CVSA Roadcheck 2026: More than 10,300 vehicles placed out of service

The results are in.

A total of 54,575 inspections of commercial motor vehicles and drivers were conducted during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) International Roadcheck 2026, held May 12-14. The three-day inspection blitz is conducted across the U.S., Canada and Mexico each year.

Since the CVSA began International Roadcheck in 1988, more than 1.8 million roadside inspections have been conducted during the annual three-day event. This year, CVSA says, about 13 vehicles were inspected per minute during the inspection blitz.

According to numbers released by the CVSA, during this year’s event, certified commercial motor vehicle inspectors conducted 54,575 inspections of commercial motor drivers and vehicles across North America.

Here’s the good news:

Most of the vehicles (81%) and drivers (94.2%) inspected during the event did not have any out-of-service (OOS) violations.

In the U.S. and Canada, vehicles that pass muster are given a CVSA decal to indicate a “clean bill of health.” During this year’s Roadcheck, 17,680 decals were awarded:

• Power units: 11,880

• Trailers: 5,751

• Buses: 49

And here’s the bad news:

A total of 10,350 commercial motor vehicles (19%) and 3,184 drivers (5.8%) were cited for violations that warranted them being placed OOS.

A commercial motor vehicle and/or driver is placed out of service when an inspector finds a violation that is serious enough to make continued operation unsafe. The vehicle/driver must remain off the road until the violation has been addressed or brought into compliance.

Inspection types

During International Roadcheck, inspections were conducted in four categories, with the following results:

Level I

• Total inspections: 31,241

• Number of OOS vehicles: 7,752 (24.8%)

• Number of OOS drivers: 1,639 (5.2%)

Level II

• Total inspections: 11,502

• Number of OOS vehicles: 2,549 (22.2%)

• Number of OOS drivers: 857 (7.5%)

Level III

• Total inspections: 10,528

• Number of OOS vehicles: N/A

• Number of OOS drivers: 688 (6.5%)

Level V

• Total inspections: 1,304

• Number of OOS vehicles: 49 (3.8%)

• Number of OOS drivers: N/A

Top vehicle violations

Combined in all three countries, the most common violation has been for brake systems, with 3,379 violations reported. Other OOS violations included tires, 20% defective brakes, cargo securement and lights:

• Brake systems: 3,379 OOS violations (24.3%)

• Tires: 2,914 OOS violations (20.9%)

• 20% defective brakes: 2,072 OOS violations (14.9%)

• Cargo securement: 1,724 OOS violations (12.4%)

• Lights: 1,659 OOS violations (11.9%)

Top driver violations

Across North America, the No. 1 driver OOS violation was for not having a current medical card. English proficiency also made the Top 5 list, along with hours of service, no CDL, hours of service and false records of duty status.

No. 5    False records of duty status: 255 violations (6.7%)

No. 4    English proficiency: 361 violations (9.1%)

No. 3    No CDL: 620 violations (15.6%)

No. 2    Hours of service: 929 violations (23.4%)

No. 1    No medical card: 1,072 violations (27%)

Bruce Guthrie

Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.