You’ll often hear truckers throwing around terms like “Level I Inspection” or saying something like “He gave me a Level III.” But many truckers don’t know what the various levels of inspections are or what is involved when an officer performs them. The CVSA (Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance) is an international organization. It is made up of motor carrier safety officials at local, state and Federal levels as well as trucking industry representatives in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Generally, drivers need only concern themselves with Level I, Level II, Level III, and Level VI inspections.

Here is a quick, concise guide to CVSA inspection levels.
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Officers are performing full CVSA Level 1 inspections at the north bound Canoa Rest Area on I 19 at km 53. This means that both paperwork and vehicle inspections are under way. The good news is that if you get an inspection and pass, you’ll get a CVSA inspection sticker which will let officers at other locations know that your vehicle has recently passed an inspection and does not need to be inspected for a while. Thanks to Russ M for letting us know about this Weigh Station Alert!

If you know anyone who would like to receive Weigh Station Alerts, please help get the word out. And, as always, if you see increased weigh station or inspection activity, keep us informed! CONTACT US!

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) is out in force this coming week to promote brake safety in their Operation Air Brake campaign.

If your brakes are out of adjustment, we suggest you have them adjusted (or, better yet, learn how to adjust them yourself). If you are unsure, we suggest you have them checked. Not only is it unsafe to travel with brakes that are not properly adjusted, but, this coming week, it could cost you time and money!

Officers will be performing Level IV commercial vehicle inspections at an increased level during Operation Air Brake. The emphasis of the inspections is on the air brake systems, which means that officers will be taking a close look at your brakes.
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Tags: Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, CVSA, Operation Air Brake, Commercial Vehicle Inspections

The Sloan Weigh Station located just south of Las Vegas, Nevada, on I 15 near mile marker 25 is open today.

Truckers are being pulled in today and officers are performing inspections. Some trucks are just rolling through. Others are being told to park it and being subjected to vehicle and/or paperwork inspections. This information is accurate as of 9:30 am Las Vegas time. The Sloan Scale is rarely open, but when it is, officers make the most of their time.

Thanks to Russellmania for the heads up!

If you know anyone who would like to receive Weigh Station Alerts, please help get the word out. And, as always, if you see increased weigh station or inspection activity, keep us informed! CONTACT US!

There is no official language in the United States. But, for truckers, understanding the English language is a requirement. Some states do allow parts of the commercial driver’s license examination to be taken in a language other than English, but all applicants for a commercial driver’s license are required to be able to communicate in English. Period.

With all the talk about Mexican truckers coming over the border, this requirement to be able to communicate in English could come to the forefront of trucking news in the near future. But French-speaking truckers from Canada, Arabic-speaking truckers from the Middle East and Polish-speaking truckers from Europe (as well as those from other European countries who speak a variety of languages) have also had to comply with the English-speaking requirement.
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Tags: Commercial Driver’s License Examination, Commercial Driver’s License, Mexican Truckers, Trucking News, French-speaking Truckers, Arabic-speaking Truckers, Polish-speaking Truckers

The 2290 Heavy Higway Vehicle Use Tax is a $550 federal excise tax that must be paid on all vehicles that weigh 55,000 lbs or more and operate on public highways. The reporting period is from July 1st in any given year to June 30 the next year. The tax bill that is currently due is for the reporting period of July 1st, 2008, through June 30, 2009. If the vehicle will not put on more than 5,000 miles in the coming year (or, if it is agricultural, if it won’t put on more than 7,500 miles in the year), the $550 payment isn’t required, but you still must file form 2290.
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Fuel theft has always been a concern in the trucking industry. But with average fuel prices on the verge of breaking the $5 per gallon mark, it’s becoming an epidemic. High fuel prices are putting a squeeze on truckers, and some of them are getting desperate. Some are considering stealing fuel from other drivers for use in their own trucks. Others are considering stealing fuel in order to sell it to truckers who want to pay less. Either way, truck owners are getting nervous about the go-go juice.
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Tags: Fuel Theft, Trucking Industry, Fuel Prices, High Fuel Prices, Truckers

Road side inspections are expected through 3 pm today.

The Washington Beltway Weigh Station is often open to weigh trucks and perform inspection, but, today, officers are pulling trucks over for road side inspections. Some inspections will be performed on the shoulder of the freeway, other inspections will be performed at the weigh station or other nearby location- officers will escort the truck to the inspection location.

This is valid for trucks traveling north or south bound on I 95 or trucks traveling I 495. Don’t be surprised to see disco lights behind you today and be prepared for various levels of inspections. Thanks to Lee J. for the heads up!

If you’d like to receive Weigh Station Alert’s via email, sign up for the Coops News newsletter. Newsletter recipients also receive Weigh Station Alerts in their email inbox (make sure you add us to your “safe” list so we don’t get filtered into your junk mail folder!

Don’t let drivers tell you this scale is never open- because it’s open today! Officers are performing inspections and weighing trucks at the weigh station south of Las Vegas, Nevada- near Sloan, NV. Trucks are backed out onto the road from time to time. If you don’t want to go over the scales when they’re active, you can park at the rest area or the Casino in Jean, Nevada, or at the casino in Primm, Nevada, at the California border. Thanks to Russ M. for the heads up!

If you’d like to receive Weigh Station Alert’s via email, sign up for the Coops News newsletter. Newsletter recipients also receive Weigh Station Alerts in their email inbox (make sure you add us to your “safe” list so we don’t get filtered into your junk mail folder!

The State of New Mexico is cracking down on drivers- and, this time, it’s not just truckers they’re after! The 100 Days and Nights of Summer campaign is an effort by the State of New Mexico Department of Transportation and New Mexico State Police to reduce auto fatalities by 25 percent in 2008. According to New Mexico DOT, summertime is the deadliest time of the year on New Mexico roads.

The focus of the 100 Day blitz are DWI, seat belt use and reckless driving. The bottom line: slow down, buckle up and don’t drink and drive. This is one DOT blitz truckers ought to be happy about!
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Tags: State Of New Mexico, 100 Days And Nights Of Summer, New Mexico Department Of Transportation, New Mexico State Police, Auto Fatalities, New Mexico, 100 Day Blitz, DWI, Seat Belt Use, Reckless Driving