Because nothing ruins your week like a DOT officer, a bald tire, and a bogus logbook all showing up at the same time.
📅 Roadcheck 2025: May 13–15 — Mark It or Miss It
Every year, the CVSA (Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance) rolls out a 72-hour, no-nonsense inspection extravaganza called International Roadcheck—and 2025 is no exception.
From May 13 through May 15, enforcement teams will be setting up shop across North America, inspecting trucks, trailers, and drivers with the kind of precision that makes a micrometer look lazy.
If your first instinct is to avoid weigh stations or cross your fingers at rest areas—this article is for you.
Here’s the hard truth: Roadcheck is not the time to hope your fleet is “probably good.” It’s the time to be absolutely sure you’re in the clear. Otherwise, your equipment—and your reputation—could end up out of service, sidelined, or slapped with citations that hurt more than just your CSA score.
🎯 Focus Areas: The 2025 Edition
Every Roadcheck has a theme, and this year’s spotlight is shining on two areas where fleets tend to cut corners:
🛞 Tire Health: No More Rolling on Prayers
Tires are where your fleet quite literally meets the road—and they’re consistently one of the top five out-of-service violations every year.
Here’s what inspectors are looking for:
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Underinflated or flat tires
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Audible air leaks
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Tread depth below legal minimums
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Sidewall damage (bulges, cuts, or exposed cords)
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Improper or unsafe repairs
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Objects stuck between duals
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Visible separation of tread or sidewalls
The kicker? Most tire violations are completely preventable. But in the real world, things get missed. Walkarounds get rushed. Drivers report issues, and sometimes, those reports don’t go anywhere.
According to CVSA’s Jeremy Disbrow:
“We find motor carriers push their drivers or maybe don’t have a safety mindset. We’re trying to change that mindset at the top and hope it works its way down.”
There’s also a little leeway this year: if your vehicle is equipped with an Automatic Tire Inflation System (ATIS) that keeps tire pressure stable despite a leak, you might avoid being placed out of service—but you’ll still get cited. So don’t count on ATIS to do what your team should’ve done already.
📜 Fake Logs & Creative Logging Tricks
The second focus is on false Records of Duty Status (RODS)—aka logbook lies.
Even with ELDs (Electronic Logging Devices) mandated across the industry, some drivers (and even companies) are still trying to game the system.
Inspectors are now trained to look for:
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Disconnected or tampered ELDs
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Ghost co-drivers (fake login accounts)
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Logging off-duty while performing work
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Abusing personal conveyance or adverse weather exceptions
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Out-of-sequence data or mileage gaps
Disbrow warns:
“It doesn’t mean the log is definitely falsified, but those are red flags we dig into.”
If inspectors catch these patterns, the driver may be pulled out of service, and if it smells like carrier-level fraud, you could be looking at federal action. No one wants to explain to FMCSA why their logbook looks like a bad Netflix script.
🔍 What the Inspection Looks Like
During Roadcheck, most inspections will be Level I North American Standard Inspections—a thorough, 37-step deep-dive into both the driver and the vehicle.
Driver portion includes:
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CDL and Medical Certificate
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Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse review
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Hours of Service
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ELD transfer and review
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Seatbelt use and general fitness for duty
Vehicle portion includes:
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Tires
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Brakes
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Lights
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Coupling and suspension systems
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Fuel system integrity
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Load securement
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Emergency equipment
If you pass clean? You earn that CVSA decal—valid for three months and often seen as a fast pass at future inspections. Miss something critical? Say hello to downtime and damage control.
🧠 How Winning Fleets Think (And What Yours Should Be Doing Right Now)
If you want to come out of Roadcheck 2025 without citations, delays, or CSA score hits, it takes more than luck and duct tape. It takes strategic preparation, a strong safety culture, and relentless follow-through.
Here’s what the best-in-class fleets are doing—and what you should start applying immediately:
✅ 1. Compliance Isn’t Seasonal—It’s Systematic
Winning fleets don’t panic in May. Their compliance isn’t built on a deadline—it’s built into the DNA of their operations.
