How Can You Prepare for and Pass Roadside Inspections?

Roadside inspections are part of every commercial truck driver's life. While inspections help ensure that trucks are operating safely and in compliance with regulations, unexpected roadside safety checks make unprepared drivers anxious. 

How can you prepare for and pass roadside inspections? We'd like to share truck inspection tips that can help drivers be more comfortable through preparation for passing vehicle inspections.

FMCA Filings provides these roadside inspection tips to help you avoid fines and delays by preparing to pass roadside inspections. We are your go-to solution for all FMCSA filings and compliance, including united carrier registration and other forms.

How Roadside Inspections Work

Law enforcement officials conduct vehicle compliance checks to ensure commercial vehicles and drivers comply with the safety standards and regulations set forth by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). 

The FMCSA sanctions three levels of roadside inspections:

• Level 1. A level 1 inspection is the most thorough. Inspectors check the vehicle's brake system, suspension, steering, and other components. Inspectors examine the driver's documentation carefully to make compliance determinations. 
•  Level 2. This inspection also examines the driver's documents and includes a walk-around visual inspection of the vehicle. The walk-around looks for problems with tires, wheels, signals, and lights.
• Level 3. This inspection focuses on driver documentation and compliance. Inspectors will examine a driver's CDL, medical certificate, and all required permits.

A substantial number of roadside inspections result in at least one out-of-service (OOS) violation. When an inspector issues an OOS violation, the driver may not resume driving until resolving the cited issue. 

In addition to the delays an OOS violation causes, they go onto a carrier's FMCSA Compliance, Safety, and Accountability (CSA) report for 24 months. Carriers with high CSA scores are more likely to face federal safety and compliance audits.

Inspection Preparation Guide

Using a simple checklist to remember basic preparation for inspections is the best insurance against inspection problems. 

Regular Pre-Trip Inspections

Establish a routine for conducting thorough pre-trip inspections. Develop a checklist that includes substantial checks of critical systems, including brakes, tires, lights, and steering.

Redundancy is a vital part of comprehensive safety checks. There is significant value in spending the effort on having a separate person double-check major safety issues before every trip to help ensure thorough coverage. 

Document Management

Drivers should have a central and dedicated space for organizing essential documents. CDLs, medical examiner certificates, permits, and insurance documents should be easy to access and not mixed in with other documents. A binder or folder helps keep these essential inspection documents at hand.

This is another area where redundancy pays dividends. Take the time to have independent checks by someone other than the driver to make sure their documents binder or folder is in order.

Vehicle Maintenance

Adhere closely to a solid regular maintenance schedule for all vehicles and on-road equipment. Especially keep a firm schedule for the most inspected items like lighting, air lines, and fifth-wheel attachments. 

Of course, inspection preparation is not the only reason to keep vehicles well-maintained. Carriers who invest in reliable and professional maintenance typically enjoy a significant return on that investment.

How Can You Prepare for and Pass Roadside Inspections? Practical Inspection Tips for Drivers

Here are some simple tips for drivers about how to handle a roadside inspection.

Present Documents as Organized

Assuming all driver documents are in their binder or folder, present the entire package to inspectors at the beginning of the process. This speeds the process up and is more likely to make the inspection run more smoothly.

Remember to keep hazmat paperwork on top of the organized documents and tabbed for fast identification and inspection. When a driver is outside the vehicle, hazmat paperwork should be placed in a door patch.

Professionalism

Drivers should be mindful of the importance of their attitude. Even though an inspection is a hassle that costs time, a polite and respectful approach minimizes the inconvenience. Showing frustration or being argumentative with an inspector who is doing their job will only make the entire process more difficult.

Cleanliness and Orderliness

The way a driver's cab looks makes a direct impression on inspectors. Especially make sure that safety equipment like fire extinguishers and emergency triangles is easily accessible and visible.

A tidy cab area is less likely to induce an inspector to conduct an exhaustive inspection. On the other hand, a messy and disordered cab invites digging around, which prolongs inspections and increases the risk of citations.

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