Trucking and Coronavirus: Roadside Inspections Impacted

The Latest for Trucking and Coronavirus: International Roadcheck Delayed

The novel Coronavirus is continuing its spread across the United States, with nationwide cases experiencing a surge up to 85,000 according to CBS News — surpassing the number of cases in any other country, including Italy and China.

With trucking deemed an essential industry by the Department of Homeland Security, trucks and drivers continue to be part of the crucial system keeping panicked Americans stocked in masks, hand sanitizer, paper products including toilet paper, and food.

The declaration of a national emergency by President Trump and first-time lift of the hours-of-service standards last week was a clear indication of the busy road ahead for truckers, and we're seeing another unprecedented announcement this week with the delay of the annual International Roadcheck by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA).

What a Safety Blitz Delay Means for Truckers

Also known as a "safety blitz," the International Roadcheck is typically a stressful and heavily-dreaded time for truckers. During a 72-hour period, usually scheduled for early summer, at least 13,000 inspectors pull over truck drivers across North America and assess them and their vehicles for the key points of safety laws for commercial drivers. Each year, the safety blitz has a different focus, with this year's being Driver Requirements.

This is the first time that the annual safety blitz has been postponed since it was first established in 1988. According to the CVSA, 2019 alone saw 3.36 million inspections with 944,794 driver violations discovered. Of these violations, 195,545 were taken out of service. The delay of this year's safety blitz illustrates the necessity of the 3.5 million professional truckers on the road right now and can help drivers breathe a little easier during a time when truck stops and restaurants are closed across the country.

We Remain Open for Business

Safety blitz or no safety blitz, truckers have to keep on truckin' right now. Trucks and drivers need support to stay moving now more than ever, and being an "essential" business is a distinction that we take seriously.

Our parts distribution centers remain open and operational at our standard business hours and capacity. We're dedicated to proactively ensuring the health and safety of not only our operations team as they continue to report to our parts distribution centers, but also to the rest of our team as they support our customers remotely.

We're here for you every step of the way and every member of our team remains dedicated to keeping America's trucks moving. Let's do this together.