Inspector's Corner: The Importance of Well-Informed Roadside Decisions

By Ofc. Jared Koester, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit, Fort Worth (Texas) Police Department; North American Inspectors Championship Jimmy K. Ammons Grand Champion

Have you ever heard a driver say, “Well, if that's a violation, why didn't the last inspector say anything about it?” or “Every time I get stopped, y’all tell me something different”? For me, that is one of the most common complaints I hear from drivers. I've entertained many conversations with drivers regarding this topic, and the general consensus I get is frustration with the lack of uniformity and thoroughness from one inspector to the next.

Maybe you’re the first inspector to document an equipment violation that has likely existed and gone undocumented by previous inspectors (as shown by previous inspection reports). Or you’re the first inspector to instruct the driver to disconnect the gladhands during the tractor protection system test because previous inspectors have skipped that step of the inspection procedures. These are just two scenarios that can undermine a driver‘s confidence in us as enforcement officials. The effectiveness of any inspection hinges on accuracy, and completing accurate inspections is an essential step toward preventing crashes, enhancing public trust and confidence, and promoting fairness within the industry.

Like many other professions, commercial motor vehicle (CMV) enforcement involves volumes of regulations and policies that seem to change constantly. As individuals, there is no way a single person can possibly know every regulation, policy or interpretation. Yes, we all need to have an in-depth knowledge of the material, but we must also remember that we have resources available to help.

Whether it’s taking the extra few minutes to review Operational Policy 14 before stacking multiple violations on an inspection report that should only be listed once or re-reading the out-of-service (OOS) criteria before placing a driver/vehicle OOS to ensure it’s actually an OOS violation, we owe it to the drivers, industry and each other to make sure we are doing our part to enhance roadside inspection uniformity. Drivers and carriers should not feel like they receive completely different inspections depending on who stops them or that being placed OOS is up to the opinion of the individual inspector.

Our job is to gather as much information as possible to make the most well-informed decisions we can. I can’t tell you how often I have encountered a situation that, despite my research, has left me questioning whether I was missing or misinterpreting something. Instead of just citing the violation and waiting to see if a DataQ comes in, I do not hesitate to reach out to other inspectors for guidance. These may be colleagues in my department, another regional agency or even CVSA staff, but one way or another, we should be able to point to a current regulation or policy that backs up every violation we cite. I believe it is our responsibility to ensure the violations we cite are accurate in the first place instead of letting the driver/carrier submit a DataQ if we are wrong.

If you’re reading this article, you are probably familiar with CVSA and the extensive combined effort between the Alliance, enforcement officials, federal governing bodies and industry personnel to standardize the inspection procedures and policies that should be followed during enforcement. You may also know of other inspectors in your state or region who are not as aware of or familiar with CVSA or the timely changes to the OOS criteria, operational policies and inspection bulletins.

If you know such a person, take a moment to educate them; show them how to access up-to-date information via online resources. We expect drivers and carriers to be timely and compliant with these changes the day they go into effect, so we, as enforcement professionals, should expect each other to do the same.

The hard work CMV enforcement officers do every day plays an essential role in ensuring the safety, efficiency and fairness of the transportation industry. The daily inspection reports we do have a much further reach beyond just the roadside encounter. An incorrect violation can lead to fines, operational restrictions, higher insurance premiums, loss of contracts, etc. – not to mention a missed OOS violation can inadvertently allow a dangerous vehicle/driver to continue traveling the roadways, potentially leading to a crash.

In conclusion, I can’t stress enough the responsibility we have to make sure we are all doing our part – and doing it correctly – to enhance the uniformity, accuracy and thoroughness of the CMV inspections that we do every day. Let us continue learning and improving each and every day. Learn from those around you. Reach out for help when you need it. Take care of each other. And make sure everyone goes home at the end of the day.