Starting today, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) 2022 North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria are now in effect. The 2022 out-of-service criteria replace and supersede all previous versions. 

CVSA’s North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria ensure uniformity, consistency and reciprocity among the states, provinces, territories and countries in determining whether or not drivers or vehicles present an imminent hazard and should be placed out of service. The federal regulations together with CVSA’s out-of-service criteria provide the standards that drivers, motor carriers and law enforcement personnel use to ensure the commercial motor vehicles and drivers on North America’s roadways are safe and compliant. 

The voting members of the Alliance approved 14 changes to the out-of-service criteria, which are now in effect. In accordance with the CVSA Bylaws, the proposed changes were communicated to the voting members of the Alliance on Oct. 15, 2021, and ratified on Oct. 29, 2021. The out-of-service criteria are updated annually, effective April 1 of each year. 

The following changes were made to the out-of-service criteria:

• The policy statements in Parts I, II, III and IV were amended to better define out of service and imminent hazard.
• A note was added to each section in Part I, Item 2. OPERATOR’S/CHAUFFEUR’S LICENSE OR PERMIT (NON-CDL) – a. Vehicle 26,000 lbs. (11,793 kg) or less GVWR not designed to transport 16 or more passengers or placarded loads of hazardous materials, or vehicles that, regardless of GVWR, do not require a CDL (e.g., exempt farm vehicles or fire apparatuses, etc.) and Item 3. COMMERCIAL DRIVER’S LICENSE – a. License.
• In Part I, Item 2. OPERATOR’S/CHAUFFEUR’S LICENSE OR PERMIT (NON-CDL) – b. Endorsements and Restrictions and Item 3. COMMERCIAL DRIVER’S LICENSE – c. Endorsement and Restrictions, the note was amended for Mexican LFC Class B and E.
• A clarification table for CDL and non-CDL drivers prohibited in the drug and alcohol clearinghouse was added to Part I, Item 7. DRUGS AND OTHER SUBSTANCES – c. Prohibited from Performing Safety-Sensitive Functions.
• A note was added regarding brakes that are operational but not required in Part II, Item 1. BRAKE SYSTEMS – a. Defective Brakes – Defective Brake Chart.
• Part II, Item 1. BRAKE SYSTEMS – d. Trailer Breakaway and Emergency Brakes (2) was amended to specify that a breakaway device can be attached to a permanently mounted hitch.
• The wording and the reference table were amended in Part II, Item 1. BRAKE SYSTEMS – h. Air Brake Hose/Tubing (1) to clarify when an air hose should be placed out of service.
• Part II, Item 1. BRAKE SYSTEMS – o. Hydraulic Brakes (1) through (11) was amended to add an out-of-service condition for when the entire master cylinder assembly is found loose.
• Part II, Item 9. LIGHTING DEVICES (HEADLAMPS, TAIL LAMPS, STOP LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS AND LAMPS/FLAGS ON PROJECTING LOADS) – b. At Any Time – Day or Night (4) was amended to clarify that this section only applies to lighting systems and no other electrical systems.
• Reference to a breaker strip in a steering tire was removed from Part II, Item 12. TIRES – a. Any Tire on Any Front Steering Axle of a Power Unit, (2).
• Part III, Item 4. TRANSPORT VEHICLE MARKINGS – a. Identification (ID) Numbers Displayed on a Transport Vehicle – NOTE was revised to make the guidance clearer.

The CVSA Training Committee, the Education Quality Assurance Team in Canada and the U.S. National Training Center’s Technical Review and Update Specialist Team have incorporated these changes, as appropriate, into North American Standard Inspection Program training materials, along with updated inspection bulletins, inspection procedures, operational policies and training videos. 

There are several versions (print, electronic, other languages, etc.) of the 2022 out-of-service criteria available for purchase through the CVSA online store. The 2022 out-of-service criteria are also available for purchase in CVSA’s app by searching “CVSA Out-of-Service Criteria” in the App Store or Google Play store.

CVSA hosted a webinar outlining the changes to the 2022 out-of-service criteria. The webinar is available to CVSA members through the online CVSA member portal. Once logged in, click on the CVSA Learning tab, then click on “Roadside” to view all past webinars.

For questions about the criteria, contact CVSA Director of Roadside Inspection Program Kerri Wirachowsky via email or at 301-830-6153.