Ports of Entry - What You Need to Know
INSPECTIONS
In Utah there are eight motor carrier ports of entry. A motor carrier operating a motor vehicle with a weight of 10,001 pounds or more shall stop at a port of entry. Here, a certified port of entry agent may check, inspect, or test drivers, vehicles and vehicle loads for compliance.
The purpose of the inspections is to ensure the large trucks and buses driving on our roadways are operating safely. Inspection procedures and criteria, known as the North American Standard Inspection Program, were created by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA).
There are eight levels of inspection, the most common at a port of entry are Level I and Level III that inspect both the vehicle and the driver.
The levels of North American Standard Inspections (Source: CVSA)
Level I is a 37-step inspection procedure that involves examination of the motor carrier’s and driver’s credentials, record of duty status, the mechanical condition of the vehicle and any hazardous materials/dangerous goods that may be present.
Level II is a driver and walk-around vehicle inspection, involving the inspection of items that can be checked without physically getting under the vehicle.
Level III is a driver-only inspection that includes examination of the driver’s credentials and documents.
Level IV special inspections are a one-time examination of a particular item. These examinations are normally made in support of a study or to verify or refute a suspected trend.
Level V is a vehicle-only inspection which may be performed without a driver present, at any location.
Level VI is a specialized inspection of transuranic waste and highway route controlled quantities of radioactive material.
Level VII is a jurisdictionally mandated inspection.
