🎣 DOT Blitz Week 2025

Happy Tuesday!

It’s officially DOT Blitz Week—CVSA’s annual 72-hour truck inspection event running from May 13–15 across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. And while drivers may brace for long waits and roadside checks, the big question for brokers and shippers is: Will it impact freight?

The short answer? Not as much as you might think.

What Is DOT Blitz, Anyway?

CVSA’s International Roadcheck means thousands of Level I inspections will take place over three days. This year, the focus is on:

• Driver HOS logs (Hours of Service)
• Tire condition and inflation

Vehicles or drivers with violations may be placed out of service, which has historically prompted some drivers to take time off to avoid the hassle.

What the Data Says

Greenscreens.ai analyzed four years of blitz-week data. Here’s what they found:

• Rates rose just 1–2% on average
• Volumes dropped 4–5%, peaking in 2021
• The most significant shifts occurred in long hauls
• 2023 saw the biggest rate spike for medium/long hauls during blitz week

"The impact is real—but not dramatic," their team summarized.

Why the Market Feels… Flat

This year’s blitz is hitting during one of the softest freight springs in recent memory.

With rates already below 5-year averages, many compliant carriers say they’ll stay on the road, DOT week or not.

There's little incentive to sit out this year. The real shift will come if volumes drop in advance or spike right after.

According to FreightWaves’ Thomas Wasson, dry van and flatbed spot rates actually declined last week:

• Dry van: ↓ 1¢ w/w to $2.19/mi
• Flatbed: ↓ 1¢ w/w to $2.74/mi
• Reefer: ↑ 2¢ w/w to $2.47/mi

That’s a pretty muted reaction heading into what’s typically a volatile week.

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What We Learned from Last Year’s Blitz

The 2024 International Roadcheck saw 48,761 inspections across North America.

While the majority of vehicles and drivers were in compliance, the vehicle out-of-service rate stood at 23%, and 4.8% of drivers were also placed out of service.

Top Violations:

• Vehicle: Defective service brakes (25%), tires (21%), and lighting issues (12%)
• Driver: Hours-of-service violations (32%), lack of CDL (25%), and false logs (11%)

The U.S. alone accounted for over 42,000 inspections, with nearly 8,000 trucks and 2,151 drivers sidelined. Brakes and HOS violations dominated the charts.

These figures matter because every truck pulled off the road tightens capacity, even if only temporarily. As Greenscreens.ai’s historical data shows, spot rates typically climb by 4-5% during Blitz Week, with freight volume taking a short-term hit of up to 5.6% in years past.

Impact Timeline

Blitz Week won’t flip the freight market, but it will jostle it.

Expect:

• Spot rate spikes between 2–4% mid-week
• Short-lived capacity tightening, especially in long-haul lanes
• A fast return to baseline once the inspections end

But with rates already bottomed out in many markets, even a brief squeeze could offer a much-needed margin lift for brokers, if they’re quick to act.

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