With the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) annual International Roadcheck starting today, time is running out to check your vehicle maintenance, driver files, and FMCSA hours-of-service compliance. The 72-hour enforcement event occurs through Thursday, May 14, 2026.
Keep in mind that Roadcheck inspections are meant to evaluate truck parts and DOT compliance, which you should already check and maintain regularly. Failing an inspection will result in time off the road and money lost for your company. To help you avoid violations, expensive fines, and potential out-of-service (OOS) orders, we'll answer the following questions to make sure you are prepared for this year’s event:
If you’ve been through a Roadcheck inspection before, you probably know what to expect by now. But if this is your first one, it’s even more important to take note of all the elements you should be checking and get to know the different CVSA inspection levels. Most roadside inspections are Level One inspections, which involve a 37-step process of checking all areas of the tractor and trailer, along with important driver paperwork.
Most of the truck parts that will be inspected during a Level One inspection include:
You can learn more about all the CVSA North American inspection levels here.
Drivers should check most of these elements during their pre-trip inspection before they get behind the wheel.
Over 3,300 out-of-service brake violations and over 2,800 tire violations were cited during Roadcheck 2025 inspections — don't let your fleet be a part of them this year!
As a helpful side note, drivers should also make sure their trucks are neat and clean before the enforcement event begins! A DOT officer is more likely to look closely for potential violations when they see that the truck has been neglected.
To be prepared for Roadcheck 2026, you will need to make sure your drivers have the appropriate DOT compliance documentation. Inspectors will closely analyze driver operating credentials and requirements, such as whether they have a valid CDL and an updated medical certificate.
A few of the documents your drivers should have ready are:
Your drivers having these documents in their possession is just as important as ensuring their trucks and trailers are in order. If your drivers don’t have them with them during the inspection, or any of them are expired, they may be placed out of service.
A DOT compliance software solution can easily manage these documents for you by automatically tracking expiration dates and incomplete driver files. It will also alert you to missing documents and outdated medical cards.
During Roadcheck 2025, over 32% of driver violations were due to hours of service (HOS) issues. This is surprising considering the ELD records your HOS information automatically, and the rules are readily available to any CMV driver. Learning about how specific HOS rules apply to you and if you qualify for any HOS exemptions can help you steer clear of these DOT compliance violations yourself.
Foley has numerous resources to help you brush up on FMCSA hours-of-service compliance:
We also advise you to make sure your ELDs are working properly (and not just during Roadcheck). If they're not, you’ll need to report a malfunctioning device and have a copy of the user manual, instruction sheet, and a supply of blank “records of duty” sheets for your drivers to use in each vehicle.
Once your driver's inspection is completed, they will find out if they/their CMV passed or failed. If they passed, this means the officer did not find any critical violations, and they will receive a CVSA decal to display on their CMV.
If they fail, this means critical violations were found, and their vehicle will be placed out of service until you can prove the issues have been resolved. Their freight will be left at the inspection site until you arrange for another driver to pick it up and complete the route.
More than 56,000 inspections were conducted throughout North America during last year’s International Roadcheck, and the CVSA inspection levels varied. The top vehicle violations cited braking systems, tires, lights, and cargo securement. Hours of service issues, revoked licenses, false logs, and lack of medical cards were the top driver violations cited.
Make sure your DOT compliance files are ready to pass the scrutiny of a roadside inspection. Feeling unprepared? Talk to a Foley compliance consultant now to avoid violations during (and after) Roadcheck inspections.