Guardian

Getting the mostfrom your

CVSAMEMBERSHIP

Committees HelpAchieve Excellence of

CMV Inspections ThroughUniformity, Quality Training

Volume 19, Issue 1 First Quarter 2012

About the cover:

Table of ContentsInsight

President’s Message ......................................................................................................1

Executive Director’s Message ..........................................................................................2

Letters to the Editor ........................................................................................................3

The Legislative & Regulatory Rundown ............................................................................4

Knowledge Matters ........................................................................................................6

Federal NewsAsk the FMCSA Administrator..........................................................................................8

Roadside Inspector Feedback Guides ISS Enhancements ................................................10

The National Training Center Rolls Out New Hazardous Materials Training Courses ..........11

New Medical Certification Requirements ........................................................................11

The Commercial Driver’s License Program Turns 25 ........................................................12

NTSB Concludes Investigation of Missouri Crash, Recommends

Nationwide Ban on Use of Nonemergency Portable Electronic Devices ......................13

TSA Initiates “Highway Baseline Assessment for Security Enhancements” Program ..........14

TSA’s Highway Anti-Terrorism Program Helps Foil Hijacking and Bomb Plots ....................15

CVSA NewsCOHMED Builds Partnerships to Ensure Success ............................................................17

International Safety Team Receives Media Training to Promote CVSA Safety Message ......17

CVSA’s Operation Safe Driver Data Show Message Getting Through to Drivers ................18

Brake Safety Week Captures Snapshot of Industry’s Compliance Rate ..............................19

Cover Story/FeatureMaking the Most of Your Membership ............................................................................20

Using the CVSA Website to Update Your Membership Profile,

Pay Dues or Register for Meetings ............................................................................23

2012 CVSA Sponsorship Opportunities Now Available ....................................................24

Inspector’s Corner ..................................................................................................25

Committee & Program NewsTraining Committee Helps CVSA Members Achieve Excellence, Professionalism in the

Performance of CMV Inspections Through Uniform, Quality Training ..........................26

Vehicle Committee Works to Ensure Enforcement, Industry

Understand OOS Conditions ....................................................................................27

North American Cargo Securement Harmonization Efforts Continue ................................28

NTC Conducts Webinar-Based Instructor Recertification Training......................................29

Regional NewsInspectors Keep an Eye Out for Bad Logbooks................................................................30

WSP Initiates Roads and Rails to Reduce CMV Collisions ................................................31

Regional Rap ............................................................................................................31

Local Enforcement NewsLocal Agencies Partner with State Agencies to Reduce Crashes

Involving Commercial Vehicles ..................................................................................34

Local and Lead Agencies Increase Reach to Ensure

CMV Safety by Combining Resources ......................................................................35

Seattle Police Department, Washington State Patrol Partner to Create

Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Squad ................................................................36

Why We Do What We Do....................................................................................36

Associate Member News Safety Innovators Making a Difference: Insights on Intersection Collisions ........................37

CVSA President Takes Partnership Message to Arizona Trucking Association ....................38

Safety, Compliance & Security: A Critical Alliance ............................................................38

What Happens Off Duty Matters ....................................................................................39

RAD Inspection News ............................................................................................41

GuardianPublished by:Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance

6303 Ivy Lane, Suite 310Greenbelt, MD 20770-6319

Phone: (301) 830-6143Fax: (301) 830-6144www.cvsa.org

Dedicated to government and industry workingtogether to promote commercial vehicle safetyon North American highways.

HEADQUARTERS STAFF

Stephen A. KepplerExecutive Director

Collin B. Mooney, CAEDeputy Executive Director

Larry D. SternDirector, Level VI Inspection Program

Adrienne L. GildeaDirector, Policy & Government Affairs

William P. SchaeferDirector, Vehicle Programs

Randy J. WestDirector, Driver Programs

Laura M. ZabriskieDirector, Communications & Marketing

Iris R. LeonardManager, Member & Program Services

Claudia V. McNattManager, Meetings & Events

J. Craig DefibaughController

For comments, suggestions or information,please email us at communications@cvsa.org.

Guardian is a publication of the Commercial VehicleSafety Alliance and the Federal Motor Carrier SafetyAdministration.

Participants fromCVSA’s NorthAmerican InspectorsChampionship come together with commercial vehicle drivers at ATA’sNational Truck DrivingChampionship.

First Quarter 2012 www.cvsa.org

Guardian

Commercial vehicle enforcement person-nel and industry continue to chip away atthe task of putting safety at the forefrontwith the number one goal of achievingzero commercial vehicle-related deaths.In the United States, this year marks theone year anniversary since the CSA(Compliance, Safety, Accountability) ini-tiative was implemented to improve largetruck and bus safety and ultimately reducecrashes, injuries, and fatalities related tocommercial motor vehicles. It introduceda new enforcement and compliance modelthat allows FMCSA and its State Partnersto contact a larger number of carriers ear-lier in order to address safety problemsbefore crashes occur. It also marks the 25thanniversary of the Commercial Driver’sLicense (CDL).

In addition to CSA, there are a num-ber of new initiatives that will requirelaw enforcement to continue to betrained and educated on things likeHOS rule changes, texting and hand-held cell phone bans and an enhancedfocus on bus and motorcoach operators.One of the most important pieces ofCSA coming this year will be the SafetyFitness Determination (SFD) rulemak-ing. Once in place, it will establish atruer performance-based safety ratingregime which ultimately will serve toboth target the bad actors and betterincentivize the industry to be safe. Inaddition, this new regime will bring usinto closer alignment with the Canadianapproach to rating motor carriers - theirNational Safety Code has had a per-formance-based approach to rating car-riers for some time. Only a small popu-lation is currently being rated in theU.S., but once the SFD is in place alldata being compiled will count and rat-ings will likely be available on a month-

ly basis. Once CSA is up and runningfor a couple of years, it will be integrat-ed into every enforcement tool availableand will create more incentive for thesafer carriers, while shining the spotlighton the bad performers. People who arepurchasing transportation services willbe making buying decisions and safetywill be a part of their decision process.For those who choose not to be safe, itwill become such a disincentive becausethey won’t be generating the revenue orcustomers and will likely be forced outof business. Those that aren’t puttingsafety first are truly rolling the dice andwill pay the cost in the long run. CSAwill help to create a mechanism for theindustry to police itself. That will helpus target the high risk operators moreeffectively and get them off the road,which will lift everybody up.

