International Roadcheck 2026 Results: 13,500 Put Out of Service

International Roadcheck Finds Brake and CDL Problems

Commercial vehicle inspectors recorded more than 13,500 vehicle and driver out-of-service placements during the 2026 International Roadcheck.

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance released the results on August 25. Inspectors placed 10,350 commercial vehicles and 3,184 drivers out of service during the three-day operation.

Those figures represent vehicle and driver placements, not necessarily 13,534 separate inspections. A single inspection could result in both the vehicle and its driver being placed out of service.

The results also showed that most vehicles and drivers passed without a critical violation. However, brake problems, missing medical cards, hours-of-service violations, and licensing issues remained common reasons for out-of-service orders.

International Roadcheck Covered More Than 54,000 Inspections

The 2026 International Roadcheck took place May 12-14 across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Certified inspectors completed 54,575 inspections of commercial vehicles and drivers.

According to CVSA, 81% of the vehicles and 94.2% of the drivers inspected had no out-of-service violations.

A vehicle or driver is placed out of service when an inspector finds a violation serious enough to make continued operation unsafe. The vehicle or driver cannot continue operating until the problem is corrected or compliance is restored.

Inspectors conducted several types of inspections during the operation. These included comprehensive Level I inspections, walk-around Level II inspections, driver-only Level III inspections, and vehicle-only Level V inspections.

The Level I inspection was the most common. Inspectors completed 31,241 of these inspections. Level I is a 37-step inspection covering the driver’s credentials, operating requirements, and the vehicle’s mechanical condition.

Nearly one-quarter of the vehicles receiving a Level I inspection were placed out of service.

Brake Problems Led Vehicle Violations

Inspectors completed 44,047 inspections that included a vehicle examination. They found 13,924 vehicle out-of-service violations and placed 10,350 vehicles or vehicle combinations out of service.

One vehicle can receive more than one violation during an inspection.

Brake systems were the leading vehicle out-of-service category across North America. Inspectors recorded 3,379 brake system violations. These represented 24.3% of all vehicle out-of-service violations.

Another 2,072 violations involved the 20% defective brake rule. This applies when at least 20% of the brakes on a vehicle or combination have an out-of-service condition.

Combined, the two brake categories produced 5,451 violations. That represented 39.1% of all vehicle out-of-service violations recorded during International Roadcheck.

Tires ranked second with 2,914 violations. Cargo securement ranked fourth with 1,724 violations, followed by lighting problems with 1,659.

U.S. Inspectors Recorded Nearly 12,000 Vehicle Violations

Inspectors in the United States reported 11,952 vehicle out-of-service violations.

Brake systems were the leading U.S. category, with 2,816 violations. Tires followed with 2,669 violations.

The 20% defective brake category accounted for another 1,846 violations. Inspectors also recorded 1,514 lighting violations and 1,438 cargo securement violations.

Cargo securement was the special vehicle focus for the 2026 International Roadcheck. Inspectors examined straps, chains, tie-downs, dunnage, and other equipment used to prevent freight from shifting or falling.

CVSA said improper securement can affect a vehicle’s handling. Shifting cargo can contribute to rollovers or jackknifes. Freight that falls from a vehicle can also create a road hazard.

Cargo must be properly restrained, immobilized, locked, packed, secured, and monitored during transportation.

Medical Cards Lead International Roadcheck Driver Violations

Inspectors completed 53,271 inspections that included a driver examination. They placed 3,184 drivers out of service, producing a driver out-of-service rate of approximately 6%.

Inspectors recorded 3,969 driver out-of-service violations in the United States and Canada. A driver could receive more than one violation.

The leading reason was not having a medical card. Inspectors recorded 1,072 violations in that category, accounting for 27% of all driver out-of-service violations.

Hours-of-service violations ranked second with 929. Inspectors also recorded 620 violations for operating without a CDL.

English proficiency ranked fourth across North America, with 361 violations. All of those violations were reported in the United States because English-language proficiency out-of-service rules do not apply in Canada.

False records of duty status ranked fifth with 266 violations.

Within the United States, inspectors recorded 3,806 driver out-of-service violations. These included:

• 1,072 missing medical cards,
• 883 hours-of-service violations,
• 614 no-CDL violations,
• 361 English proficiency violations, and
• 214 false records of duty status.

ELD Tampering Produced 146 Out-of-Service Orders

ELD tampering was the special driver focus for this year’s inspection campaign.

Inspectors issued 146 out-of-service orders for ELD tampering, falsification, or manipulation. The category represented 3.7% of driver out-of-service violations and ranked seventh overall.

CVSA defines ELD tampering as altering, hiding, falsifying, interfering with, or reengineering data to conceal hours-of-service violations.

The organization noted that some inaccurate ELD records may result from drivers misunderstanding the regulations or available exemptions. Other records may be intentionally changed to hide driving time.

Drivers and carriers are responsible for ensuring that records of duty status are accurate and that any edits are properly documented.

Thousands of Vehicles Earned CVSA Decals

Inspectors placed 17,680 CVSA decals on eligible power units, trailers, and buses. The decals indicate that a vehicle passed a qualifying inspection without critical mechanical or out-of-service violations.

Of those decals, 14,216 were issued in the United States and 3,464 in Canada. Mexico does not distribute CVSA decals.

Inspectors also issued 667 seat belt violations during the three-day campaign.

In addition, 2,590 inspections involved vehicles transporting hazardous materials or dangerous goods. Placarding was the leading hazardous materials out-of-service violation, followed by loading and shipping paper problems.

International Roadcheck has been conducted annually since 1988. CVSA reports that inspectors have completed more than 1.8 million roadside inspections during the program’s history.

The 2026 results show that most inspected vehicles and drivers remained in service. At the same time, brake condition, tires, medical certification, hours of service, and licensing continue to be leading compliance problems.

RELATED: New DTNA Recall: Improper Battery Connection May Cause Fire, International Roadcheck Results: 13,500 Put Out of Service & New Blatnik Bridge Plan Will Detour Trucks for Years