As the novel coronavirus, known as COVID-19, continues to spread throughout the United States, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) has decided to postpone the 2020 International Roadcheck that was originally scheduled for May 5-7. The international event is to be postponed to later in the year. Despite the international event being postponed, roadside safety inspections and traffic enforcement will continue to be conducted every day, with enforcement personnel following their departmental health and safety policies and procedures, as appropriate.
“As we urgently respond to this time-sensitive crisis, we must remain diligent and committed to ensuring that the commercial motor vehicles and drivers providing essential goods and services to our communities are following motor carrier safety regulations,” said CVSA president Sgt. John Samis with the Delaware State Police. “Safety doesn’t take a break. It is always our top priority.”
CVSA will monitor the status of the COVID-19 pandemic and appropriately select the new dates when it’s safe and reasonable to do so.
“International Roadcheck has run on-schedule for the past 32 years so its postponement was thoroughly and thoughtfully discussed before we made this decision, but it wasn’t a difficult decision to make,” said Sgt. Samis. “This experience is unprecedented in our modern society and we need to do all that we can to help stop the spread of this global pandemic.”
While 2020 International Roadcheck has been postponed, Operation Safe Driver Week is still scheduled for July 12-18 and Brake Safety Week is still set for Aug. 23-29.
While regular roadside safety inspections continue, the proper infectious disease guidelines are still expected to be followed, to name a few, as depicted in the CVSA webinar titled “The Trucking Industry’s Guide to Infectious Substances and COVID-19”:
- Social distancing is physical distancing, remember the six-foot minimum distance when conditions allow
- Use universal precautions to protect yourself
- Use protective equipment you’ve been issued
- Don’t attempt to do anything beyond your level of training
- Decontaminate yourself and your equipment daily
- Use the methods identified for communication between the driver and inspector to minimize contact
With widespread panic causing the mass-purchasing of hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes, Jim Boehringer, president of J.E.B Environmental Services that specializes in hazardous materials and dangerous goods training, suggested going after electronic disinfecting wipes in the event that regular hand sanitizers like Purell and Clorox disinfecting wipes cannot be found.
“I went to [retailers such as] Staples and Office Depot, and while people were clearing the shelves of the Purell and Clorox wipes, I found a case of electronic disinfecting wipes untouched,” Boehringer said. “Because the inside of a cab consists of mostly technology devices, those wipes can be a good alternative to properly disinfecting your cab.”