When the CDL Program was estab-lished as part of the Commercial MotorVehicle Safety Act of 1986, it set mini-mum national standards that statesmust meet when testing and licensing

CMV drivers. These federal require-ments consist primarily of driver test-ing criteria based on driver knowledgeand skills. Nearly twenty years after thefull implementation of the CDL pro-gram, the debate continues over the cri-teria that should be used to verify a dri-ver’s qualifications to operate largecommercial vehicles. While proponentsof mandatory driver training believethat uniform training requirements arenecessary, opponents of mandatorytraining argue that the emphasis shouldbe on driver competency rather than ontraining hours.

We want to help our members andindustry get smarter. We want to helpshift behavior and to make this shiftpermanent. We continue to see somepositives especially with Operation SafeDriver and our Teens & Trucks Sharethe Road program. This is how we cancreate a paradigm shift in the industryaway from a singular priority on veloci-ty to more priority placed on safety.Many in the safety community havebeen making a big push on young driv-ers. The fatalities among youth aredown substantially compared to the restof the population. The focus on youngerdrivers through education and aware-ness has helped to get them on thestraight and narrow to establish gooddriving habits early.

During 2011 there was a lot of activ-ity, much of it being regulatory in nature.This is unlikely to slow much in 2012.

Information availability through theinternet, blogs, and social media have allcontributed to an educational informa-tion overload. We have to recognize thatthese tools are with us to stay and weneed to harness them to help further ourmessage. All of this information is avail-

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I N S I G H T

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Trends That Will Transform Safety For the FutureBy Maj. David L. Palmer, CVSA President

Maj. David L. Palmer

For many years a major concern in thetruck and bus community has been thatwe need to work on improving the“image” of the industry. Most peopletake the position that the general publicviews the industry as bad actors andrenegades. A big reason for this is thesensationalism of the mainstream mediain their quest for the shock and awestory, and how that is viewed by the pub-lic. However, unlike most people I don’tblame the media for this. They have a jobto do. I believe it is us - the safety profes-sionals - that have a responsibility notonly to showcase the good, but to con-demn the bad that goes on. We need tobe honest with people and do a better jobof explaining the importance of what it isthat we do and how it impacts on theeveryday life of all of us.

Over the past few years the safetycommunity is working in a collaborativemanner to shift our mindset in terms ofhow we approach our work. The conceptof “safety culture” has been born in partfrom these discussions. The concept ofsafety culture goes beyond image becausein some people’s minds image can beseen as superficial. Culture goes beyond

the superficial. It is a behaviorial traitthat becomes part of you and that youpractice every day. All of us involvedwith CVSA have this safety culture, webreathe and exude it every day, it is partof our being. That is why we are here.

You will notice in this issue ofGuardian we are launching a new feature,called our “safety innovators” section. Iasked our Director of Communications &Marketing, Laura Zabriskie, to help us inlaunching this new piece because I amcontinually amazed at all the things ourmembers and associate members aredoing to enhance safety in their spheres ofinfluence, and we need to do a better jobof bottling and sharing it with others.Another member service we rolled outthis past fall was our webinar program, yetanother means to showcase informationand knowledge sharing. We are rampingup this program in 2012 and I am excitedat the topics that are being bantered aboutby the committees and programs. Be onthe lookout on our website for the sched-ule, it will be posted soon. We are alsopartnering with other organizations todeliver safety focused webinars and tohelp get the CVSA name out there.

I believe one of the best values ofCVSA Membership is the “cultural experi-ence” that is gained from member interac-tion. Others may call it networking, but itgoes beyond that, it is networking with apurpose. That purpose is big, broad andcompelling - it is helping to save lives. I ama firm believer that it is our responsibility tohelp shape and drive this cultural shift, notonly within our respective organizationsbut with our friends, family and the public.People who we don’t even know and willnever meet are counting on us.

I ask you, if we do not stand up andbecome the safety champions, who will?

2

First Quarter 2012 www.cvsa.org

Executive Director’s MessageBy Stephen A. Keppler, CVSA, Executive Director

Stephen A. Keppler

able to everyone from the driverbehind the wheel, to the safetydirector, insurance carriers and lawenforcement personnel. One ofCVSA’s goals in this coming yearwill be to help in this regard, byharnessing the knowledge of ourmembers and packaging it to sharebest practices within our organiza-tion as well as others outside.

We need a vision like Dwight D.Eisenhower who transformed theU.S. economy when he created themodern transportation system - avision that transformed our society toa faster, more efficient economy.Unfortunately, those advances camewith a hefty price tag. People oftencomplain about congestion and traf-fic; however, the AAA Foundationhas measured the cost of congestionversus safety and safety costs consid-erably more to the economy.This factis lost on most people, and it is a col-lective responsibility that we have todo a better job in educating the pub-lic on safety. However, all of usinvolved in CVSA, and many others,too are trying to shift this paradigm,and slowly – one life at a time. Wewill continue to chip away at it untilwe achieve our goal. I know all of usplace a value on safety. We would notbe part of the Commercial VehicleSafety Alliance if we did not! But weneed to convince others: industry,Congress, other decision makers, andthe general public. Unfortunately,crashes involving commercial vehi-cles are only “local” news featuresfor a day or two, and then everyoneis back to business as usual. But it’snever business as usual when livesare lost.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE(continued from page 1)

Accident event recorders, also known asAERs, are an extremely valuable losscontrol tool for commercial transporta-tion operations. AERs, which recordboth video and audio when a drivingincident occurs, can help enhance driverperformance, reduce accidents and savelives. This technology also offers othersignificant benefits including decreasedexpenses and lower loss costs.

Improving driver performance is thenumber one benefit of installing AERs.A 2009 study funded by FMCSAn andconducted by the Virginia TechTransportation Institute found AERsreduce risky driving events by as much as52%. Likewise, AER vendors say figuresfor overall loss dollars may decrease by anestimated 30% because expenditures forrepairs, downtime and workers’ compen-

sation claims are lower. So it’s not sur-prising that safer drivers have fewer andless severe accidents, resulting inimproved claims experience and lowerinsurance premiums. And, in the case ofan accident, the AER’s video clips pro-vide an irrefutable witness that canstreamline claims handling.

If you are not familiar with howAERs work, basically a small video cam-era is mounted to the vehicle and a for-ward-facing lens captures events in frontof the vehicle, while a rear-facing lenscaptures the inside of the vehicle. The

camera records changes in driving suchas hard braking, swerving, collision, andother events. When a triggered eventoccurs, the system saves a video clip thatmay be reviewed. There are also othertypes of AERs which record continuous-ly to monitor both driver and passengerbehaviors.

