The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) has urged federal regulators to revise a rule regarding the obligation for motor carriers to submit inspection reports back to the issuing agency once all violations have been rectified.
Under the current provision, outlined in 49 Code of Federal Regulations Part 396.9(d)(3), motor carriers and intermodal equipment providers must return inspection reports to the issuing agency within 15 days of issuance, confirming that all necessary repairs have been completed. Additionally, carriers and equipment providers are mandated to retain a copy of the report at their main place of business or where the vehicle is stored for a duration of 12 months from the inspection date.
CVSA has also suggested that FMCSA add that whichever agency issues the inspection report “has the option to require the motor carrier or intermodal equipment provider to return the completed roadside inspection form to the issuing agency as indicated on the form within 15 days following the date of the inspection.”
CVSA has petitioned the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to eliminate the requirement for reports to be sent back and instead only mandate carriers to maintain the reports for 12 months.
This request comes in light of FMCSA data indicating that in 2023, jurisdictions issued a total of 2,937,535 inspection reports, with 1,666,282 of them containing at least one violation, necessitating motor carriers to sign and return these reports. Following a request from the North Carolina State Highway Police, CVSA initiated the petition to FMCSA.
“While the regulations require the motor carrier sign and return the inspection report, there is no corresponding requirement that the issuing agency do anything with the returned form,” CVSA said. “As such, the majority of jurisdictions simply file the forms away or dispose of them, without taking any additional action that would benefit or improve safety.”
CVSA argues that the necessity to return inspection reports is outdated and redundant, particularly considering that state jurisdictions have access to the Query Central system, enabling them to review past inspections.
However, CVSA emphasizes its willingness to allow jurisdictions to retain the option to mandate the return of reports, as some may utilize the forms as a tool to identify motor carriers in need of further intervention.
Source: Commercial Carrier Journal
