International Roadcheck 2026…Are you ready for it?

It’s that time of year again, where winter starts to melt away bringing forth spring flowers, warmer weather, the excitement of opening day at your favorite ballpark and for us trucking enthusiasts, International Roadcheck.

Program Overview:

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) has announced this year’s annual International Roadcheck blitz will be conducted May 12^th-14^th, 2026 across the U.S, Mexico and Canada. During this 72 hour targeted inspection event, law enforcement personnel will primarily conduct Level 1 Inspections, a 37 Point Check, in an effort to emphasize the importance of roadway safety. These in depth inspections are meant to address both the mechanical fitness of the commercial motor vehicle (CMV) and confirm the driver’s operational credentials. Any vehicle or driver found to not be within state, federal, provincial or territorial regulatory compliance will be placed Out of Service.

Out of Service inspections can negatively impact a Motor Carrier’s CSA scores, can result in significant fines and penalties, and can lead to missed or delayed deliveries and unhappy customers.

During the 2025 Roadcheck blitz more than 56,000 inspections were conducted with 10,148  CMV’s being placed Out of Service (18.1%) and 3,342 drivers being sidelined (5.9%).

If a driver receives a clean inspection, a CVSA decal will be provided, signifying that the vehicle passed a qualifying inspection with no critical issues. The CVSA decal may be valid for up to 3 months and will reduce the chances of another inspection during this timeframe.  The 2025 Roadcheck blitz saw more than 16,500 CVSA decals being handed out.

Each year the CVSA places special emphasis on a Driver Violation Category and a Vehicle Violation Category. This year’s targeted Categories are as follows:

Driver Category: ELD Tampering, Falsification or Manipulation – This will entail a review of the drivers Record of Duty Status (RODS) and will address any inaccuracies within the data, which may result from a lack of understanding of the federal regulations and exemptions.

Vehicle Category: Proper Cargo Securement – Enforcement officers will identify if the load is properly secured, per FMCSA regulations and that it does not pose a significant risk to motorists.

To ensure that your drivers and equipment are in the best position to receive a CVSA decal, read on for best strategies to prepare:

• Instill the importance of consistent Pre-Trip and Post-Trip Inspections (Run a fleet-wide Inspection Audit to identify and address gaps)
• Participate in a regular Vehicle Maintenance Program
• Conduct internal audits leading up to the blitz
• Ensure ELD’s are functioning properly and drivers can readily display accurate logs
• Host a company-wide driver meeting with a focus on:

1. 1. Document Preparedness – Provide a Checklist of items that the drivers should have organized and on hand
   2. Inspection Procedures – Provide a comprehensive Checklist of what a Level 1 Inspection entails
   3. Best Practices – Be patient and professional with enforcement officers, follow all instructions, and present a clean truck

 

Ensure that your company is exemplifying these behaviors throughout the year, in order to build a strong safety culture amongst your entire team, so that blitz week does not impact your business.

International Roadcheck 2026 is just a few short weeks away…Are you ready for it?

For additional information, please reference the CVSA Website at https://cvsa.org/news/2026-roadcheck/