As the saying goes “every picturetells a story,” and this couldn’t be truerwhen it comes to AERs. Video clipsare invaluable when an accident occursand may help avoid costly litigation,act as an (continued on page 5)

In October 2006 The American TruckingAssociations and Road Safe America inde-pendently petitioned the NationalHighway Traffic Safety Administration(NHTSA) to require vehicle manufactur-ers to install speed limiters on new truckswith gross weights exceeding 26,000pounds. Both petitions call for the devices,also known as speed governors, to be pro-grammed at a maximum speed of 68 mph.

Safety and environmental benefits arethe main reasons for mandating the useof speed governors. Reducing the speedof large trucks will lead to lower fuelconsumption which helps reduce green-house gas emissions and saves on fuelcosts. The risk of collision is alsoreduced when driving a truck at lower

speeds due to reduced stopping distanceand greater reaction time.

By exceeding the speed limit driversexpose themselves to a number of dan-gers. For example, speeding makes ittougher to react to sudden road changes.Driving at increased speeds also inducesstress that may lead to lack of concentra-tion. According to FMCSA’s Large Truck& Bus Crash Facts (2009), driving too fastfor conditions or over the posted speedlimit by a truck driver were main factorsin fourteen percent of single-vehicle col-lisions and six percent of multi-vehiclecrashes that led to a fatality.

The technology to limit speed isreadily available. According to theAmerican Transportation Research

Institute (ATRI), “nearly all engine man-ufacturers offer some form of speed gov-ernor, and likewise, the majority ofmotor carriers and drivers are familiarwith speed governors, either throughfirsthand experience or communicationwith others in the industry.”

Countries including Australia, Japanand the European Union require speedlimiters in large trucks. And morerecently, the Canadian provinces ofQuebec and Ontario began requiringthem. It is time the United States initi-ate a process to consider requiring themto further improve truck safety.

Shazia NoreenAmerican Trucking Associations

Guardian

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

3

I N S I G H T

CVSA’s Guardian welcomes your letters and comments. To submit a letter,send an email to communications@cvsa.org or write to CVSA, c/o Guardian,6303 Ivy Lane, Suite 310, Greenbelt, MD 20770-6319.

Accident Event Recorders – Proactive Technology for Fleet Owners

First Quarter 2012 www.cvsa.org

4

The Legislative & Regulatory RundownBy Adrienne Gildea, CVSA, Director, Policy & Government Affairs

Reauthorization Remains Stalled asCongress Searches for FundingAt the outset of 2012, we find the reau-thorization bill a few steps forward, yetstalled on Capitol Hill. There was a flur-ry of activity as 2011 drew to a close, inan effort to prepare the bill for actionearly this year.

The Senate Environment & PublicWorks (EPW) Committee moved first,in mid-November, marking up their por-tion of the bill and setting the frameworkfor the other committees. The EPW billis a two-year bill, with funding set at thecurrent levels. However, the issue offunding is still not resolved and a $12 bil-lion deficit remains between the fundinglevels and the Highway Trust Fund(HTF) revenue projections. If the offsetcannot be found, there is a mechanismworked into the bill to reduce the annualfunding levels, keeping the HTF solvent.

Overall, the bill seeks to expedite proj-ect delivery and streamline the federalprocess, while giving states more flexibili-ty with federal funds, as long as certainminimum performance measures for per-formance and safety are met. Most of thebill does not touch on CVSA memberissues; however, the bill does include thelanguage from Jason’s Law, identifying thenation’s truck parking shortage as anational priority and making constructionof new facilities and expansion of andimprovements to existing facilities eligiblefor funding in a number of programs.

On December 14th, the SenateCommittee on Commerce, Science &Transportation marked up several bills,including the FMCSA, HazMat andNHTSA titles. Despite some contentionover a non-related freight provision, themotor carrier safety bill was reported outof Committee on a party line vote.

The Commerce bill contains a num-ber of positive items for CVSA. First,funding levels are kept steady and addi-tional flexibility is provided withMCSAP funds. In addition, the billaddresses a number of key CVSA issues,such as maintenance of effort (MOE);registration and new entrant require-ments; fine limits; CDL and driver train-ing requirements; EOBRs; safety ratingreciprocity with Canada; development ofa drug and alcohol clearinghouse; a com-prehensive truck size & weight study;motorcoach safety; and, a study of theexisting regulatory framework and itsimpact to safety. However, work remainsto be done, particularly regarding thegrant funding levels, administration anddistribution, matching requirements andthe takedowns for training.

With the EPW and Commerce titlescomplete, the Senate turned to theBanking Committee, which is responsi-ble for the transit piece of the bill, and theFinance Committee, in charge of findingthe necessary funding for the overallpackage. As of this writing, FinanceChairman Max Baucus had not publiclyidentified a source for the $12 billion

necessary to close the funding gap.Meanwhile, on the House side, very

little observable progress was made, buthigh-ranking Republicans on theTransportation & Infrastructure Com-mittee, as well as House leadership, areconfident they will be able to move thebill in early 2012. One issue likely toget attention in the House bill is trucksize and weight limits, following theexemptions granted to Maine andVermont in the 2012 TransportationAppropriations title.

Staff in both the House and Senateremain optimistic that they can movetheir respective legislation. However,reconciling the two - with the vast differ-ences and highly politicized nature of anelection year - seems unlikely.

House Seeks to ‘Rein’ in the Regulatory ProcessLast year, in an effort to slow theAdministration’s pace on issuing regula-tions, the House passed HR 10, theRegulations From the Executive in Needof Scrutiny, or REINS, Act. The billamends US Code to require that majorrules of the executive branch have noforce or effect unless a joint resolution ofapproval is enacted into law. The meas-ure would essentially give Congress vetopower over the regulatory process, usurp-ing a tremendous amount of authorityfrom the executive branch and throwingevery major issue into the highly politi-cized Congressional arena. While notspecific to the motor carrier safety andenforcement community, the bill, ifenacted, would have a tremendousimpact on CVSA members. While thematter is unlikely to get any considera-tion in the Senate, CVSA staff will befollowing the issue.

The REINS Act…While not

specific to the motor carrier

safety and enforcement

community, if enacted,

would have a tremendous

impact on CVSA members.

