Often referred to as DOT Week, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) International Roadcheck occurs around mid-May every year and is known to be the world’s most extensive enforcement initiative for commercial motor vehicles, with inspectors across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico expected to conduct 15 vehicle checks per minute between May 12-14.On trucking routes where this three-day period is known to drive capacity shortages, spot rate volatility, and delivery delays, shippers must be prepared for longer transit times and tighter equipment availability.To minimize its disruption, supply chain managers should do their best to remain flexible with shipping dates during this time, allow for appointment buffers, and ensure all equipment and logs are fully compliant to avoid costly out-of-service violations.Read more below for an essential guide to surviving DOT week, this year and beyond, including its impact on truckload capacity, what to expect, and steps shippers can take to help soften any potential disruptions.The Breakdown: DOT Week’s Impact on Your Supply ChainEvery year, our industry experiences a significant drop in available trucks during DOT Week. But why?Most equipment on the highway is fully compliant, so this week is seen as “business as usual” for nearly all carriers, but the intensified level of scrutiny during this timeframe leads thousands of drivers to opt for staying off the road by taking vacation days or generally laying low to avoid the potential administrative headache of a roadside inspection. We may see this tactic employed even more this year to avoid the cost of…
