How are drivers and vehicles selected for inspections?
There are several reasons a driver and vehicle are selected for a roadside inspection, including:
- Traffic violation: The driver is pulled over for a traffic infraction and then inspected.
- Visible vehicle violation: An officer at a facility or on patrol sees a vehicle defect and stops the driver for an inspection.
- Inspection selection system (ISS) score and recommendation: The ISS is a tool that officers can use when selecting who to inspect. A carrier’s ISS score and recommendation are based on the carrier’s Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) scores. If a carrier has a Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Category (BASIC) score over a predetermined threshold, the carrier will not have a “Pass” recommendation and will have an “Optional” or “Inspect” recommendation. Carriers with an “Optional” or “Inspect” recommendation in the ISS will see more roadside inspections.
- Post-crash: Following a serious crash involving a commercial vehicle, many jurisdictions require a roadside inspection. Pre-existing and post-crash violations will be separated on the report.
- Random selection: There is a random component to being selected. However, the situations noted above are more common reasons for an inspection.