There are less than two weeks until Roadcheck 2018. Let's break down what it is and why you should be prepared for it.
What is Roadcheck?
Roadcheck is an annual inspection blitz run by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), which operates under the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). During Roadcheck, commercial motor vehicle inspectors throughout North America will conduct inspections of commercial motor vehicles and drivers. This year’s focus is on hours-of-service compliance. Their focus on HOS compliance goes hand in hand with the electronic logging devices mandate (ELDs), in which violations became enforceable on April 1st, 2018.
When is Roadcheck 2018 happening?
Technically, Roadcheck 2018 will occur on Tuesday, June 5th through Thursday, June 7th. However these inspections tend to affect the entire week.
Why should I care about Roadcheck?
Each year, the DOT conducts inspections of commercial motor vehicles and drivers throughout North America in order to promote highway safety compliance with all commercial vehicles. With that in mind, many carriers either shut down entirely or run limited equipment during this time period to lessen the risk of receiving violations. This makes capacity during this time frame considerably worse than normal and tends to cause an increase in rates. Please keep this in mind, as these actions are out of our hands.
What you can do to prepare!
- Communicate. Keep your carriers informed of expected shipment volume during this week.
- Plan Ahead. Consider moving shipments up a week, or delaying them a week if possible. This will help avoid the challenges faced during this particular week and the added pressure on rates.
- Be flexible. Whether it be with pick-up and delivery dates, appointment times, transit, scheduling, or other requirements, providing flexibility will increase the likelihood of securing capacity for your shipments.
Links to other information regarding Roadcheck:
https://cvsa.org/news-entry/2018-roadcheck/
https://blog.bigroad.com/blog/international-roadcheck-2018
