May 14, 2023
9:15 AM
It's HERE! This year's Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) Roadside Inspection days are this week. (Honestly, you just need to be prepared for the blitz all week.) The CVSA dates are May 16th-May 18th.
The 2023 focus will be on the following:
Anti-Lock Braking Systems (ABS)
Cargo Securement
What does this mean for Owners?
Be sure that your trucks are road ready.
Be sure that you have your drivers conduct a full walk around on the commercial unit.
Be sure to correct any errors that the drivers find prior to putting the commercial motor vehicle (CMV) on the road.
Audit your driver's logs to be sure the ELD is correct and fresh for the week.
Ensure that if your driver is driving within the 150-air-mile radius, you have DVIR books within the truck for pre & post-trip inspection.
What does this mean for Drivers?
Ensure that you are conducting full pre/post trips daily and throughout the day (A lot can change from the yard to the dock.)
Complete your DVIRs during your pre/post trips.
Ensure that you record your DVIR on your electronic log device (ELD).
Climb under the truck to listen for air leaks and fluid leakage.
Check hub oil seals for oil leakage. Also, ensure that they are clean.
Do not speed or drive in the left-hand lane (In most states). We don't want to give them a reason to pull you over!
**If you are pulled over for an inspection, listen to the officer and be polite. We don't need anything extra to occur.**
Story Time
You all know that I am very transparent and I use these journal opportunities to share and educate.
First, my driver wasn't even supposed to go out on Saturday (May 13th), but because he had to get his clutch adjusted, he wasn't able to drop the load. So, he wakes up early Saturday morning to complete the load.
You know what happened 5 exits from the drop, DOT Inspection. (Please note that just because CVSA has noted specific days, inspections will be all week.) Now, we knew that we were okay because literally 3 weeks ago, the same truck was pulled over for an inspection and we just had to get minor repairs: the windshield washer reservoir had a small leak, a tag light, and a shortage in the trailer light wiring. FIXED! So I'm literally waiting for the call for the driver to tell me that I owe him $100 for passing the inspection and our sticker.
Instead, I get a text: No good! I'm like "WHAT?!"- really confused. I'll let you read the text:
So, the DOT officer climbed under the truck and called another state trooper over to help him find a small air leak. (It's raining ☔️ ya and he is climbing under my truck & asked for assistance from another state trooper. And he asked my driver did he have a rain jacket 😫.)
You know he went crazy from there... Oh, your brakes aren't equal to or greater than 20%, and one (1) hub seal leaking- Out of Service!
Here's the kicker- He gives my driver a phone number to a mechanic for "Roadside Assistance". "Roadside Assistance" says, "I'm 15 minutes away, I'll be right there." He arrives:
"Roadside Assistance": "I'm not hurting my back to fix this. This can't be done on the side of
the road." (After we already explained to him what needed to be fixed over the phone.)
Driver: "Do you have a shop nearby?"
"Roadside Assistance": "No, I don't have a shop, I just do roadside."
"Roadside Assistance": "Here, call this tow truck company to get you towed out of here. I
normally charge for coming out, but I'm not today. I'll be sitting right here."
After I was over the whole situation, "Roadside Assistance" called my phone three (3) times, for what, I don't know because he didn't get an answer and took pictures of my truck. Of course we didn't use the suggested tow company, but you get the gist of what was occurring.
I'm never worried or scared of DOT because they literally tell you what to go get fixed on your truck. Most of what they look over isn't expensive to get fixed- I just didn't like this particular situation because... well you heard the story.
The only other time one of my trucks was put out of service was because the officer stated that one hose was frayed. We keep an extra hose in the truck and my driver asked if he could change it and of course she said "No". That's the ____ I don't like.
For some of these officers, these inspections are literally an, "I got you", rather than ensuring that the vehicles are safe on the road. Hell, I see some cars that shouldn't be on the road, where are their inspections 😂.
Moral of the Story: If they want to, they can always find something. 🤣. No, but seriously, check your trucks before going out & don't argue with them. If you really feel like they aren't fairly inspecting your truck, challenge your CSA score. You can also correct items listed on the inspection report and get your own inspection. Don't say that I never told you anything!
Happy Inspection Week!
Signing Off,
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