The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance's trucking enforcement blitz Roadcheck has come and gone, and Overdrive visited the scales to see where the rubber meets the road.
In addition to on-the-ground reporting -- which found inspectors dinging a Kenworth pulling a trailer one inch over height, a driver who seemed to forget the carrier's pesky last USDOT number, and another who admitted they couldn't read in English -- there are plenty examples around the internet from state enforcement departments sharing Roadcheck fails.
Let's start slow with a couple inspection shots from a usual suspect when it comes to social media shares of some of the worst of the worst -- the Iowa State Patrol Commercial Motor Vehicle Unit:
This one has seen better days. But is it something you'd catch on your pre-trip? Iowa State Patrol
Not exactly a secure load, is it? Iowa State Patrol
"Just trying to get that last mile of the warranty" joked one commenter. Iowa State Patrol
Then, a living, breathing example of why you should check your air lines.
Out in California, another line that couldn't hold air, likewise a pre-trip that didn't hold water.
Shared by the California Highway Patrol's Donner Pass inspection unit at its Facebook page, this image of a frayed hose connection -- "That line going to hold air? Nope!" -- also came with this tried-and-true advice: "Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty when doing your pre-trip inspection, as sometimes it takes a more in-depth examination to catch those defective parts. Be safe out there!"
Finally, from CHP inspectors at Grapevine, a collection of photos inside one botched job securing batteries in a trailer.
"Close the doors and back up," quipped one commenter, and "it looks just fine."
Were this year's Roadcheck fails as spectacular as years past? Check out the 2023 and 2024 editions for coffee cups as wheel end covers and Mike's Harder Mango making an unwelcome appearance as a codriver.
[Related: Get dinged during Roadcheck? Here's how to correct inspectors' mistakes]