That means:
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Preventive maintenance programs that aren’t just documents—they’re daily habits
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Driver inspections that are real, not routine
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Safety meetings that teach—not just preach
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Compliance software that tracks issues in real-time
Roadcheck doesn’t have to be a scramble if your systems are solid year-round.
✅ 2. Data-Driven Safety = Fewer Surprises
Top fleets use data like a GPS—they know where they’ve been, where they’re going, and where they’ll get stuck if they don’t act fast.
Start tracking:
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ELD behavior and logbook anomalies
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Trends in DVIRs
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Maintenance issues by vehicle or terminal
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Repeated violations and who they’re tied to
Don’t manage safety by gut feeling. Let your data guide you.
✅ 3. Train Your Drivers Like It Actually Matters
It’s one thing to hand drivers a checklist. It’s another to equip them to spot and solve problems.
Smart fleets invest in:
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Tire and equipment inspection training
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Real-life ELD violation case studies
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Step-by-step inspection simulations
And once the training ends? They reinforce it through coaching, recognition, and accountability.
✅ 4. Internal Mock Inspections Are a Game Changer
Want to find issues before the DOT does? Run your own inspections. Seriously.
Mock inspections:
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Expose weak points before they become fines
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Help drivers get comfortable with the real process
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Make safety feel like a team effort, not a punishment
Pro tip: gamify it. Reward clean inspections with shoutouts or prizes. Train the behavior you want to see.
✅ 5. Leadership Drives the Standard
Let’s be real—if your leadership team rolls its eyes at compliance, that attitude trickles down fast. But if your leaders walk the walk, your fleet will too.
Ask yourself:
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Do your supervisors reinforce safety daily?
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Are your drivers afraid to report problems?
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Is there a culture of “get it done” or “get it done right”?
Culture shows up at weigh stations. Lead like it matters.
🏁 Roadcheck Is a Snapshot—Your Culture Is the Movie
Roadcheck 2025 will come and go in 72 hours. But what it reveals about your fleet? That sticks around all year.
You don’t need to fear inspections when your operation is built to withstand scrutiny every single day. Build your programs. Train your people. Audit your systems. And stop treating compliance like it’s optional.
Your drivers, your business, and your reputation are all on the line. Do it right, and Roadcheck won’t be something you survive—it’ll be something you ace.
💬 Why This All Matters (More Than Ever)
This isn’t about decals or data—it’s about proving that your fleet isn’t just running—it’s running right.
When your safety culture is proactive, Roadcheck becomes a non-event. But if your plan is to “hope for the best,” you’ll be parking trucks, cutting checks, and wondering where it all went sideways.
You’ve still got time. The question is: Will you use it?
💡 5 Action Steps to Get Your Fleet Ready
✔️ Inspect Your Tires Today – Don’t wait. Get out there and look.
✔️ Audit Your ELD Logs – Look for tampering, gaps, and inconsistencies.
✔️ Run a Mock Inspection – Simulate the real thing before DOT does it for you.
✔️ Talk to Your Team – Let them know what’s coming and how they can win.
✔️ Partner With Experts – If you’re unsure, bring in someone who knows the ropes.
🔧 Need Backup? Eclipse DOT Has Your Back
At Eclipse DOT, we don’t just help fleets “get through” Roadcheck—we help them build systems so they never have to worry about it again.
We’ll help you:
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Run internal mock inspections
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Audit driver logs and DVIRs
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Coach teams on ELD use and roadside behavior
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Build a maintenance plan that works
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Shift your safety mindset from reactive to bulletproof
👉 Book your FREE Micro Audit today at EclipseDOT.com
Let’s get your fleet tuned up and ready to roll.
🎯 Final Thoughts: Lead with Safety. Win with Consistency.
Roadcheck 2025 is coming. Whether it becomes a badge of honor—or a total disaster—is entirely up to you.
✅ Choose preparation
✅ Choose leadership
✅ Choose systems that work every day, not just three days in May
Because at Eclipse DOT, we believe this:
The fleets that stay ready never have to get ready.
Gain exclusive access to our CDL & DOT Compliance articles with a trial at DOTDocs.com. And don’t forget to claim your FREE micro audit at THE ECLIPSE DOT MICRO AUDIT. Ready for seamless operations? Discover the difference today!