Guardian

5

Several Safety Rules on the Horizon in 2012As expected, FMCSA released their truckdrivers HOS rule late in December and itwas met with criticism from both sides.Several changes were made to things likethe definition of ‘on-duty time’ and the34-hour restart provision, but the contro-versial issue of maximum drive timeremains unchanged at 11 hours. It’s possi-ble that this rulemaking is heading backto court, as safety advocates and industryweigh the value of a legal challenge. ATAhas indicated they are considering thatroute, but have not announced a decision.

A number of other rules are on thehorizon. FMCSA has indicated that theFinal Rule on the ‘National Registry ofCertified Medical Examiners’ will be

published ‘this winter’. Rules on‘Minimum Training Requirements forEntry-Level Commercial Motor VehicleOperators’ and ‘Inspection, Repair, andMaintenance; Driver-Vehicle InspectionReport for Intermodal Equipment arealso due out in early 2012. NHTSAplans to issue a number of rules regard-ing motorcoach safety in early 2012,including the ‘Electronic StabilityControl Systems for Heavy Vehicle’ rule-making and requirements for safety beltsand rollover structural integrity.

In addition, FMCSA is taking a lookat HOS for the motorcoach industry. Alistening session was held in conjunctionwith the 2012 ABA Marketplace in earlyJanuary and work will continue on theissue through 2012.

I N S I G H T

unquestionable witness, and assistin expediting claims. The videomay clear a driver by showing whatreally happened and removing anychance for misjudgment based onbias. Claims adjusters can makequick and informed decisionsbased on actual facts, at times vir-tually eliminating costs related toaccident reconstruction and litiga-tion.

The technology also bringsother valuable benefits. Forinstance, AERs help eliminate fuel-wasting driving habits such asspeeding, hard-braking and rapidacceleration. Furthermore, theseimproved driving skills result inlower maintenance and repair costs.In addition, AERs help isolatepotentially serious driving patternsand reinforce good performance,making coaching and trainingmuch more effective. Companiesusing the technology can stagemore successful safety meetings byproviding real-life examples anddriving trend analysis.

AER technology is constantlychanging and improving, with avariety of products and servicescoming into the marketplace everyday. Operations without AERs intheir fleets should strongly considerthe investment as they will realizesignificant benefits from this proac-tive safety tool designed to improvedriver performance and make ourroads safer for everyone.

Kate Paciorek, Safety Claims andLitigation Services, LLC

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

AERs – Proactive Technologyfor Fleet Owners(continued from page 3)

Since its inception in 1982, CVSA has been a safety advocate of commercialvehicles. CVSA represents the individuals who dedicate their work to promotingan environment free of commercial vehicle accidents and incidents.

As North America’s leading commercial vehicle safety organization, the CVSAAcademic Scholarship is the centerpiece of the Alliance’s educational outreachinitiative. The Scholarship provides two $1,000 grants to graduating high schoolseniors whose parent or legal guardian is a good standing member of CVSA.

This grant program is competitive in its selection criteria, uniquely tailored torecognize outstanding high school seniors. Scholarship recipients are selectedby weighing academic performance and extracurricular activities.

Application Deadline: March 31, 2012For more information, please visit:

www.cvsa.org/about/cvsa_academicscholarships.php

CVSA Academic Scholarship

66

First Quarter 2012 www.cvsa.org

KNOWLEDGE MATTERS

Training: A Texas Perspective to the Ever-Evolving ClassroomBy the Texas Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Training Staff

Technology is constantly changing intoday’s world. Every year, new gadgetsand programming applications arereleased to the public, changing the wayjobs are performed and affecting publicculture. In the last ten years, technolog-ical advancements have become moreinnovative and prevalent worldwide.Advancements in technology have great-ly impacted the educational system in apositive manner. It has changed the waymaterials and information are presentedto students, and the method in whichstudents learn.

As recently as forty years ago, every-thing was done with a paper and pencil,and the Internet was only a vague ideathat few had heard of. Even some of theolder generation believes that it wouldhave been nice to have this new technol-ogy in their day.

Traditionally, the core element ofclassroom instruction was the text book.It was the instructor’s job to point outimportant information needed by thestudent to ensure subject mastery.During instruction, other visual aidswere introduced, such as flip charts,

handouts, and dry marker boards.In the early 90’s, the North American

Standard (NAS) courses were taughtusing slide carousels and VHS videotapes for course presentation. At thattime, the use of an overhead, and slideprojector was considered advanced tech-nology. The host agency conducting thecourse would receive a shipment fromNTC which contained the carousels,tapes, student materials, and test book-lets. One specific NAS course mightcontain a total of six to eight separate

carousels, with individual carousels pos-sibly containing as many as 50 slides!The instructor quickly learned after thefirst course instructed, and before thesecond, to check the slides in eachcarousel to ensure that all slides were intheir proper order and that their orienta-tion within the carousel was correct!They also learned quickly to mark a loca-tion in the Instructor Manual to “startthe tape”! “Concept Webs” basicallyconsisted of information transferred to aflip chart, then hung on the wall for thestudent’s use. At the conclusion of thecourse, students would take the test,mark their answers in the test booklet,and the host agency would then packeverything up and ship it back to NTC.

Instructional aids began moving intothe Information Age in the latter 90’swith the use of DVD’s containingPowerPoint Presentations and videos,along with the use of pre-printedConcept Webs. As we speak today, manyclassrooms are equipped with interactivewhiteboards and computer integrateddesks or workstations which place thematerials directly at the student’s finger-

We stand by NTC’s mission of

providing high quality motor

carrier safety and law enforce-

ment training to achieve the

goal of reducing crashes,

injuries and fatalities involving

large trucks and buses.

If you work in a commercial vehicle enforce-ment division in your jurisdiction, have theresponsibility for reviewing data concernsthat are filed about Federal or jurisdictionaldata and notice a repeated pattern of prob-lems, it may be time for you to do some in-service training.

“Here in Maryland, we use the Data Qsprocess to evaluate problems we are havingin the department,” said Francis “Buzzy”France, an administrative officer with theMaryland State Police, and a CVSA PastPresident. “If I get the same problems day inand day out I know I need to clarify those vio-lations insofar as training.”

