CVSA Roadcheck 2025: Compliance & Safety Tips

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance's (CVSA) International Roadcheck returns this year, taking place from May 13-15, 2025. During the annual three-day event, CVSA-certified inspectors conduct compliance enforcement* and provide educational initiatives for the benefit of carriers, vehicles and drivers.¹

Sponsored by the CVSA, the event brings together key organizations like the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators, Transport Canada and the Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation of Mexico.

It's the largest program of its kind, with nearly 15 trucks and motorcoaches inspected, on average, every minute across North America during the three days.¹ 

CVSA Roadcheck focus areas in 2025: Tire safety and false RODS violations

Every year, International Roadcheck places special emphasis on a category of violations–one pertaining to driver compliance and the other to vehicle violations–to bring awareness to particular areas.

The 2025 Roadcheck event focus is on tires and false records of duty (RODS), a log where drivers record their driving activity.²

In announcing the focus areas, the CVSA emphasized how harmful tire failure is to all motorists. Tire failure on the road is also far more expensive and time-consuming compared to properly maintaining them, the agency wrote.

During International Roadcheck, inspectors will check tires’ tread depth and proper inflation. They will also be on the lookout for tire damage, such as air leaks, tread separation, cuts, bulges, sidewall damage and improper repairs.³

The focus on false RODS centers on ensuring drivers are following the hours-of-service regulations that limit driving hours and mandate adequate rest breaks. This helps to ensure commercial motor vehicle drivers get the rest they need, which helps avoid crashes and incidents caused by fatigue, the CVSA says.²

While checking a driver’s RODS for hours-of-service compliance, inspectors will also check for electronic logging device (ELD) tampering, including driving while not logged in, disconnected devices and improper editors. They will also check for ghost drivers (falsely claiming a co-driver is present), improper use of exceptions and recording off-duty time while performing work.³ 

Failure to record, complete or retain the log, or knowingly falsifying logs or other related reports, is not only a driver out-of-service violation, it also makes the driver and/or carrier liable to prosecution, the CVSA emphasized.

The impact of CVSA Roadcheck Inspections: Key violations and statistics

According to the CVSA, more than 48,760 inspections were conducted throughout Canada, Mexico and the U.S in total during last year’s Roadcheck.⁴ During inspections, nearly 1 in 4 vehicles (23%) had out-of-service (OOS) violations. These 9,345 commercial motor vehicles were ordered off the road until the issues were addressed and the vehicles were deemed safe again.

During the roadcheck, the CVSA breaks violations up into several categories, primarily vehicle violations and driver violations.

2024 Top Five Vehicle Out-of-Service Violations in North America
	Vehicle Violation	# of Vehicle OOS Violations	% of Total Vehicle OOS Violations
	Defective Service Brakes	3,387	25.0%
	Tires	2,821	20.8%
	Other Brake Violations	2,486	18.3%
	Lights	1,569	11.6%
	Cargo Securement	1,303	9.6%

2024 Top Five Driver Out-of-Service Violations in North America
	Driver Violation	# of Driver OOS Violations	% of Total Driver OOS Violations
	Hours of Service	870	32.1%
	No Commercial Driver’s License	688	25.4%
	No Medical Card	304	11.2%
	False Logs	297	10.9%
	Suspended Driver’s License/Commercial Driver’s License	138	5.1%

The CVSA breaks inspections down into different levels. Inspections performed during the International Roadcheck include:⁴

• Level I is a 37-step inspection procedure that involves examination of the motor carrier’s and driver’s credentials, record of duty status, the mechanical condition of the vehicle and any hazardous materials/dangerous goods that may be present. This is the most common inspection.
• Level II walk-around is a driver/vehicle inspection that includes items that can be inspected without physically getting under the vehicle.
• Level III is a driver-only inspection that includes examination of the driver’s credentials and documents.
• Level V is a vehicle-only inspection and includes all the vehicle inspection items.

Commercial motor vehicle carriers should be prepared to meet any of these inspections during the International Roadcheck. Vehicles that pass these inspections may earn a decal, a colored sticker featuring the year of the inspection. It is valid for that month and two more months, during which a vehicle will generally not be re-inspected.⁵

Download this free checklist to prepare your staff and drivers for roadside inspections. 

How to prepare for a successful CVSA International Roadcheck 2025

1. First and foremost, make sure your truck drivers always wear their seat belts, and that they always maintain a positive and professional attitude with law enforcement and inspectors.

2. During vehicle safety inspections, enforcement officials will check several systems and components, including:

• Brake systems
• Cargo securement
• Fuel and exhaust systems
• Lighting devices
• Tire, wheel, rim, and hub condition
• Suspension and more

3. Drivers should be prepared to provide the following items to inspectors:

• Valid commercial driver’s license (CDL)
• Valid Federal Medical Examiner's Certificate
• HOS documentation
• Motor carrier registration
• Shipping papers/documentation

4. Drivers should also have at the ready:

• A copy of the company’s insurance certificate on hand
• A copy of the company’s hazardous materials certificate on hand (if applicable)
• A current, up-to-date permit book and skill performance evaluation (SPE) certificate (if applicable) 
• A charged and secure fire extinguisher in the tractor
• The required emergency equipment in the tractor (three reflective triangles)
• Proof of annual inspection for all equipment, including tractor/trailer

5. For hours of service, make sure drivers understand:

• What type of ELD is installed and how to operate it
• How to provide the inspector instructions
• How to display required and requested information

6. Prepare your equipment:

• Keep your vehicle as neat and clean as possible
• Conduct proper and thorough pre-trip vehicle inspection reports

7. Pay particular attention to:

• Tractor protection system components
• Wheels, tires and rims 
• Vehicle lighting
• Brakes
• Cargo securement
• Any observable defects

8. For hazmat situations, make sure that:

• Placards are not damaged or missing and are on all four sides of the vehicle
• A current emergency response guide (ERG) is present in the cab
• Your shipping paper is accurate and contains:
• UN or NA Identification Number
• Proper shipping name
• Hazard class/division
• Packing group

How proactive maintenance can help keep fleets inspection-ready

Staying on top of preventive maintenance can help keep your vehicles out of service bays and ready for any roadcheck event. GPS fleet tracking technology with built-in asset tracking provides advanced engine diagnostics and instant mileage reporting, as well as vehicle service alerts based on distance traveled, hours worked or predetermined dates. This can help you form proactive maintenance plans and only pay for repairs when they’re necessary, while keeping your vehicles in good shape.

The right GPS fleet management system can also help you:

• Control repair costs by identifying small maintenance problems before they become big ones.
• Reduce breakdowns by sending you reminders via text or email when vehicles are due for tire rotations, tune-ups or other preventive maintenance.
• Eliminate mechanic guesswork by providing you with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) that pinpoint specific maintenance issues.

A GPS fleet management system from Verizon Connect can help fleets stay on top of vehicle maintenance. Fleets use GPS fleet tracking technology’s maintenance data to help reduce unexpected costs and boost efficiency with increased up time.

¹ https://www.cvsa.org/programs/international-roadcheck/ 

² https://www.cvsa.org/programs/international-roadcheck/focus-area/ 

³ https://cvsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2025-Roadcheck-Focus-Areas-Flyer.pdf

⁴ https://cvsa.org/news/2024-roadcheck-results/

⁵ https://cvsa.org/wp-content/uploads/NASI-Program-Brochure.pdf

* Verizon Connect does not provide legal advice and shall have no liability whatsoever for any damages that arise from, or are connected with, your use of this blog]. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for legal advice. You should consult your own legal advisors to seek the proper advice with reference to any compliance-related information in this blog.