Preparing for Roadcheck 2025

on Monday, May 12, 2025 in Company News

May 13-15 is the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) International Roadcheck, an annual enforcement initiative that takes place every May in the US, Canada, and Mexico. It’s an important way that the CVSA ensures drivers and carriers are following safety regulations. Read on to learn more about Roadcheck, this year’s focus areas, and how TMC has prepared our drivers for inspections.

What is Roadcheck?

During Roadcheck, law enforcement personnel conduct a “blitz” of inspections of commercial motor vehicles and drivers at weigh stations and temporary checkpoints, as well as through mobile patrols.

And these inspections are not just a formality. In 2024’s Roadcheck, commercial motor vehicle enforcement personnel in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. conducted 48,761 inspections, discovered 16,444 out-of-service violations, and placed 9345 vehicles and 2290 drivers out of service.

What do Roadcheck inspections cover?

Inspectors will conduct the North American Standard Level I Inspection, a 37-step procedure that covers both the driver and the vehicle. Each year, Roadcheck places special emphasis on one vehicle focus area and one driver focus area. In 2025, the areas of focus are the driver’s record of duty status (RODS) and the vehicle’s tires.

Record of Duty Status (RODS)

This Roadcheck focus area relates to drivers’ hours of service in a given day or week. The DOT regulates driving hours and breaks, to prevent commercial drivers from operating vehicles while fatigued. Keeping track of hours driven and duty status in a Record of Duty Status is an important part of a driver’s job.  

While checking a driver’s RODS for hours-of-service compliance during Roadcheck, inspectors will also check for:

• Tampering with the electronic logging device, including driving while not logged in, disconnected devices, and improper edits
• Claiming a co-driver when there is no co-driver present
• Improperly using the personal conveyance special driving category
• Improperly using exceptions, including adverse driving conditions
• Recording off-duty time while performing work

In a video message released through TMC’s company-wide Safety: That’s My Culture campaign, Josh Perry, Senior Vice President of Safety, had some advice for drivers about this focus area. “We need to do good, thorough trip planning,” he said. “In particular, if you’re split logging, double-check your hours to make sure you have that completed break of two hours or more and you’re not leaving a few minutes early, cutting the break short, and ending up with an hours of service violation.”

Tires

Tires—and tire maintenance—are an important part of safety on the road. Tire failure can cause serious road hazards and lead to expensive repairs. That’s why CVSA adopted this focus area for 2025. During Roadcheck, inspectors will check tires for:

• Low tread depth 
• Audible air leaks
• Flat tires
• Belt material or casing ply exposed in the tread or sidewall
• Tread or sidewall separation
• Bulges in the sidewall
• Improper repairs, such as rubber-coated plugs in the sidewall
• Items lodged between dual tires

Josh’s advice for drivers about this focus area is simple: “If you don’t have a tread depth gauge or a tire pressure gauge, pick one up and use it.” He also notes that drivers should always use their pre-trip inspections and load checks to make sure their tires are in good shape. “Check for any debris, cuts, peeling, whatever on your tires,” he says.

Keeping safety in mind—every day

TMC drivers take safety seriously on every trip, and Josh notes that Roadcheck is a time for TMC drivers to do the same things they always do. “Make sure you’re watching your speed and wearing your seat belt properly, cell phones are put away out of reach, and you’re focusing on operating the vehicle safely down the road,” he says.

Our commitment to safety is a cornerstone of TMC’s culture—during every week of the year. We’re proud to be part of an industry that demonstrates the importance of safety through important yearly initiatives like Roadcheck.