Conducting in-service training hasmany benefits. For one, it keeps inspec-tors versed in the current regulations. Notonly does it communicate the work for allcertified inspectors, it emphasizes theimportant elements of the training cours-es and the key elements including: loadsecurement, brake inspections, hours-of-service (HOS) inspections, driver creden-tialing (what is needed for a driver to drivea vehicle), verify drivers licenses to makesure they are valid, checking operatingauthorities for the companies they areworking for, HazMat regulations, analyzeshipping papers for HazMat, as well as

GettingEveryone

on the Same Page

A Case for In-Service Training

GuardianI N S I G H T

7

tips from a host computer. Nowadays,most tests are graded with mechanicallyscored answer sheets or online, with theresults sent back to the student almostinstantaneously. This has made life moreconvenient for students while enhancingthe learning process by improving theway subject matter is presented.

With the current rate of technologicaladvancement, it’s impossible to imaginewhat a classroom may be like in twentyyears. The shift in worldwide computerusage and the need for computer skills intoday’s society have demanded entities tocreate guidelines which are aimed atpreparing students to effectively carryout their duties and responsibilities.While these changes are easy to imagineand are close at hand, one thing for cer-tain about the far off future: Technologywill continue to evolve for years to comeand the CVE Training Unit of the TexasDepartment of Public Safety will contin-ue to advance with the “Ever EvolvingClassroom.”

We stand by NTC’s mission of provid-ing high quality motor carrier safety andlaw enforcement training to achieve the

goal of reducing crashes, injuries and fatali-ties involving large trucks and buses.

The Texas Commercial VehicleEnforcement Training Staff consists ofseven Sergeants who each have their own“specialty” course of instruction. Each has“risen” through the ranks and all have previ-ously been roadside inspectors for manyyears. Two civilian instructors are specifi-cally devoted to instructing the ComplianceReview certification courses. The unit ismanaged under the command of a Captainand two Lieutenants, which make up a totalof approximately 215 cumulative years ofexperience. The Training Unit, as a whole,averages instructing approximately eighty(80) one-week schools per year, not only touniformed Troopers, but to civilian person-nel and local agency Inspectors as well.MCSAP schools consist of NAS Parts A& B, Non-Bulk Hazardous Materials,Cargo Tank, Other Bulk, PassengerVehicle Inspection, and ComplianceReview. In addition to the federal certifi-cation courses, the Training Unit also con-ducts certification training in IntrastateRules and Regulations, along with BasicTexas State Law.

checking the requirements for placardingand marking.

According to France, inspectors becomemore effective and uniform in their inspec-tions after receiving training. He also indicat-ed that in some cases, there is a correlationbetween inspectors receiving training and anuptick in violations. “After taking the courseswe see a general increase in violations. Weknow as a result of doing the training that ithelps increase our department’s uniformityfor conducting the roadside process. Andwith the new CSA program, it is more impor-tant than ever because these roadsideinspections drive the whole program.”

France indicated that for states that donot have instructors they typically utilize theFMCSA’s National Training Center (NTC)staff. But NTC doesn’t always have trainingcourses in their states. “CVSA has puttogether a tool box of suggestions of thingsthey can do, although we have never set apolicy of how much in service trainingneeds to be done,” said France, who alsoserved as a CVSA Training Committee chair.“But by doing it, I get a lot more value andget more from my inspectors and they aremore confident in conducting differentlevel inspections that they do not normallycome across.”

France recommends jurisdictions needto really look at developing in-service train-ing for all their inspectors at least annually,if not more given the new changes in HOS.“We really need to increase our communi-cation between the training realm and theroadside inspector to ensure that everyoneis on the same page because the more wetrain them the better they get,” Francestated. “They don’t do all these inspectionlevels all the time, so when they do get aLevel I and they haven’t done it in a while,the training is what will keep them versedin conducting a thorough and uniforminspection.”

8

First Quarter 2012 www.cvsa.org

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Admini-strator Anne S. Ferro answers your ques-tions. In this issue, the Administratorexplains current plans to educateenforcement personnel on the newhours-of-service rule and the new cellphone rule; what FMCSA has in storefor CSA in 2012; and how the enforce-ment community can stay current onmotorcoach safety issues.

Question: What plans does FMCSAhave in the near-term to educateenforcement personnel on the newhours-of-service rule?

Answer: On December 22, 2011,FMCSA made public the hours-of-serv-ice final rule for truck drivers. The ruleraises the safety bar by limiting use of the34-hour restart to once per week, requir-ing the 34-hour restart to include twonight time periods between 1:00 am to5:00 am and prohibiting driving if morethan 8 hours have passed since the dri-ver’s last break of 30 minutes or more.There are also provisions relating to on-duty time and penalties which pertain to

all CMV operators, and record keepingfor oil-field operations.

FMCSA understands that it is criticalfor enforcement personnel and industryto have an in-depth understanding ofthese new provisions before they areimplemented. The compliance date forthe majority of the rule is July 1, 2013;however, compliance with the “on-dutytime” definition, penalty provisions andoil field operations occurs when the finalrule takes effect February 27, 2012.Between now and July 1, 2013, FMCSAwill take a number of steps to ensureunderstanding of the provisions.

First, the new rule is available on theFMCSA website http://www.fmcsa.dot.govas are a series of Questions and Answers thathelp explain the rule. I urge you to take thetime to review these materials now. Second,during the first quarter of 2012, FMCSAwill be hosting a series of webinars to makeFMCSA and State personnel familiar withthe regulations. We will also provide aPowerPoint presentation that can be usedwhen conducting information sessions withsafety stakeholders, state trucking associa-tions or other interested groups.

Finally, our National Training Centerwill work with CVSA to develop androll-out comprehensive training on thenew requirements prior to the July 1,2013 compliance date.

Question: What plans does FMCSAhave in the near-term to educateenforcement personnel on the newhand-held cell phone ban for commercialtruck and bus drivers?

Answer: The final rule prohibiting truckand bus drivers from using hand-heldcell phones while operating their vehiclesbecomes effective nation-wide onJanuary 3, 2012.

Enforcing this new law will involvesome challenges for state and local lawenforcement. However, I believe we canmeet those challenges and take strong stepsto stop this unsafe behavior. We knowenforcement can be effective based onexperience since the 2010 ban on textingbecame law. Since the texting rule wentinto effect, more than 300 texting viola-tions have been recorded at the roadside.

Also, an earlier pilot program inHartford, CT and Syracuse, NY, spon-sored by the National Highway TrafficSafety Administration, showed thatstepped up enforcement against distract-ed driving can improve safety. In thatyear-long program, the Hartford policecited 9,500 drivers for texting or talkingon cell phones while driving. TheSyracuse pilot reported similar results.

