Integrity Safety Consultants

FAQ

What Is the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) and Why Is It Important?

Ensuring the safety of drivers, vehicles, and those around is an indisputable matter when on the road. Therefore, safety should always be prioritized by fleet managers. Those who violate these safety regulations and fail the inspections have to bear the loss of business as well as are liable to thousands of dollars of fine. From violating hours of service requirements to carrying hazardous materials, there are many instances when you can knowingly or unknowingly not only danger lives but also are at risk of heavy fines of up to $75000.

This makes no sence. The CVSA is an association between law enforcement personnel and transportation companies.

With the alliance, you get to understand both the out of service criteria and the associated penalties for non-compliant inspection(s) Integrity Safety Consultants and the (CVSA) Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance can provide the training you need to support your fleet.

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Understanding Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA)

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance is a non-profit organization made up of various state transportation officials, fleet owners, city authorities, and federal government representatives. CVSA aims to improve vehicle and driver safety through education and guidance to industry leaders, policymakers, and law enforcement officials.

It was formed in 1980 to bring uniformity to commercial motor vehicle enforcement. An MoU was established that outlined out-of-service criteria and minimum inspections that vehicle owners were required to follow. Those who conformed to the newly designed agreement saw few accidents.

The non-government personnel joined in on the alliance in 1982 and began their annual Operation Roadcheck event. The event was meant for the CVSA inspectors to complete a thorough 72-hour roadside inspection. Ever since the beginning of this event, around 1.4 million inspections have been conducted. This alliance even expanded to other countries, such as Mexico and Canada.

Things Fleet Managers Should Know

The fleet managers are mandated to understand the ins and outs of inspections and the out-of-service criteria. They can also relay this information to other drivers.

Carrying Out Of Inspections

Your fleet is certain to undergo a roadside inspection. Therefore, it is important that you are prepared. Approximately 4 million inspections are conducted on commercial motor vehicles in North America to ensure that large trucks operate safely when on the road.

Out-of-Service Criteria

The Out-of-Service criteria is a pass or fail inspection. It identifies the critical defect(s) that force vehicles, cargo, or drivers to be placed out of service until the defects are fixed or the condition improves. Failing a roadside inspection; your vehicle(s), driver or both being placed out of service affects the reputation of your company and your safety rating.

Integrity Safety Consultants can assist you with maintaining your compliance program.