Providing an inside look at how ADOT inspects commercial vehicles for safety

By Tom Herrmann / ADOT Communications

As commercial trucks from Mexico enter Arizona at Douglas, Nogales and San Luis, drivers are required to stop for a safety inspection by officers from ADOT’s Enforcement and Compliance Division. For some, that requires little more than a weigh-in and a check of their paperwork. Others get a closer look at such things as tires, brake lights and the straps holding their loads in place.

But if there is any indication – from the driver, the truck or the trailer – that there may be a safety concern, inspectors send the drivers to a Level One inspection. In a building built specifically for that purpose, inspectors conduct a 37-point inspection of everything from brakes to hoses to wiring – including walking under the truck to get a closer look at the truck and trailer. If anything is unsafe, the truck is pulled out of service until the repairs are made.

ADOT’s Border Liaison Unit has been conducting training sessions in Arizona at Douglas, Nogales and San Luis to help commercial trucking companies, drivers and mechanics understand what to expect during safety inspections. As we shared today, this week BLU instructors crossed the international border to meet with commercial trucking interests in San Luis Río Colorado. To get a closer look at how these sessions play out, please take a few minutes to view the video above.