To assist in making enforcement assuccessful as possible, we are workingwith and through the CVSA TrainingCommittee to develop procedures andmethods to ensure uniform compliance.

Enforcing this new rule is a giant leapforward for safer roads. It’s too dangerous

Ask the FMCSA Administrator

for drivers to use a hand-held cell phonewhile operating a commercial truck orbus. Drivers must keep their eyes on theroad, hands on the wheel, and head in thegame when operating on our roads.

Question: What does FMCSA plan forCSA in 2012?

Answer: In the year since Compliance,Safety, Accountability was launched inevery state, we have seen clear results. Weare reaching more carriers and reachingthem sooner which is making a differencefor commercial motor vehicle safety.

In 2012, we will build on the positiveimpacts seen in the first year so that wecan continue the path we began last year.Moving forward, expect to see newimprovements to address crash accounta-bility. We will make changes to the cargo-related BASIC to better identify andaddress hazardous materials and aligningviolations that are included in the SafetyMeasurement System or SMS withCVSA inspection levels. This means thatwe will eliminate vehicle violations thatare derived from driver-only inspectionsand driver violations from vehicle-onlyinspections. We will also issue a proposedrule that would use on-road performanceand investigation data in determining atruck or bus company’s safety fitness.

All of these actions are part of a long-term commitment to improve road safe-ty by strengthening commercial carrier,vehicle and driver safety. By reachingmore carriers earlier and using a range ofcorrective interventions to address a car-rier’s specific safety problems, we willmaintain high safety standards by plac-ing safety at the forefront of every truckand bus company’s operations.

Question: How can I stay current onenforcement priorities for motorcoachsafety?

Answer: At FMCSA, we have pledgedto do everything within our authority tohelp prevent future motorcoach crashes.To keep that pledge, we must keep the

enforcement community informed oncurrent activities related to motorcoachsafety and oversight.

On January 18, FMCSA’s NationalTraining Center will host two webinars onmotorcoach activities to provide you withthe latest insights and strategies to improvesafety. Anne Collins, FMCSA AssociateAdministrator for Field Operations willfacilitate a panel of speakers led byFMCSA’s Passenger Carrier DivisionChief Loretta Bitner, Eastern ServiceCenter Field Administrator Bob Millerand Connecticut Department of MotorVehicles Lieutenant and CVSA PassengerCarrier Committee Chair Don Bridge foran informational session on critical motor-coach policy and regulatory issues.

We will discuss the Septembernational passenger carrier safety strikeforce, exchange best practices from ourexperiences, and provide informationfrom the Motorcoach Safety Action Planand the National Motorcoach SafetySummit. The webinar will also highlightemerging enforcement issues. All of thiswill help us achieve our safety goals ofraising the safety bar, maintaining highstandards and removing high-risk carri-

ers from operating. Register for the 10am webinar at https://fmcsa.adobecon-nect.com/_a960512357/cvsamc1/event/registration.html or the 2pm webinar athttps://fmcsa.adobeconnect.com/_a960512357/cvsamc2/event/registration.html.If you miss the January 18 webinar, youcan view it online at the CVSA web site.

The actions we take to vigorously pro-tect the public from unsafe motor coachdrivers, buses and companies would notbe possible without our safety partners.The stakes are high. After all, the publicis counting on us to make sure that safe-ty is the first priority of bus companiesand drivers and that they understand andobey the rules of the road.

Our work together makes roads saferfor the American people. Your hardwork, integrity and commitment to oursafety-first mission are commendable.We recognize that you are critical to oursuccess and we thank you for your tirelessefforts. Best wishes for a safe and pro-ductive 2012 to all our state and localsafety partners.

Have a question? Send it toAskFMCSA@dot.gov.

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In an ongoing effort to increase the effec-tiveness of roadside inspections, theFMCSA as part of the Compliance,Safety, Accountability (CSA) programwill improve the methodology used in theInspection Selection System (ISS) in thespring of 2012. ISS is used to identify andprioritize motor carriers for inspectionsand serves as the foundation for by-passrecommendations in e-screening applica-tions. FMCSA is implementing theenhancements to the ISS algorithm basedon feedback from roadside inspectors.

“Input from our ‘on the ground’enforcement personnel is essential todeveloping and enhancing the toolsneeded to carry out our important safetymission; we are committed to listening toenforcement partners across the countryin order to improve our systems, process-es, and programs,” said AdministratorAnne S. Ferro.

The revised algorithm enhancementsinclude:• Targeting motor carriers with

demonstrated safety problems thatcan be addressed during a roadsideinspection;

• Ensuring that carriers with limitedinspection data do not fly under theradar; and

• Assisting roadside inspectors tomore easily identify out-of-service(OOS) carriers by assigning them ascore of 100.

The revised algorithm will focusinspectors on motor carriers with safetyperformance problems in areas mostlikely to be observed and effectivelyaddressed through a fixed site roadsideinspection; providing inspectors with ameaningful, safety-based “Inspect” rec-ommendation was the primary requestfrom the inspector community andapplies the CSA tenet of matching theright intervention tool with the demon-strated safety problem.

The revised algorithm will ensurethat FMCSA gathers important safetyperformance information about motorcarriers who have limited inspection databy including a random sample of carrierswith “insufficient data” each month inthe “Inspect” category. The ISS will notautomatically assign “Inspect” recom-mendations to all carriers with insuffi-cient data as it does today, resulting infewer overall “Inspect” recommenda-tions. This ensures that the majority of carriers in that category are based on safety performance while balancing

the need to monitor carriers with limitedexposure to the roadside inspection program.

Finally, the revised algorithm will pri-oritize OOS carriers with the highestISS score, allowing inspectors to quicklyidentify those carriers who should not beoperating. This determination will bemade on a daily basis, providing timelyinformation at roadside regarding carri-ers’ authority to operate.

Overall, FMCSA made these ISSimprovements to assist roadside inspec-tors in prioritizing motor carriers toinspect; the agency continues to workclosely with States’ e-screening programsto ensure their systems are closelyaligned with the agency’s priorities, asreflected in the new ISS algorithm.

“With valuable feedback fromenforcement personnel, we have reexam-ined the system and made changes sothat the ISS is as meaningful and usefulas possible in order to carry out our jointmission to reduce commercial motorvehicle crashes,” said Ferro.

