Sr. Industry Business Advisor — J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.
CVSA International Roadcheck is coming May 16-18 with a particular focus on ABS and cargo securement. Here are five tips to prepare for a successful Roadcheck event.
Written by:
Tom Bray
Sr. Industry Business Advisor — J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.
CVSA International Roadcheck is coming May 16-18 with a particular focus on ABS and cargo securement. Ensure your preparation includes every aspect of your operation, from the maintenance shop to safety and human resources. Poor roadside inspections need to be addressed because they have the potential to trigger enforcement activity once your CSA scores start to trend upward.
Here are five tips and resources to help your organization prepare for a successful Roadcheck event.
This will require a training and communications focus on ABS and securement. Ensure drivers understand the "key on ABS check" and have them call in immediately if they have an active ABS malfunction light. Cargo is to be secured against movement (in all four directions) using vehicle structures (walls, doors, etc.), dunnage, blocking and bracing, shoring bars or straps, or tie-downs. Open deck drivers must consider weight and length requirements when determining the proper number of tie-downs, and tie-downs must be in good condition and edge-protected when necessary.
Verify that all periodic inspections (normally annual) are current; that scheduled maintenance has been performed; and that technicians are doing visual inspections of the ABS components (sensors, wires, control units, modulators, etc.) and the key-on check during maintenance activities. Many of the violations discovered by enforcement are ones that drivers will not spot (brakes out of adjustment, inadequate friction material on the brakes, etc.).
Check DQ files and make sure drivers have the following:
Managing driver qualification requires conducting annual reviews of the drivers' MVRs and tracking expiration dates on DQ items (license, medical card, training, etc.). If you don’t already have one, automate your monitoring and recordkeeping with a fleet management system. Download the free DQ Inventory Worksheet for a checklist of requirements.
Remind drivers:
Prepare your drivers and staff for a successful Roadcheck 2023 with J. J. Keller's FREE guide, DOT Roadside Inspections — A Guide to the Driver Inspection Process. It contains valuable tips you can use to ensure your drivers are prepared for the enforcement interview, document verification, duty status records review (paper logs, time records, and ELDs), review of DVIRs, and annual inspection check.
If you haven’t already, review your last 6-12 months of roadside violations and ensure you’ve dealt with drivers and vehicles with roadside inspection violations. This requires internal records be audited and that you are tracking roadside inspection results and data. If you need help figuring out where to start, download the FREE whitepaper, DOT Roadside Inspections Data: A Methodology to Drive Improvement, for expert guidance and a formula that can help you uncover your most critical issues.
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