Alberta Sheriffs Participate in 2025 CVSA International Roadcheck

Every spring, commercial vehicle inspectors across North America take part in the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) International Roadcheck – a 72-hour blitz of inspections aimed at keeping our highways safe. In the 2025 Roadcheck (held May 13–15, 2025), the Alberta Sheriffs Highway Patrol participated in the initiative, contributing to a coordinated enforcement effort focused on commercial vehicle and driver safety. This blog post provides an overview of the event, explains the types of inspections carried out, and includes some of the results from Alberta and other jurisdictions.

CVSA Roadcheck 2025: A Continental Safety Blitz

International Roadcheck is the largest coordinated truck inspection initiative in North America – a three-day safety blitz where tens of thousands of inspections take place at weigh stations and highway checkpoints across the continent. In last year’s Roadcheck (2024), CVSA reported 48,761 inspections were conducted across Canada, the U.S. and Mexico over the 72-hour period. These inspections often result in a notable number of vehicles and drivers being placed out of service due to safety violations.

Each year, CVSA selects specific focus areas for the Roadcheck. In 2025, inspectors paid special attention to tire safety and hours-of-service (HOS) compliance. These are critical issues that relate directly to road safety, and enforcement officers were asked to place extra emphasis on them during inspections.

Level I vs. Level II Inspections – What’s the Difference?

When it comes to CVSA inspections, there are different levels of detail:

• Level I Inspection: A full 37-step check of both driver and vehicle. It covers documentation, HOS records, sobriety, and all major vehicle systems including brakes, tires, lights, suspension, steering, and more. Inspectors also go under the vehicle to complete this comprehensive safety check.

• Level II Inspection: A walk-around inspection. Inspectors check the driver’s documents and examine visible vehicle components, but do not go underneath the vehicle. It is less intensive than a Level I, but still provides important safety oversight.

Vehicles that pass a Level I inspection may receive a CVSA decal indicating recent inspection clearance. These decals are recognized across North America and can help reduce duplicate inspections for compliant carriers.

Alberta's Contribution to Roadcheck 2025

During the 2025 Roadcheck campaign, certified inspectors from the Alberta Sheriffs Highway Patrol and partner enforcement agencies conducted 580 commercial vehicle inspections across the province. This included both Level I and Level II inspections, with a focus on thoroughness and adherence to national enforcement protocols.

The Alberta inspections resulted in the identification of over 700 safety violations, ranging from brake defects and tire issues, to cargo securement problems and hours-of-service infractions. Some vehicles and drivers were placed out of service as a result of these violations, ensuring that repairs or corrective action were taken before re-entry onto the roadway.

The 2025 numbers reflect consistency with previous years. For example, in 2023, Alberta inspectors removed 157 vehicles from the road due to out-of-service violations. While official 2025 out-of-service figures are still pending, the nature and volume of violations found suggest a similar pattern.

Common issues in Alberta aligned with broader trends across North America. In 2024, CVSA reported that the most common vehicle violations were:

• Brake Systems (25% of vehicle OOS)

• Tires/Wheels (20.8%)

• Cargo Securement

On the driver side, the leading out-of-service cause was hours-of-service violations, including logbook falsification and driving beyond legal limits. Alberta inspections followed the same pattern, with a focus on addressing the violations most associated with crash risk.

Acknowledging Alberta's Role

The Alberta Sheriffs Highway Patrol has a broad mandate that includes general traffic enforcement, impaired driving and criminal code response. Despite these diverse responsibilities, they participated fully in the 2025 Roadcheck program and completed a significant number of inspections during the blitz.

We appreciate the role the Sheriffs and partner enforcement agencies played in this year's initiative. Their participation helps support consistency across jurisdictions and contributes to safer roads by identifying mechanical defects and driver issues. Roadcheck also serves as a valuable education and outreach tool – helping carriers understand compliance expectations and highlighting areas for improvement.

As CVSA continues to publish national and regional data, Alberta’s involvement remains an important part of the overall safety landscape. Initiatives like Roadcheck provide a vital snapshot of conditions on our highways and help reinforce safety standards across the board.

Sources:

• Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) – www.cvsa.org

• CVSA Roadcheck 2024 and 2025 Announcements

• Alberta Sheriffs Highway Patrol 2023/2024 Updates

• Transflo, FreightWaves, and other industry coverage on Roadcheck statistics and trends