North America 🇨🇦🇺🇸🇲🇽: This week is DOT Week. Expect temporary delivery delays all over North America.
This week is the annual time of year where Canada, the US, and Mexico do mass road inspections of trucks and drivers.
>For the driver portion of the inspection, inspectors check the driver’s qualifications, license, record of duty status, medical examiner’s certificate, seat belt usage, skill performance evaluation certificate (if applicable), and status in the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse (in the U.S.). Inspectors also look for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment. If an inspector identifies driver out-of-service violations, they will place the driver out of service, restricting that driver from operating their vehicle.
For the vehicle portion of the inspection, inspectors assess the vehicle’s brake systems, cargo securement, coupling devices, driveline/driveshaft components, driver’s seat, fuel and exhaust systems, frames, lighting devices, steering mechanisms, suspensions, tires, wheels, rims, hubs, and windshield wipers.
https://cvsa.org/news/2026-roadcheck/
Naturally, all drivers who worry that their truck or themselves won't pass the inspection therefore avoid driving this week.
>Every year thousands of drivers opt to take a few vacation days with the family instead of a few hours at a roadside check with a state trooper.
Keep in mind that many thousands more will operate as normal, but there will be a dip in available capacity.
Why is that?
If an inspector finds anything amiss, from worn tire treads and busted tail lights to Hours of Service and licensing violations, the carrier is subject to fines, downgraded safety rating, and/or being put out-of-service until the issue is resolved.
Carrier fines can total thousands of dollars per occurrence, a downgraded safety rating may limit the freight a carrier is eligible to haul while raising their insurance rates, and being placed out of service is a huge hit to a carrier’s productivity and service.
https://rxo.com/resources/carrier/dot-week/
So expect temporary delays, empty shelves, maybe random price hikes, for a very temporary reason.
edit: formatting