Hours of service, brake systems top Roadcheck violations

by Today's Trucking

GREENBELT, Md. – Canadian inspectors placed 817 vehicles and 135 drivers out of service during this year’s international Roadcheck inspection blitz.

More than 50,000 inspections were conducted across North America during the three-day event run from Sept. 9-12, leading to an overall vehicle out of service rate of 20.9%.

There were 12,254 vehicle-related violations recorded overall, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) says.

Brake systems continued to account for the majority of equipment issues, representing 32.1% of the vehicle-related violations in Canada. Those were followed by cargo securement (19.4%), tires (12.9%), brake adjustment (10.4%), and lights (7.5%).

For driver-related issues, hours of service dominated the list of Canadian out-of-service violations at 73.7%. Other moving violations such as using cell phones were in a distant second at 8.6%, followed by expired licences (6.9%), false logs (4.6%), improper licence classes (2.3%), and violating licence restrictions (2.3%).

In the U.S., hours of service accounted for 32.5% of the driver violations.

(Source: CVSA)

Based on 3,993 Level 1, 2 and 3 inspections in Canada, there were 1,214 vehicle-related out-of-service violations. But 1,788 power units and 917 trailers earned CVSA decals for successful inspections.

A special focus on driver requirements this year gathered data on violations relating to driver age, licences and permits, medial requirements, record of duty status, sickness or fatigue, or drugs and alcohol.

(Source: CVSA)

The out-of-service drivers recorded a collective 175 driver-related violations in Canada, while 3,247 were counted across North America.

The 194 dangerous goods vehicles that were inspected led to an out-of-service rate of 19.6% in that category, while 4.1% of drivers were placed out of service.

Most of the results are based on Level 1 inspections, which include 37 steps.

Originally scheduled for May 5-7, the annual Roadcheck inspection blitz was postponed until September amid pandemic-related concerns.

The annual Roadcheck inspection blitz has recorded 1.7 million roadside inspections since the first campaign was launched in 1988.

The next International Roadcheck blitz is scheduled for May 4-6.


Have your say


This is a moderated forum. Comments will no longer be published unless they are accompanied by a first and last name and a verifiable email address. (Today's Trucking will not publish or share the email address.) Profane language and content deemed to be libelous, racist, or threatening in nature will not be published under any circumstances.

*

  • Let’s. face it. Most of those violations handed out had nothing to do with safety. It’s about fines and public perception. The government loves the cash, and the public thinks that the D O T are a bunch of heroes. The numbers help justify ever expanding police budgets.
    If safety is the real issue ,why aren’t disc brakes mandatory on all trucks and trailers. Could it be that the revenue from adjustment violations would plumit. I personally watched two brand new trucks being delivered to the dealer be pulled off the road by a over zellious D O T officer at a scale in Vancouver during a blitz because he said that the air tank drain cables weren’t accessible enough. Fines, fines, fines, that’s what it’s all about.

  • Well we all need FARM plates then there is no more problem as this is not about SAFETY but about two standard systems to take money from the commercial plated trucks out there . But the FARMERS use the same roads and don’t pay for there overloaded unsafe trucks using the roads