The 2026 CVSA International Roadcheck delivered a sobering result for the trucking industry: roughly one in three trucks inspected during the enforcement period were placed out of service, a 32.8 percent out-of-service (OOS) rate that carries direct consequences for carrier CSA scores and insurance renewals.
According to FreightWaves, the 2026 CVSA International Roadcheck ran from May 12 through May 14 across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with the surrounding DOT Blitz Week extending from May 10 through May 17. The blitz produced 15,952 total inspections and a 32.8 percent out-of-service rate. This marks a significant jump from CVSA's official 2025 Roadcheck result of 18.1 percent over 56,178 inspections.
What Happened During Blitz Week
FreightWaves reported that on Day 1 of the 2026 event, FMCSA inspection records showed 1,580 inspections, 2,637 violations, and 496 out-of-service orders — a 31.4 percent OOS rate from day one, already substantially above the 2025 full-event benchmark. The 2026 focus areas were ELD tampering and cargo securement on the vehicle side. However, as The Brake Report noted in its Roadcheck coverage (cited by FreightWaves), brake system failures, tire violations, and lighting defects generated the highest volume of actual OOS orders.
Key inspection data from the blitz week:
| Metric | 2026 Blitz Week | 2025 Official Roadcheck |
|---|---|---|
| Total inspections | 15,952 | 56,178 |
| Out-of-service rate | 32.8% | 18.1% |
| Day 1 OOS rate | 31.4% | — |
FreightWaves noted an important contextual factor: drivers uncertain about their credentials or operating status had reason to avoid inspection sites during the blitz, which may have reduced the denominator of well-compliant trucks while leaving the numerator of trucks with issues proportionally higher. This does not fully explain the jump from 18.1% to 32.8%, but it is part of the honest picture.
How Blitz Week Violations Become CSA Points
FreightWaves explained that every violation from blitz week enters FMCSA's Safety Measurement System (SMS) exactly as every other roadside inspection violation does. Roadcheck is not a separate category. The inspections are logged, the violations are coded, and the points accumulate in the relevant BASICs (Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories).
The SMS scores carriers see in the FMCSA SMS public portal are calculated on a sliding 24-month window with time weighting:
- Violations in the most recent six months carry the highest weight.
- Violations from seven to 12 months carry a reduced weight.
- Violations from 13 to 24 months carry the lowest weight before aging off.
- Out-of-service violations generally carry higher severity weights than non-OOS findings.
- Multiple violations within a single inspection can increase the overall impact on a carrier's score.
Which BASICs Are Affected
The violations drive specific BASIC scores:
- Brakes, tire condition and tread depth, and lighting violations (inoperative required lights) feed the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC.
- Hours-of-service violations feed the HOS Compliance BASIC.
- ELD falsification or tampering violations — the 2026 driver focus area — feed the HOS Compliance BASIC directly.
- Cargo securement violations feed the Cargo-Related BASIC.
What This Means for Your CSA Score and Insurance Renewal
For freight forwarders, logistics managers, and carriers, the high OOS rate means a significant number of violations are now in FMCSA's system, affecting CSA scores. Insurance underwriters routinely review CSA scores when pricing premiums. A carrier with a deteriorating Vehicle Maintenance or HOS Compliance BASIC can expect higher rates or difficulty obtaining coverage. Carriers should review their inspection data, address any violations immediately, and consider re-inspecting or repairing equipment before the next roadside check. The 24-month window means that violations from this blitz will remain on the record for two years, with the heaviest impact in the first six months.
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