We all know the truckers who conveniently take off the week of the CVSA inspections for their vacation. As soon as those dates are posted, they plan to get off the road.
We’d like to ask – what are you afraid of? Don’t think you can pass the inspection?
Then you’ve got problems.
So let’s talk about it in advance so you have time to take care of your rig.
Annual CVSA Inspections
If you’re in North America – Canada, USA, or Mexico – the annual inspections are scheduled for May 14-16, 2024. For those 3 days, trucks will be directed into various inspection locations to have their rigs examined. According to the CVSA website, the Level 1 Inspection covers a lot of details.
Level I – North American Standard Inspection
An inspection that includes examination of driver’s license; Medical Examiner’s Certificate and Skill Performance Evaluation (SPE) Certificate (if applicable); alcohol and drugs; driver’s record of duty status, as required; hours of service; seat belt; vehicle inspection report(s) (if applicable); brake systems; cargo securement; coupling devices; driveline/driveshaft; exhaust systems; frames; fuel systems; lighting devices (headlamps, tail lamps, stop lamps, turn signals and lamps/flags on projecting loads); steering mechanisms; suspensions; tires; van and open-top trailer bodies; wheels, rims and hubs; windshield wipers; buses, motorcoaches, passenger vans or other passenger-carrying vehicles – emergency exits, electrical cables and systems in engine and battery compartments, seating, HM/DG and specification cargo tank requirements, as applicable. HM/DG required inspection items will only be inspected by certified HM/DG and cargo tank inspectors, as applicable.
https://www.cvsa.org/inspections/all-inspection-levels/
Truck inspections include checking the driver, too. This year’s focus is split between checking for drivers who shouldn’t be on the road because of drug or alcohol abuse and examining the the tractor protection valve, trailer supply valve, and anti-bleed back valve.
How to Pass the Inspection?
Just like any test in school, the key to passing a test is knowing what the test will cover and preparing accordingly. CVSA offers options including their app or a PDF of their CVSA Out Of Service Criteria materials.
Once you know what the inspection covers, you can check your equipment. Is it in prime condition? Or is your rig one of those we’d rather not get stuck behind because your rig one mile from failing?
The key to pass the CVSA is preparation and managing your maintenance.
We are required to maintain our rigs – and the records of the maintenance done on them. When we have a system that tracks how and when we handle the maintenance tasks, this job gets a lot easier.
Schedule Your Maintenance Off the Road
When we get work done on our rigs, we know it’s better – easier and cheaper – to get it done on our terms, not on what we’re forced to pay because we’re on the road. Rather than lose a load because the brakes go out, regular brake maintenance is cheaper and better at home.
That’s true about all maintenance. So how do we make sure that we can get it done at home?
Schedule it.
Look, my dad was the kind of guy who waited until 1 minute before something went wrong on his car to fix it. He just didn’t know when that 1 minute was. Which was why I was driving his car home from Florida one year and a belt broke – a belt that should have been replaced a few thousand – ok , 10,000 miles earlier. I appreciate that sometimes it pays off. But delaying maintenance tasks for the very last minute isn’t cost effective in the long run, when you consider the costs of an on-the-road emergency repair.
There are lots of ways to determine when you need to schedule your truck maintenance tasks. Some go by miles. Some go by time. Either way, getting a maintenance schedule is smart.
Use TruckingOffice PRO to schedule your maintenance and you’ll pass your CVSA inspection.
How can I claim that?
Because you’ll know when work needs to be done.
Pass Your CVSA Inspection by being prepared.
Who can afford all those repairs and maintenance tasks at one time?
Pretty much no one. But you can schedule your repairs out and stretch out those expenses. By keeping your rig in its best condition, you’ll pass that inspection.
So take the time now to get your rig in shape. Don’t wait for May to get your rig ready. Do it now!
Recent Comments