The difference between the extended inspection by CVSA and DVIR is obvious from the start. Instead of a traditional inspection by the tractor driver, enhanced inspections must be performed by a CVSA-certified inspector. This inspection is valid for 24 hours and is logged into a trucking technology system – in Kodiak’s case, Drivewyze – through which inspection results are communicated to enforcement officers. During this 24-hour period, the vehicle is allowed to bypass routine roadside inspections.
CVSA’s enhanced inspections take longer on average than completing a traditional DVIR. Kodiak reports that enhanced inspections of a tractor and trailer combination take an average of 38 minutes. For a tractor alone, the average inspection time is 32 minutes, and for a trailer alone, it’s 20 minutes. In comparison, a traditional inspection can take drivers 15 to 20 minutes for the tractor and trailer combined.
In addition, the extended inspection is a zero-defect inspection. This means that if a defect is found – no matter how small – it must be repaired before the vehicle can be delivered.
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Given the stark contrast between deficiencies identified during traditional inspections and the enhanced inspection, Kodiak believes the enhanced inspection process can help raise safety standards across the industry.
The Kodiak team reported that despite trailer rejections, many of its customers “appreciated the added transparency” as it helped them “improve their own trailer maintenance processes.”
The results of the pilot program could help build confidence among regulators, law enforcement and the public in autonomous trucks and their road safety, Kodiak explains, but acknowledges that the program still needs to be further refined, standardized and expanded to other jurisdictions beyond the I-45 corridor between Dallas and Houston.
“CVSA is encouraged by the results of the Texas pilot,” said Collin Mooney, executive director of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance. “We are excited about the potential of our Enhanced CMV Inspection Program and its ability to ensure the safety and roadworthiness of autonomous trucks.”
