The CVSA Roadcheck program is set for June 2^nd to 4^th this year. As in past years, this annual 72 hour inspection blitz is the largest in the world, and specifically targets enforcement efforts on commercial vehicles in North America. It brings together forces from the United States (CVSA, FMCSA, and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration), Canada (Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators and Transport Canada), and Mexico (the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation).

This year, enforcement will be focused on documentation. In particular, officers will be checking medical certificates during roadside inspections. Recent changes to the regulation on medical certificates (which we covered in our post, How to Prepare for a DOT Medical Exam) have some drivers questioning whether it is necessary to carry their medical cards with them. While drivers medical certificates should in theory be documented by the appropriate licensing agency, there might be some issues accessing the correct and accurate information out in the field. So, it is advised that all drivers still carry their medical certificate with them, to be safe and avoid any issues or potential out of service orders.

Another piece of documentation that may be checked this year is the MCS-150 biennial report. This FMCSA registration process requires that companies define the type of business operation (Motor Carrier, Broker, Shipper, Freight Forwarder and/or Cargo Tank Facility) that they plan to establish. FMCSA’s responsibilities include monitoring and enforcing compliance with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) and the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) governing both safety and financial responsibility. The FMCSA requires all entities under its jurisdiction to update their information every two years. You are required to provide this update every two years even if your company has not changed its information, has ceased interstate operations since the last update, or is no longer in business and you did not notify FMCSA.

Failure to complete a Biennial Update will result in deactivation of your USDOT number and may result in civil penalties of up to $1,000 per day, not to exceed $10,000. So, make sure you have completed and updated this report! Updating the information is free; for more information and to update your MCS-150, visit http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/updating-your-registration

Check back closer to the June date for part 2 in the series!