Are You Ready for CVSA's 2025 Roadcheck?
May 13–15, 2025, marks an important event for commercial drivers across North America: The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) International Roadcheck. This inspection is already underway and is critical to ensure drivers are upholding legal standards.
Each year, the CVSA emphasizes specific areas to improve road safety and compliance. For 2025, inspectors will be zeroing in on two components:
- Vehicle Tires
- Hours of Service and False Record of Duty Status
So, before your wheels hit the highway this week, make sure you’ve checked the following:
Are Your Tires Trouble?
Tires are a critical safety component on a commercial vehicle. A single failure can not only take a rig off the road but also create serious safety hazards for everyone around you. For this year’s Roadcheck, inspectors will be checking closely for:
- Low tread depth
- Audible air leaks
- Flat tires
- Damage – such as to the belt material or having exposed casing ply in the sidewall or tread
- Sidewall bulges or tread separation
- Improper repairs – such as plugs in the sidewall
- Debris – such as items lodged between dual tires
Hours of Service: Stay Legit, Stay Legal
Technology has made tracking duty status easier for both drivers and inspectors. CVSA inspectors will be checking your Electronic Logging Device and your Record of Duty Status for the following red flags:
- Tampering with Electronic Logging Device – this includes driving when not logged in, disconnecting the device, and making unauthorized edits.
- Ghost drivers – falsely listing a co-driver.
- Misusing personal conveyance special driving category
- Improper use of exceptions – “adverse driving conditions” that aren’t clearly justified.
- Off-duty time misuse – logging off-duty while working for a carrier or doing other work is noncompliant.
Quick Tip: Double-check your logs daily. If you're unsure whether something is compliant, it’s better to ask your safety manager than risk a citation or out-of-service order.
Why This Matters
This inspection over the next 72 hours isn’t just a formality — it’s an opportunity to clean up safety standards across the board. Violations put lives at risk and can also result in fines, out-of-service orders, and a drop in your CSA score.
Whether you’re an owner-operator or part of a large fleet, taking a few extra minutes to double-check your equipment and logs can make all the difference.
Final Thoughts: Stay Above Board and Ready
The CVSA Roadcheck is a chance for every driver to show that safety isn’t just a policy — it’s a priority. Use this week as an opportunity to sharpen your practices, educate new drivers, and reinforce the importance of compliance across your operation.
Safe travels and keep those wheels turning — legally and safely!
