Truck and bus safety inspectors will be on the job night and day during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s 72-hour International Roadcheck on June 7-9, checking vehicles and their drivers at inspection sites along major highways across North America. In addition, roving patrols will inspect vehicles and drivers traveling other roadways.
“Commercial motor vehicle inspectors work diligently every day to ensure that the commercial vehicles using our highways do so as safely as possible,” says Stephen Keppler, CVSA executive director. “While a significant majority of vehicle operators are highly responsible, conscientious and safe, a few in the minority are less so. CMV inspectors provide a vital service to check driver and vehicle safety fitness to help keep our roads safe and clear from preventable crashes, backups, and a needless loss of lives.”
Since its inception in 1988, the roadside inspections conducted during the annual Roadcheck have numbered more than one million. It also has provided for the distribution of educational literature and safety events to educate industry and the general public about the importance of safe commercial vehicle operations and the roadside inspection program.
With the recent increased attention being made relative to driver hours of service and electronic onboard recorders, this year’s Roadcheck will emphasize checking driver logbooks and underscore to drivers the importance of maintaining their logbooks, taking breaks, preventing fatigue, and driving without distractions. Also, Roadcheck 2011 will include added emphasis on finding carriers of household goods who may be operating under the radar by using improperly marked rental vehicles and/or operating as a property carrier rather than a HHG carrier.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration says it has noticed a disproportionate drop in HHG carrier registrations and believes some HHG carriers are commercially moving household goods either in unmarked rental or leased vehicles or in vans/trailers that are marked but with improper authority. As a result, CVSA inspectors will put a sharper focus on this activity and take any necessary enforcement action.
As with each annual Roadcheck, passenger carrying vehicles also are included in inspections. In light of recent highly-publicized fatal bus crashes, CVSA inspectors will continue their emphasis in 2011 to ensure passenger carriers operate safely.
“Expanding this year’s Roadcheck to include household goods movers, along with trucks and buses, reflects our strong commitment to stepping up commercial vehicle safety enforcement and saving lives on our nation’s roadways,” says Anne Ferro, FMCSA administrator. “We want every commercial motor carrier and driver to embrace safety as their number one priority. Roadcheck drives home this lifesaving message.”