Stay tuned for further updates as theybecome available by subscribing to theCSA RSS feed or email list athttp://csa.fmcsa.dot.gov/stay_connect-ed.aspx

First Quarter 2012 www.cvsa.org

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Roadside Inspector Feedback Guides ISS Enhancements By Gregory Nahmens, FMCSA, Transportation Specialist, Commercial Passenger Carrier Safety Division

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General Information• What is changing? State driver licensing agencies (SDLAs) will be adding your

medical certification status and the information on your medical examiner’s cer-tificate to your Commercial driver’s license system (CDLIS) record.

• When does this change start? This change starts on January 30, 2012• What is not changing? The driver physical qualification requirements are not

changing.

What are CDL holders required to do? 1. You must determine what type of commerce you operate in. You must certify to

your SDLA to one of the four types of commerce you operate in as listed below,• Interstate non-excepted: You are an Interstate non-excepted driver and must

meet the Federal DOT medical card requirements (e.g. - you are “not except-ed”).

• Interstate excepted: You are an Interstate excepted driver and do not have tomeet the Federal DOT medical card requirements.

• Intrastate non-excepted: You are an Intrastate non-excepted driver and arerequired to meet the medical requirements for your State.

• Intrastate excepted: You are an Intrastate excepted driver and do not have tomeet the medical requirements for your State.

2. If you are subject to the DOT medical card requirements, provide a copy of eachnew DOT medical card to your SDLA prior to the expiration of the currentDOT medical card.

For more detailed informationread the following:Starting January 30, 2012 and no laterthan January 30, 2014, all CDL holdersmust provide information to theirSDLA regarding the type of commer-cial motor vehicle operation they drivein or expect to drive in with their CDL.Drivers operating in certain types ofcommerce will be required to submit acurrent medical examiner’s certificate totheir SDLA to obtain a “certified” med-ical status as part of their driving record.CDL holders required to have a “certi-fied” medical status who fail to provideand keep up-to-date their medicalexaminer’s certificate with their SDLAwill become “not-certified” and theymay lose their CDL.

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The National TrainingCenter Rolls Out NewHazardous MaterialsTraining Courses

FMCSA National Training Center (NTC)is approaching the end of a year-longproject to redevelop its HazMat training.The aim of the NTC HazMat CourseRedevelopment Project is to achievebetter learning outcomes for trainingdirected to Federal and State personnelwho conduct HazMat-based compliancereviews, investigations or inspections.

The instructional materials for thenew HazMat training courses are pro-duced in a range of media for greaterflexibility. For example, all web-basedpre-requisites reduce the need forinstructor led resources and allow formore performance based/hands-oninteraction in the classroom.

Each of the new training courses hasnow been piloted and the lessonslearned incorporated into a final revi-sion.

NTC certified HazMat Instructors willhave two opportunities to re-certify inthe new HazMat training courses:• January 10, 2012, at NTC,

Arlington, VA • January 30, 2012, at the Cooperative

Hazardous Materials EnforcementDevelopment (COHMED) Conference(January 30 - February 3, 2012),Newport Beach, CA

Rollout of the new HazMat trainingcourses will begin February 2012.

New Medical CertificationRequirementsA Guide for Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Holders

First Quarter 2012 www.cvsa.org

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Happy 25th Birthday,Commercial Drivers License(CDL)! October 2011marked the 25th anniversaryof the Commercial MotorVehicle (CMV) Safety Act of1986. This law established aprogram to improve highwaysafety by ensuring that driversof large trucks and buses arequalified to operate thosevehicles and to remove unsafeand unqualified drivers fromthe highways. The Actretained the State’s right toissue a commercial driver’slicense, but established minimum nation-al standards which States must meet.Drivers have been required to have aCDL in order to drive certain CMVssince April 1, 1992.

The national CDL program has con-tributed to the reduction of fatalities andinjuries over the past 25 years. Fatalitieshave decreased by almost half, from5,600 in 1986 to 3,600 in 2010, while thenumber of CDL holders has grown toapproximately 14.2 million. Each year,40,000 applicants across the U.S. becomeCDL holders.

During the registration process, theState checks the information of an indi-vidual applying, renewing or updating hisor her CDL, through the CommercialDriver’s License Information System(CDLIS). The applicant also receives acomplete check through the NationalDriver Register (NDR), which is a com-puterized database of information pro-vided by the State, about drivers whohave had their licenses revoked or sus-pended, or who have been convicted ofserious traffic violations. Verifications aredone to ensure that the driver is not dis-

qualified to drive and does not possess alicense from more than one jurisdiction.If the driver holds a license from anotherjurisdiction, the State must require thedriver applicant to surrender his or herdriver’s license issued by that State beforeissuing a new one. The State mustrequest the complete driving record ofthe applicant from all jurisdictions wherethe driver was previously licensed in thepast 10 years. FMCSA works closelywith our state partners to maintain anefficient and accurate CDL program.This efficiency is made possible throughvalued partnerships.

Joint efforts with CVSA, new partner-ships with the International Association ofChiefs of Police (IACP) and the NationalSheriff ’s Association (NSA), as well astargeted training offered by FMCSAsNational Training Center, are in place toeducate State and local law enforcement,other stakeholders, and the truckingindustry.

Increased outreach involving thesealliances has resulted in more detailedoversight of truck and buses, and hasbeen a factor in strengthening law

enforcement’s ability to iden-tify unsafe behaviors such asspeeding, reckless driving,and lack of safety belt use.

CDLIS is heavily used byFederal and State lawenforcement officers anddriver licensing agencies.Each day CDLIS receives316,000 queries. FMCSA isworking to make the CDLISsystem accessible to all lawenforcement, not just CMVInspectors, through the Nletsnetwork early in 2012. Thisaccess will provide driver

record access from State offices, and con-tains vehicle registration information forboth carrier and vehicle inquiries. Withthe growth in availability, annual queriesto CDLIS are estimated to rise to 37million, up 5 fold from the current rate of4.5 million.

In the near term, CDLIS will mergewith FMCSA’s Medical Certificationprogram. Work is underway to inter-connect the CDLIS with the MedicalCertification National Registry by 2014.“Validating medical certification cardswill strengthen the link between safetyand enforcement and reinforce our safe-ty mission,” said Selden Fritschner,FMCSA Chief of the CommercialLicense Division.

Current and ongoing improvements tothe CDL program result from strong andsustained relationships with our statepartners. The program’s continued successwill impact FMCSA’s safety first mission,our ability to plan for the future of safetyprograms, and our framework for buildingand sustaining new partnerships for thepurpose of making a difference for com-mercial motor vehicle safety.

