It may feel like we just had a Roadcheck, but it’s already time to mark your calendars for the next one. If you were one of the 1,128 truckers who were placed out of service for Hours Of Service (HOS) violations during Roadcheck 2020, don’t worry, you’ll get another shot.
International Roadcheck is the largest commercial vehicle inspection event in North America. It runs for three days over the first weekend in May. This year, Roadcheck will run from May 4th-6th, 2021.
During that time, commercial motor vehicle inspectors will inspect tens of thousands of vehicles and ensure drivers are complying with regulations. 2020’s Roadcheck conducted 50,151 inspections, with the vast majority conducted in the United States.
By far the most common violation for truck drivers during 2020’s Roadcheck were Hours of Service violations. And according to the FMCSA, the most common out-of-service violation for vehicles during 2020 was “lamps inoperable.” That may be why during Roadcheck 2021, CMV inspectors will be placing an extra focus on Hours of Service compliance and lighting.
According to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) which is the driving force behind International Roadcheck, COVID-19 safety protocols will be observed during inspections. Additionally trucks carrying COVID-19 vaccine shipments will not be stopped for inspection as part of the program “unless there is an obvious serious violation that is an imminent hazard.”
For more information on the Roadcheck program, you can visit the CVSA website.
Source: truckinginfo, fleetowner, freightwaves
I hope that part of their focus on lighting is making sure these idiots remove those damn light bars and learn how to use a damn dimmer switch!!!😡
Exactly I can’t believe those bars are even legal they are blinding and very dangerous for incoming traffic they are way too bright and some drivers use them on back roads where are there no divided highways and they are becoming popular even with suvs and pickups
They are not legal. The packaging on them even state that they are not approved for “on-road” use. But, nobody enforces that, or the rules about using high beams in oncoming traffic.
I know right. I have a good mind to hook one up to my trailer and let that light shine on them. My friend received a fix it ticket on his SUV for that reason.
I second that light bar comment
Damn!
Your dang right!!!
not just the light bars but those drivers installing LED or Xenon lighting in their halogen headlight assemblies or retrofitting LED headlight assemblies that arent aimed and/or pass legal candle watt power regulations.
There are even manufacturers embossing their LEE headlight assemblies with SAE and DOT on the lens that dont even meet FMVSS 108, with sellers marketing them “DOT approved”. The Congress/NHTSA/DOT doesnt review/examine products and make determinations of approval, manufacturers self certify their products.
I agree, and also trucks that have flashy metal attached to the bottom of their mud flaps. These blind everyone behind when the sun is shining. Awful inconsiderate just to make themselves think they are impressing anyone.
Phillip. A complaint of mine for a long time. Never made any sense to me why another driver, driving toward me would want to blind me with lights and potentially cause a head on collition.
Many trucks have illegal lights.
Take time off during this period and protect your CSA score.
That’s a good idea
Yes, time off is an excellent idea. I have been trying to decide when precisely I’m going to retire and this gives me a new target date. I think 46 yrs behind the wheel is enough.
Amen to that😎👍
You can be pulled over at any moment for a DOT INSP. Don’t need a scale house!!!
Yes, those light bars are ridiculously bright! Should be banned on city roads.
Johnny Jackboot needs to make sure his kids get braces.
Really! part of the pretrip is to check the lights. Not that hard to change a bulb. I see guys out there with half their lights out almost daily. As for the hos violations, look at the eld. They warn you before you get a violation.
Yup everything is solved with a pretrip, nothing fails while in service.
That’s a lie…lights go out, tires blow, bolts break, coolant leaks, hoses burst, breaks can burn, sensors can short…all while in transit Dale
I’m not saying that. What i am saying is that a lot of guys don’t even do a walk around. I see guys everyday that fire em up as soon as they have air they take off. Never rolling the hood,check lights or tires.
So you’ve never had a light burn out while you were driving ? Huh super trucker I guess
extremely rare I see lights out. If half of them are out it is likely they didn’t plug in their power cord properly or the wires are corroded in the inlet.
You dont have to go down that washboard they call a road in front of my house evidently. Just because it worked 3/4 mile ago doesn’t mean it works when I get to pavement
I thought the ELDs were going to end HOS violations.
No it just ended owner ops making a good living.
Right ? I thought the same thing
Oh yes HOS fixes everything!
I love being AG exempt
What is AG exempt and why?
I see a May Vakay.
Heard that!!!
Stay away from the northeastern area you’ll be fine
Do a good post trip inspection and get your defects fixed. Those light bars should be banned. I always thought that there was a limit to brightness of lights. Need to be enforced. And brakes!! Why is anyone driving with brakes out of adjustment?
They aren’t legal, as far as I understand. I’m fairly sure none are rated for on highway use. Most add-on driving lights are “off road use only” as well
Look up FMVSS 108, it will show many lights are allowed on the front and the hight range above roadway. It’s very descriptive for all lighting . I personal wish it would give a maxim allowance for cp, with these new brite a## lights that many install. They may be able to see better but, I’m blinded and couldn’t see an elephant standing in the road dead in front of me! It takes about 2 seconds for your eyes to readjust to the darkness after being influxed by brite light. And yes, their soo proud of them , that they want everyone to see them , so they’ll leave those brite a## lights on high beam!! What the bumb a##es don’t understand , it’s very important that 80k truck really needs to see better than they do, especially on a 2 lane road. I would think it would be a lot safer if both could see!
Damn!
What about these trucks now running around with blue lights? I got a ticket in Texas and New Mexico in 2006 for having blue lights in the back of the cab forcing me to remove them. Drivers are now putting them on the sides and in front. Go figure.
So, how are Hours of Service becoming one of the biggest problems? Seems that bs ELD lie didn’t fix anything.
I’m not saying that. What i am saying is that a lot of guys don’t even do a walk around. I see guys everyday that fire em up as soon as they have air they take off. Never rolling the hood,check lights or tires.
I want DOT to go after the drivers who have changed there head light bulbs from 50 watt on low side 55 watt on high side to 100 watt low side and 110 watt high side. That’s why you see A lot of these trucks burned up on the side of the highway,over load on head light wiring..and the law states max 50 low/ 55 high only, with no more the 4 lights total on front of vehicle. And those who have out of adjusted lights. But they won’t,no money in safety….
Agree about the HID light bars.
I don’t drive at night anymore because of them.
Temporary blindness ?
No thanks.
Also, I drive a 2020 KW.
My normal headlights came from the factory much brighter than I need.
Other drivers are constantly flashing their high beams at me thinking my bright, normal headlights are in high beam, when they’re not.
As a company driver, I can’t modify my truck to make my headlights less bright.
Get a clue people.
I don’t like my super bright headlights, but I can’t change them…
Once again Trucking Reports links do not match the story.
I’m glad they’re doing this. I feel safer already. It’s like a national holiday for truckers. 3 days off with the family what’s not to like about roadcheck. Were even going to cook a Turkey.