The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) (shown at left) is a non-profit organization of federal, state, and provincial government agencies and representatives from private industry in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, dedicated to improving commercial vehicle safety. The Alliance serves as the major focal point for bringing together state/provincial officials with truck/bus industry interest and federal governments in a unique discussion and problem solving interchange. They set the levels of inspections, which currently include:
NOTE: The North American Standard Inspection procedure is recommended for use by drivers, mechanics, and any other person responsible for inspecting tractor/trailer combinations or passenger-carrying vehicles (e.g. buses, motor coaches).
LEVEL I: North American Standard Inspection. An inspection that includes examination of driver’s license; medical examiner’s certificate and waiver (if applicable); alcohol and drugs; driver’s record of duty status as required; hours of service; seat belt; vehicle inspection report(s) (if applicable); brake systems; coupling devices; exhaust systems; frames; fuel systems; lighting devices (headlamps, tail lamps, stop lamps, turn signals and lamps/flags on projecting loads); securement of cargo; steering mechanisms; suspensions; tires; van and open-top trailer bodies; wheels, rims and hubs; windshield wipers; emergency exits and/or electrical cables and systems in engine and battery compartments (buses), and HM requirements as applicable. HM required inspection items will be inspected by certified HM inspectors.
Note: DOT requires that carriers obtain copies of roadside inspections from drivers. You must keep copies of these inspections on file for 12 months.
LEVEL II: Walk-Around Driver/Vehicle Inspection. An examination that includes each of the items specified under the North American Standard Inspection. As a minimum, Level II inspections must include examination of: driver’s license; medical examiner’s certificate and waiver (if applicable); alcohol and drugs; driver’s record of duty status as required; hours of service; seat belt; vehicle inspection report(s) (if applicable); brake systems; coupling devices; exhaust systems; frames; fuel systems; lighting devices (headlamps, tail lamps, stop lamps, turn signals and lamps/flags on projecting loads); securement of cargo; steering mechanisms; suspensions; tires; van and open-top trailer bodies; wheels, rims and hubs; windshield wipers; emergency exits and/or electrical cables and systems in engine and battery compartments (buses), and HM requirements as applicable. HM required inspection items will be inspected by certified HM inspectors. It is contemplated that the walk-around driver/vehicle inspection will include only those items that can be inspected without physically getting under the vehicle.
LEVEL III: Driver/Credential Inspection. A roadside examination of the driver’s license; medical certification and waiver (if applicable); driver’s record of duty status as required; hours of service; seat belt, vehicle inspection report; and HM requirements, as applicable.
LEVEL IV: Special Inspection. Inspections under this heading typically include a one-time examination of a particular item. These examinations are normally made in support of a study or to verify or refute a suspected trend.
LEVEL V: Vehicle Only Inspection. An inspection that includes each of the vehicle inspection items specified under the North American Standard Inspection (Level I), without a driver present, conducted at any location.
