — 7 — 22.6%
  3. Markings — 4 — 12.9%
  4. Placards — 3 — 9.7%
  5. Loading — 1 — 3.2%

CVSA decals issued in Canada

Power Units — 1,462

Trailers — 897

Buses 1


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  • HOS was paper logs or elogs?
    Also, with E-logs why aren’t speeding tickets being handed out? I travel northern Ontario 90 km/h roads at 94 to 95 km/h. I’m the slowest truck on the road. E-logs record time and distance to the minute.
    Kelly