In just a few months, commercial vehicle inspectors across North America will begin conducting roadside inspections at a rapid pace. They’ll be examining nearly 15 commercial motor vehicles every minute for three consecutive days.
The effort is part of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) International Roadcheck, the largest targeted enforcement initiative for commercial motor vehicles in the world.
The 2026 Roadcheck will take place May 12–14, and motor carriers across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico should begin preparing now. During the 72-hour event, enforcement officers conduct thousands of inspections that evaluate both driver compliance and vehicle mechanical condition.
For motor carriers, Roadcheck serves as a reminder that the rules inspectors enforce during the event are the same ones that apply every day on the road. With the inspection campaign now 10 weeks away, this is the time to make sure drivers and equipment are fully prepared for roadside inspections.
This Year’s Roadcheck Focus Areas
Each year, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) highlights one driver violation category and one vehicle violation category during the International Roadcheck inspection campaign.
For 2026, the focus areas are:
- Driver focus: Electronic Logging Device (ELD) tampering, falsification, or manipulation
- Vehicle focus: Cargo securement
During inspections, enforcement officers will pay particular attention to the integrity of drivers’ records of duty status (RODS) and ELD data. Inspectors may review logs for signs of inaccurate entries, manipulated records, concealed driving time, or edits that lack proper annotation.
The emphasis on log accuracy reflects broader enforcement trends. In 2025, falsification of record of duty status was the second most-cited violation in Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) roadside inspection data, with 58,382 violations. Five of the top 10 driver violations were related to hours-of-service requirements or ELD use.
On the vehicle side, inspectors will evaluate whether cargo is properly secured to prevent shifting, falling, leaking, or spilling during transport. Improper cargo securement can affect vehicle stability and create serious hazards for other motorists. FMCSA roadside inspection data shows how common these issues remain. In 2025, more than 34,000 cargo securement violations were issued for unsecured cargo and unsecured vehicle components or dunnage.
Roadcheck Inspections Cover More Than the Focus Areas
While the annual focus areas receive additional attention, they represent only part of what inspectors evaluate during International Roadcheck.
Most inspections conducted during the event are North American Standard Level I Inspections, a comprehensive 37-step inspection process that examines both driver compliance and vehicle mechanical fitness.
The driver portion of the inspection may include verification of:
- CDL status, endorsements, and license validity
- Medical examiner’s certificate
- Hours-of-service records and ELD compliance
- Seat belt use
- Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse status in the U.S.
- Signs of alcohol or drug impairment
The vehicle portion of the inspection covers critical safety components such as brakes, tires, lighting systems, steering mechanisms, suspension, coupling devices, and cargo securement.
If inspectors identify serious violations, they may issue out-of-service (OOS) orders that prevent the driver or vehicle from operating until the issue is corrected.
What the 2025 Roadcheck Results Tell Us
Results from the 2025 International Roadcheck illustrate how frequently inspectors still encounter compliance issues across the industry.
During the three-day enforcement initiative:
- 56,178 inspections were conducted across North America
- 10,148 vehicles and 3,342 drivers were placed out of service
- The vehicle out-of-service rate was 18.1%
- The driver out-of-service rate was 5.9%
Brake system violations, tire issues, lighting problems, and cargo securement failures were among the most common vehicle violations identified during inspections.
On the driver side, the most common out-of-service violations involved hours-of-service violations, missing or invalid CDLs, missing medical certificates, and falsified logs.
Many of these issues are administrative and preventable with consistent compliance oversight.
Preparation Should Start Now
Although International Roadcheck lasts only three days, the consequences of violations can extend well beyond the inspection itself. Out-of-service orders can disrupt schedules, delay shipments, and create costly operational interruptions.
With Roadcheck only 10 weeks away, carriers should begin reviewing driver qualification files, confirming medical certifications and CDL status, auditing ELD records, and ensuring vehicles and cargo securement equipment are inspection-ready.
If your team has questions about preparing for Roadcheck or wants help reviewing driver and vehicle compliance before the inspection campaign begins, US Compliance Services can help. Our compliance specialists work with motor carriers and owner-operators to identify gaps, strengthen documentation, and ensure drivers and equipment are ready for roadside inspections. Contact us today to get started.
With May 12–14 approaching quickly, now is the time to make sure everything is in order.
