This is what they’re looking for in enforcement blitz

Yet another nationwide enforcement blitz looms.

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s previously-postponed Roadcheck 2020 is this week. From Wednesday, Sept. 9 through Friday, Sept. 11, law enforcement officers in the U.S., Canada and Mexico will conduct commercial motor vehicle and driver inspections at weigh or inspection stations, at designated fixed locations, or as part of mobile patrols.

This year’s focus is on the driver requirements component of a roadside inspection. Among other things, CVSA says officers will look for:

• Driver’s license or commercial driver’s license (class, endorsements and restrictions)
• Medical Examiner’s Certificate and Skill Performance Evaluation Certificate, if applicable
• Record of duty status, if applicable, and any supporting documents
• Illegal presence of alcohol, drugs, weapons, or other contraband
• Illness, fatigue, or other signs of impairment
• Seat belt usage and condition
• Evidence of periodic inspection
• Driver’s daily vehicle inspection report, if applicable
• Carrier identification and status (USDOT/NSC Number, or jurisdictional equivalent)
• Operating authority, if applicable
• Vehicle registration(s)
• Proof of insurance
• Fuel tax permits, if applicable
• Shipping papers/bills of lading
• Special permits, if applicable  Certificate for Mexico-domiciled motor carriers, if applicable

CVSA adds the top 10 driver-related violations found during inspections include:

1. Failure to use a seat belt while operating a commercial motor vehicle
2. Record of duty status violation (general/form and manner)
3. Operating a property-carrying vehicle without a valid medical certificate
4. False report of record of duty status
5. Operating a commercial motor vehicle without a CDL
6. ELD – No record of duty status (ELD is required)
7. No medical certificate in driver’s possession
8. Driver’s record of duty status not current
9. Driver failed to maintain supply of blank records of duty status graph grids
10. Driver failed to maintain ELD instruction sheet

During last year’s Roadcheck, which was held June 4,5, and 6, some 67,072 inspections were conducted in the U.S. and Canada. During the three-day blitz, 12,019 vehicles were removed from roadways and 2,784 drivers were placed out of service for driver-related violations. A third of those driver violations were for hours of service violations and another almost 15% were for false logs.