COLUMBUS, OH — Drivers across Ohio should expect a heavy law enforcement presence on the highways this week as the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) kicks off International Roadcheck 2026.
Starting Tuesday, May 12, and running through May 14, inspectors will participate in a massive, 72-hour safety blitz stretching across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The goal of the high-visibility campaign is to pull unsafe commercial vehicles off the road before they cause “catastrophic crashes.”
The “37-Step” Inspection
During the three-day event, PUCO teams will perform the North American Standard Level I Inspection. This rigorous 37-step process examines everything from the driver’s legal documentation to the mechanical fitness of the truck itself.
If a vehicle or driver fails to meet state and federal safety requirements, they are declared “out-of-service” and banned from the road until the issues are fixed.
Focus for 2026: ELDs and Cargo
While the inspections are comprehensive, this year’s mission has two specific priorities:
- ELD Tampering: Inspectors are hunting for “falsified” Electronic Logging Devices. These digital logs track a driver’s hours, and officials are concerned that some are being manipulated to hide driver fatigue and hours-of-service violations.
- Cargo Securement: Falling debris and shifting loads remain a top cause of highway fatalities. Inspectors will be checking straps, chains, and hitches to ensure cargo stays exactly where it belongs.
“International Roadcheck provides a critical, high-visibility opportunity to remove immediate risks from our roads,” said PUCO Commissioner John Williams.
By the Numbers
Last year’s effort in Ohio proved how necessary these checks are. In a single three-day window, the PUCO and the Ohio State Highway Patrol conducted 1,245 inspections. They discovered 1,529 violations, 345 of which were so severe that the truck or driver was immediately ordered off the highway.
On average, across North America, roughly 17 trucks or buses are inspected every minute during this 72-hour window.
