CVSA’s 2026 International Roadcheck runs May 12–14. In 72 hours, inspectors across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico will average 15 inspections per minute. This year, they’re going after two things: falsified and tampered ELD records, and improperly secured cargo. Here’s what it means for drivers, for our fleet, and for your freight.
ELDs were built to bring transparency to driving time — but falsification and manipulation have become a significant and growing problem. In 2025, falsification of Records of Duty Status was the second most-cited driver violation across all of North America, and five of the top ten driver violations were HOS or ELD-related. CVSA isn’t just flagging a trend — they’re targeting it directly.
Inspectors are trained to spot manipulation — not just malfunctions. They’re looking for records that are suspiciously clean, driving time that doesn’t match GPS or fuel data, and devices that show signs of being disconnected or bypassed.
- Driving while not logged in — unassigned driving time will be cross-referenced against fuel receipts, tolls, and GPS pings
- Disconnecting the device — gaps in ELD data are a red flag, not a loophole
- Editing entries without required notation — all edits must be preserved with a reason; edits with no record are a violation
- “Too perfect” logs — inspectors are trained to flag logs with no minor corrections, which suggest data was scrubbed rather than kept accurately
- Device proficiency — drivers must be able to operate their ELD and transfer log data to the inspector on demand; inability to do so is itself a violation
Improperly secured cargo causes vehicles to handle unpredictably, and falling or shifting loads create life-threatening road hazards. In 2025, over 18,000 violations involved unsecured cargo falling, leaking, or spilling — and another 16,000 were issued for unsecured vehicle components like dunnage, tarps, and spare tires. Inspectors will check every tie-down, every attachment point, and every piece of equipment on the trailer.
- Minimum tie-down count: 1 per 10 ft of cargo length, minimum 2 total
- Aggregate working load limit must be at least 50% of cargo weight
- All chains, straps, and binders must be serviceable — no cuts, fraying, broken hooks, or worn fittings
- Dunnage, tarps, blocks, spare tires, pallet jacks, and all loose equipment must be secured — not just the load itself
- Flatbed freight must be positioned against a front-end structure or have additional forward-movement tie-downs
- Cargo must be re-inspected within 50 miles of loading, then every 150 miles or 3 hours
Roadcheck creates real supply chain disruption for shippers. Inspection delays, unexpected out-of-service events, and tightening capacity can turn a routine delivery into a missed appointment. Here’s what your customers need to know — and what you should be doing proactively.
- Communicate before May 12. Send a brief heads-up to customers with time-sensitive freight. Acknowledge the blitz, explain what you’re doing to mitigate risk, and set realistic expectations. Customers who hear it from you first trust you more.
- Carrier vetting is your leverage. Booking with carriers that have clean SMS scores and no recent HOS or ELD violations is the best protection against a load getting stranded mid-route.
- Build buffer into transit estimates. A Level I inspection adds 45–90 minutes per stop. Any load with a hard delivery window should have that factored in before the truck rolls.
- Watch for spot rate spikes. If OOS events pull trucks from available capacity mid-week, spot rates will follow. Customers with open freight should be prepared for elevated pricing May 12–14.
- Track loads actively. If a driver goes quiet near a weigh station, follow up immediately. Proactive communication beats a missed appointment call from an angry receiver.
With ELD tampering as the driver focus, every member of the fleet needs to understand not just that their logs must be accurate — but that inspectors are trained to find manipulation. Clean, honest records are the only defense.
- Audit the last 8 days of ELD logs for every active driver — look for unassigned driving time, unexplained gaps, or edits made without required notation
- Verify every driver can operate their ELD and transfer log data to an inspector on demand — this is a tested skill, not an assumption
- Check HOS status for every driver before dispatch — no driver should roll this week close to their 11-hour, 14-hour, or 70/60-hour limits
- Confirm all Medical Examiner’s Certificates are current and on file
- Walk every trailer for cargo securement before dispatch — count tie-downs, check WLL, inspect all straps, chains, and binders for wear or damage
- Secure all loose equipment — dunnage, tarps, spare tires, tools — not just the primary freight
- Check brakes, lights, and coupling devices on all active power units and trailers
- Brief every driver: what a Level I inspection covers, what to expect at a weigh station, and who to call if placed OOS
When the brokerage books freight on the asset fleet, alignment between both sides is critical. A fleet truck placed OOS creates a double failure: the broker scrambles for a replacement while managing a frustrated customer, and the fleet’s CSA score takes a hit that shows up on every carrier profile check for the next 24 months.
- The fleet’s safety record is the brokerage’s credibility. When you tell a shipper you hold your own trucks to the highest standard, your inspection history backs that up — or it doesn’t.
- Use the fleet as a recovery option. If a third-party carrier gets placed OOS mid-load this week, having fleet assets available to recover freight is a differentiator no pure broker can match.
- Share real-time corridor intelligence. When fleet drivers report heavy inspection activity on specific routes, the brokerage team should know immediately to adjust customer expectations on active loads.
- A clean Roadcheck is a story worth telling. When the blitz ends, if the fleet came through with zero OOS events — use it. It demonstrates the standard you hold your brokered carriers to.
