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Table 5-6: Roadside Safety Inspection Activity Summary by Inspection Type

Almost a quarter of roadside inspections of commercial vehicles result in the vehicle being taken out-of-service (OOS) for a serious violation. A much lower percentage of driver and hazardous materials inspections result in OOS orders. In 2005, only 7 percent of driver inspections and 6 percent of hazardous materials inspections resulted in an OOS order.

Table in Excel format | Historical data

empty Cell 2000 Number 2000 Percent 2003 Number 2003 Percent 2004 Number 2004 Percent 2005 Number 2005 Percent
All inspections
Number of inspections 2,453,776 100.0 (R) 3,013,872 100 (R) 3,019,262 100.0 2,867,124 100.0
With no violations 639,593 26.1 (R) 812,783 27.0 (R) 810,814 26.9 772,850 27.0
With violations 1,814,183 73.9 (R) 2,201,089 73.0 (R) 2,208,448 73.1 2,094,274 73.0
Driver inspections
Number of inspections 2,396,688 100.0 (R) 2,957,646 100.0 (R) 2,962,085 100.0 2,808,360 100.0
With no violations 1,459,538 60.9 (R) 1,883,071 63.7 (R) 1,893,106 63.9 1,782,300 63.5
With violations 937,150 39.1 (R) 1,074,575 36.3 (R) 1,068,979 36.1 1,026,060 36.5
  With OOS violations 191,031 8.0 (R) 200,256 6.8 (R) 197,338 6.7 184,609 6.6
Vehicle inspections
Number of inspections 1,908,300 100.0 (R) 2,164,847 100.0 (R) 2,252,986 100.0 2,093,394 100.0
With no violations 584,389 30.6 (R) 675,167 31.2 (R) 698,396 31.0 649,658 31.0
With violations 1,323,911 69.4 (R) 1,489,680 68.8 (R) 1,554,590 69.0 1,443,736 69.0
  With OOS violations 452,850 23.7 (R) 495,621 22.9 (R) 531,927 23.6 489,754 23.4
Hazardous materials inspections
Number of inspections 133,486 100.0 (R) 181,592 100.0 (R) 179,213 100.0 170,962 100.0
With no violations 101,098 75.7 (R) 148,409 81.7 (R) 145,763 81.3 139,191 81.4
With violations 32,388 24.3 (R) 33,183 18.3 (R) 33,450 18.7 31,771 18.6
  With OOS violations 9,964 7.5 (R) 9,575 5.3 9,957 5.6 9,496 5.6

Key: OOS = out of service. R = revised.

Notes: A roadside inspection is an examination of individual commercial motor vehicles and drivers to determine if they are in compliance with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and/or Hazardous Materials Regulations. Serious violations result in the issuance of driver or vehicle out of service (OOS) These violations must be corrected before the driver or vehicle can return to service. Moving violations also may be recorded in conjunction with a roadside inspection.

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Administration, Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS), Roadside Inspection Activity Summary for Calendar Years, available at www.fmcsa.dot.gov as of May 4, 2006.

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