The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is currently testing a new electronic system for inspecting commercial vehicles on the road.

They’re trialing a Level VIII Inspection, which lets enforcement officials wirelessly check if commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) comply with federal safety regulations while they’re in motion on the road, without needing direct interaction with a safety official.

“Until now, the technology required to implement Level VIII Inspections has not been developed or tested, though technology providers have made significant progress in electronically collecting and transferring motor carrier and vehicle data in real time. FMCSA is exploring whether electronic inspections are technically feasible and how the concept could be leveraged to help improve safety,” FMCSA officials said.

In 2023, the FMCSA began preparing to test the Level VIII Inspection, and by March 2024, they had initiated on-road trials in Mississippi and Kentucky. These tests, conducted in collaboration with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, may pave the way for nationwide deployment of Level VIII inspections.

Currently, four motor carriers are voluntarily participating in these tests, as stated on the FMCSA website.

Here’s how the Level VIII Inspection process is expected to function:

  1. Data will be gathered wirelessly while commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) are traveling at normal speeds on the road.
  2. This data will then be electronically verified against FMCSA systems to assess compliance with safety regulations.
  3. If significant issues are detected during the electronic verification, drivers will be instructed to pull into an inspection station for a detailed inspection by a safety official.
  4. Other vehicles will bypass the inspection point. Unlike current bypass programs, vehicles that bypass will be considered inspected, and the results of the Level VIII Inspection will be recorded in the motor carrier’s or driver’s safety record.

According to the FMCSA, the Level VIII Inspection promises enhanced safety, greater inspection efficiency, and reduced emissions from idling vehicles.

To find out more about Level VIII Inspections, you can visit this link.