Level VII Inspections

Level VII Inspections. We are required by MN Statute that we inspect all Passenger Carriers Annually. We are being told that since these are scheduled inspections they should be Level VII. Before Level VII was created, these were Level I or Level V and were uploaded. That meant that all violations discovered, whether OOS or violation, would go on the carrier's profile. Most of the Passenger Carriers in MN are interstate carriers and we do Federal Compliance Reviews on these carriers. Without these inspections on their profile, a conditional or unsat carrier may not be shown as one due to the Level VII not being on their profile. By the CVSA definition a Level VII inspection is a inspection that is a jurisdictional mandated inspection program that does not meet the requirements of any other level of inspection. An example will include inspection programs such as, but not limited to: school buses; limousines; taxis; shared ride; hotel courtesy shuttles, and other intrastate/intraprovincial operations. The inspections that are Interstate CMV's should go on the carrier's profile so it will effect their Safety Rating.

Urgent. All Mandated Passenger Inspections are not being uploaded to the carrier's profile. Therefore the information on the carrier's profile is not correct. If we continue to do Level VII's on these carrier's, the carrier's Safestat score would not reflect the a true snapshot of the carrier. Without these carrier's having Level I or Level V inspections, most will have no inspections on their profile. Passenger inspections should, if possible, only be done at a designated drop-off location and therefore most Passenger Carrier do not get inspected except by the Annual Inspection. During this Annual Inspection numerous violations are still discovered.

I request that inspections on CMV's that meet the definition of Part 390, even if scheduled, are either Level 1 or Level V inspections. If that does not happen, then a new definition of a Level VII needs to be put in place explaining the Level VII is used for all scheduled CMV inspections, interstate or intrastate.