It’s that time of year again. You know, when we all collectively brace for a few days of intense inspections. From Tuesday, May 13 to Thursday, May 15, 2025, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) International Roadcheck (also called DOT Week or DOT Blitz Week) will return to North American highways.

Ask any freight agent, and they’ll tell you: preparation is everything. This annual inspection blitz can impact your business, your carriers and your customers. However, with some smart planning and the right strategy, it’s a prime opportunity to prove your value and strengthen relationships when it matters the most. Here’s what you need to know as DOT Blitz approaches.

 

Breaking Down the DOT Blitz Week 2025 Impact 

DOT Blitz Week is the largest targeted enforcement on commercial motor vehicles in the world. Everything from tire condition and ELD compliance to exhausts, brakes, lights, and suspensions being inspected. 

If an inspection uncovers any issues, carriers can take a real hit. We’re talking hefty fines (that can reach thousands of dollars per occurrence), a downgraded safety rating, and even being placed out of service until violations are resolved. 

 

 

DOT Blitz Week, By the Numbers

Let’s break down the full scope of DOT Blitz Week:

• During this 72-hour event, enforcement officials across North America will conduct approximately 15 vehicle inspections every minute. 
• Nearly one vehicle inspection happens every four seconds. 
• In 2024, the CVSA conducted nearly 50,000 inspections, and the results were eye-opening. 
• About 23% of vehicles were placed out of service in 2024 (up from 19% in 2023).
• 4.8% of drivers were pulled from duty in 2024 (actually down from 5.5% in 2023).
• In 2024, the biggest problems found for vehicles were:
  • Defective service brakes (25% of violations)
  • Tire issues (20.8%)
  • Other brake problems (18.3%)
  • Light issues (11.6%), and inadequate cargo securement (9.6%)
• In 2024, the biggest problems found for drivers were:
  • Hours of service violations (32.1%)
  • Licensing problems (25.4%)
  • No medical card (11.2%)

In 2025, the inspection focus will be on tire condition and false records of duty status, the latter of which will help fight driver fatigue and strengthen roadway safety. While most trucks are inspection-ready, even a quick roadside stop can cause delivery delays and capacity challenges.

 

 

How DOT Blitz Week 2025 Will Affect Freight Agents

The first key to success during DOT Week is simply knowing what’s coming. Year after year, it creates the same disruptions that you can prep for well in advance. First, you should expect capacity to be tighter, as thousands of drivers tend to schedule their time off to coincide with DOT Week. This tighter capacity, along with potential delays or add-ons, can naturally push rates higher. 

When thousands of inspections are happening hourly, there’s a real possibility that drivers hauling your freight will encounter one. Most commonly, they’ll face a comprehensive Level I inspection. And if you think airport security feels time-consuming, imagine inspecting something as large and complex as a commercial truck on 37 different points. These aren’t quick conversations, they’re detailed inspections that take serious time. With inspections happening at this scale and frequency, impacting everyone from Mexico to Canada and all points in between, it’s easy to see why delivery delays become a nearly inevitable part of this three-day event.

Here’s something else to remember: routing guide compliance tends to deteriorate during DOT Week. As drivers temporarily step away from their routes, carriers might need to give back loads they previously accepted. And those primary tender acceptance rates you count on? They could take a hit. Shipments moving 500-600 miles face the highest risk, while local and regional hauls typically weather the storm better.

The spot market reacts predictably too. With fewer trucks available but freight demand holding steady, expect to see those spot rates climb. It’s basic economics playing out across the freight landscape. When supply drops and demand stays constant, prices are likely to rise accordingly.

Most importantly, don’t expect an instant return to normalcy when the clock strikes 12:01 Friday morning. Yes, more drivers will gradually re-enter the system. But some may have extended their time off to include the entire week. Others might still be sidelined by violations discovered during inspection. Meanwhile, freight that didn’t move during the inspection period will start competing for space on Friday’s board, creating a new round of capacity challenges.

When you plan for these challenges ahead of time, you can set the right expectations and help your customers navigate DOT Week without any major headaches. As Jordan Brady, our Director of Agent Development, shares: “Independent freight agents should be proactive in talking with customers. It’s important to communicate that drivers may potentially be late, capacity may be tighter and there may be more push-back from carriers.”

 

How To Handle DOT Blitz Week 2025 Like a Pro

Anyone can move freight when everything’s running smoothly. It’s in these types of pressure-test moments that you can show customers what a difference your partnership and expertise can make. 

“Don’t wait for the phone to start ringing with problems,” Jordan says. “Get out in front of it. It’s an opportunity to strengthen relationships and to go to bat for both carriers and customers.”

Tips for Success: What Top Agents Do During DOT Week

So, what do the most successful freight agents do differently?

• They call every customer with shipments moving May 13-15 and lay out what might happen, providing realistic timelines to avoid disappointment. 
• They add buffer time wherever possible and budget for possible rate increases.
• They suggest moving non-urgent freight to the week before or after the blitz.

Something that might surprise you? Seat belt usage remains a top issue on our highways. Inspectors handed out 535 safety belt violations during the 2024 International Roadcheck. Despite everything we know about safety (and the fact that it takes just seconds to buckle up), FMCSA data shows about 14% of commercial drivers still hit the road unbelted. It’s one of those simple fixes that can save lives and prevent violations, which is why inspectors will continue to watch for it during this year’s DOT Week.

Remember that most trucks pass inspection just fine, and most freight still gets delivered without any setbacks. The common thread among successful outcomes? Preparation and communication. As Jordan puts it, “There may be some frustrations, but communication is everything.”

 

Get the Right Support During DOT Week — and Beyond

Working with the right freight brokerage makes all the difference, especially during times like DOT Week. At Tallgrass Freight, our agents never have to go at it alone. They have a support team to back them up, resources that help move their business forward and mentors who are just a phone call away. 

 

Want to be part of a team where you always feel supported, both during Blitz Week and beyond? Learn more about becoming an agent.