ROADCHECK IS LESS THAN 2 WEEKS AWAY.
If you missed CCJ's AMA with CVSA Inspection Specialist Jeremy Disbrow, click below to receive a recorded version. We received almost 300 questions and this 60 minutes could be a powerful tool in getting and keeping your trucks compliant.
Truck and trailer violations aren't the only culprits that will get a commercial truck parked with a violation, hours of service violations, mismanagement of a log book and use and/or possession of controlled substances are top driver violations annually.
Last month, CCJ polled its readers asking what they thought the average percentage was of drivers placed out-of-service with driver violations. Over the last three years, that's been roughly 6%, but 55% of polled readers thought it was 11% or more. So drivers are doing a better job than what a lot of people in this industry think they're doing.
Yes, a roadside inspection can be frustrating because the truck's not rolling and the load isn't getting where it needs to go, but Disbrow's first piece of advice for a driver is to simply relax.
"I know an inspection can be an intimidating process, I think all inspectors understand that. And just like drivers, some inspectors could be more friendly than others, some are a little un-so-friendly. But my suggestion, I guess, starting off, would try to be courteous and try to understand that the inspector's doing their job, just like the driver's doing their job," he said. "I can tell you, if a driver's prepared and they're cooperative, it goes a long way toward a pleasant interaction. So I'll be honest with you, 99% of the drivers I dealt with on the side of the road, we had great interactions. We were usually pleasant with each other. Heck, sometimes, I couldn't get them or myself to stop talking. We'd sit there and chit-chat until I realized, "Hey, I got a job to do, and so do you, so let's get out of here." So it doesn't have to be a negative thing by any means."
