Out-of-service violations during Roadcheck 2016 were at an all-time low for the enforcement blitz. But despite reaching new lows for two years in a row, the OOS rate is still alarmingly high.
International Roadcheck is the largest enforcement blitz targeting commercial vehicles anywhere in the world, with 62,796 inspections taking place during just 72 hours. Most inspections performed are Level I inspections, and this year a whopping 42,236 Level I inspections were performed.
“CVSA’s annual 72-hour International Roadcheck initiative highlights the commitment of our inspectors who work hard every day to ensure unsafe vehicles and drivers are removed from our roadways,” said CVSA Executive Director Collin Mooney according to the results the CVSA published. “It’s also an opportunity for our inspectors to inspect, acknowledge and document the safe, fit and compliant commercial motor vehicles traveling our roadways by placing a CVSA decal on the vehicle; indicating that a particular vehicle has passed CVSA’s rigorous inspection standards.”
Of those Level I inspections, 21.5% of vehicles and 3.4% of drivers were placed out of service. This is down from last year’s 21.6% of vehicles and 3.6% of drivers.
For vehicle OOS orders, nearly half of them were due to brake violations at 45.7%. Other leading causes for vehicle OOS orders were tires and wheels (the focus of this year’s inspection blitz) at 18.5%, lighting devices at 11.8%, and cargo securement at 6.1%.
Over half of all driver OOS orders were due to hours-of-service violations and false logs.
While transportation officials like FMCSA Administrator Scott Darling talk up the “tireless efforts” of enforcement officials who keep the roads safe, safety advocates are still outraged that more than one in every five CMVs given thorough inspections are being placed out of service, especially when the most common reason for it is brake violations.
For a complete breakdown of Roadcheck 2016 results, see the handy CVSA breakdown here.
Source: cvsa, truckinginfo, fleetowner, overdrive
Sean James says
Really? How many were fradulent oos orders by corrupt law enforcement and cvi’s? The new CA superscale on I-15 at the CA/NV State line (Nipton Inspection Facility) has been putting 20-30 trucks out of service a day for simple violations that do not qualify as oos violations per CVSA or CA State regs. This due to a new civilian senior inspector brought in to train the contingent of new, young sworn CHP officers/inspectors. The civilian inspector is having the officers put trucks out of service for single burned out tail lamps, slightly dimming running lights when signals or flashers are operated, air lines and pigtails that he deems are too close to the deck, and any other VERY minor violation not in line with CVSA oos guidlines. I drive through there 5 days a week and was put oos 3 times in one month! Once for a fuel line touching a framerail with no damage to line, and twice for running lights ever so slightly dimming when flashers activated…EVERY truck in the Nation does this and two separate private mobile mechanics, who are pemanently working there said there is no way to fix it. Myself and 7 others were put oos at the same time for this. The mechanic told us to wait 7 hours until the trainer left and then go back and re-inspect, and guess what, the next shift signed off and let us ALL go! No work was ever done to repair the non-problem. But we all have a ding on out safety rating. We all have written proof and one drivers young son had cell video of the Civilian inspector yelling profanities at drivers and even treating the sworn CHP officers with total disrespect. You would have to be there to believe what is going on during the night shift at this place. Huge groups of drivers hanging out together asking how this inspector can get away with such corrupt behaviour. The sworn officers were even apologizing to drivers for this mans profanity and anger, and one young officer told me there is nothing he can do as the arrogant angry civilian inspector is in charge. . My company and several others are looking into the obvious corrupt acts by this individual, we all have paper trails to prove it, receipts and statements from the two independant mobile mechanics, and even several cell phone videos and audio recordings of the actions taken by the trainer and the fearful new CHP officers writing up the reports. Please post if you too have been caught in this web of corruption and deceit at the Nipton Inspection Facility. And lastly, we have witnessed several trucks just keep driving when the arrow turns on to go to inspection, and no CHP has chased them down! I guess the word is out already, find a way around or just dont stop.
Jeremy says
The California DOT was caught red handed commiting fraudulent inspections back 15, or so, years. Trucking companies affixed hidden cameras under the bogie carriages of trailers and filmed inspectors pulling 9mm wrenches out of their pockets and backing off slack ajusters.
This is what happens when authority tags quotas on DOT inspectors in the field.
Rufus Crank says
I would just like to comment about nobody saying anything about paying us enough to properly maintain our equipment. The mega-carriers do it by paying $12hr and large discounts on oil,tires, filters… etc. It also doesn’t state how many were locals, dump trucks, or what.
Jude Ossowski says
I often wonder how many of our four wheeled fellow road users would be put OOS if their vehicles were actually inspected. Don’t tell me “some states have inspections”, either. I passed one of those inspections when my car was in the garage having non-related repairs done. The inspector verified the VIN and slapped a decal on it.
Andrew H says
Lights, tires, and brakes. I always forced my company to get that stuff fixed before I moved, much to my dispatchers dismay. This is why.
With more and more super cop DOT officers showing up (especially the young hotshot at the Mackinaw bridge), it’s more important than ever to not give them a reason to pull you over.