The Commercial Driver’s License Program Turns 25The CDL Matures in its Role for CMV SafetyBy DaRonda McDuffie, FMCSA, Public Affairs Specialist

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The NTSB recently met to conclude itsinvestigation of an August 2010 acci-dent, which occurred on eastboundInterstate 44 near Gray Summit, MO.The accident was a chain reaction ofthree collisions that took place whentraffic had slowed on approach to anactive construction zone. A bobtailing2007 Volvo truck-tractor had slowed fortraffic when it was struck from behind bya 2007 GMC Sierra pickup truck. Thelead school bus of a two-bus convoy fromSt. James High School, enroute to theSix Flags St. Louis amusement park,then struck and overrode the pickup,ramped upward, and came to rest on topof the pickup and the tractor. Momentslater, the following school bus struck theright rear of the lead bus.

As a result of the accident, the 19-year-old male driver of the pickup and a15-year-old female passenger seated inthe rear of the lead school bus werekilled. A total of 35 passengers fromboth of the buses, the two bus drivers,and the driver of the tractor receivedinjuries ranging from minor to serious.Eighteen people were uninjured.

The NTSB’s investigation revealedthat the pickup driver sentand received 11 text messagesin the 11 minutes precedingthe accident, with the lasttext being received justmoments before the pickupstruck the tractor.

This accident is the mostrecent in a string of accidentsinvestigated by the NTSB,across all modes of trans-portation, where the deadlyconsequences of driver dis-traction from the use of aportable electronic device

have become evident. To name just a few,these accidents include: The 2008Chatsworth, CA, commuter train colli-sion, where 25 people were killed anddozens more injured, when the train engi-neer ran a red signal while texting; the2010 “Duck” boat accident inPhiladelphia, PA, where two tourists werekilled when the boat was overrun by abarge being driven by an operator whofailed to maintain a proper lookout due torepeated use of a cell-phone and laptopcomputer; and the 2010 Munfordville,KY, accident where a truck driver failed tomaintain control of his fully loaded com-bination unit, crossed the median and col-lided with a 15-passenger van, killing 11people, because he was distracted by useof his cell-phone.

In the Gray Summit accident theNTSB determined that the probablecause of the initial collision, between thepickup and the tractor, was distractiondue to the text messaging conversationbeing conducted by the pickup driver.

As a result of this investigation, a safe-ty recommendation was issued to the 50states and the District of Columbia to banthe nonemergency use of portable elec-

tronic devices (other than those designedto support the driving task) for all drivers.The safety recommendation also urgesthe use of high-visibility enforcement tosupport these bans and implementation oftargeted communication campaigns toinform motorists of both the new law andthe heightened enforcement.

Other items addressed in the GraySummit investigation include video eventrecorders, collision warning systems,medical oversight of commercial vehicledrivers, state oversight of pupil trans-portation, school bus inspections, schoolbus emergency exit window design, andschool activity pre-trip safety briefings.As a result of the investigation, the NTSBissued a total of 13 new recommendationsto various Federal, state, and industryassociations, and either reiterated orreclassified another 10 recommendationspreviously issued by the agency.

The NTSB also recently released itsReport on Curbside Motorcoach Safety, acomprehensive examination of motor-coach transportation safety with anemphasis on curbside motorcoach opera-tions. The full report addresses the FederalMotor Carrier Safety Administration’s

oversight of all sectors of themotorcoach industry so thatcomparisons with curbsideoperations can be made. Thereport provides 27 primaryconclusions from the findingsof the NTSB’s investigation ofcurbside motorcoach safety;no recommendations wereissued with the report.

Both reports are availableon the NTSB’s website:www.ntsb.gov.

NTSB Concludes Investigation of Missouri Crash, Recommends Nationwide Ban on Use of Nonemergency Portable Electronic DevicesBy Jennifer Morrison, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB),

Vehicle Factors Investigator

The Transportation SecurityAdministration (TSA) has launched anew voluntary security review programdesigned to assess and improve the over-all security posture of the trucking,motorcoach, and school bus transporta-tion sectors, as well as select infrastruc-ture sites. For the past few years, TSA,through its Surface TransportationSecurity Inspection Program (STSIP),has been conducting voluntary BaselineAssessment for Security Enhancement(BASE) reviews of public transit systemsin the United States. The program hasbeen very successful, and TSA is nowbringing this same security review con-cept to the larger highway transportationsector. This program will improve theworking relationship between TSA andour corporate trucking, motor coach,school bus and infrastructure partners,while at the same time elevating theoverall level of highway security. In fur-therance of this effort, TSA is requestingparticipation from their trucking andbusing partners in conducting “HighwayBaseline Assessments for SecurityEnhancements” (HWY BASE) reviews.

HWY BASE is a non-regula-tory program in which highwaytransportation stakeholders acrossthe U.S allow TSA to review theirsecurity practices. In return, TSAwill provide them with a report ontheir findings, assign an overallsecurity “score,” and provide rec-ommended options for considera-tion designed to mitigate any vul-nerabilities identified. In con-junction with the HWY BASEprogram, TSA is also assistingstakeholders in need of securityplanning guidance by providing asimplified security plan template

adaptable to all modes, as well as a step-by-step guide to conducting an effective,site-specific risk assessment for any loca-tion. Simply stated, the HWY BASEprogram is an opportunity for industry toreceive assistance from TSA in develop-ing a robust security planning and assess-ment program designed to drive downthe risk of a truck or bus companybecoming the potential target of criminalor terrorist elements.

Following the review, participatingcompanies will be provided with adetailed summary report that includessecurity strengths, security weaknesses,and a separate security “score.”Participating stakeholders will receive areport card-type score ranging from 0%thru 100% . Those scoring 90% or moreon their Overall Security Performancewill be recognized for earning TSA’s“Security Gold Standard” and willreceive a certificate commending theirsecurity efforts.

A company or facility will be identi-fied as a candidate for this program usinga risk-based methodology developed byTSA’s Highway & Motor Carrier

(HMC) Division,. The initial focus ofthe program will be larger companiesthat represent the largest portion of theirrespective industry. TSA field personnelassigned to offices across the U.S. willreview various aspects of the company’ssecurity practices based on a series of rec-ommended “Security Action Items”developed by HMC, in concert withindustry partners.

During the HWY BASE reviewprocess, TSA will review related securitydocuments, interview appropriate securi-ty personnel, and (if appropriate) observeoperations. Once again, the emphasis isthat of collaboration and cooperationbetween the company and TSA, and noenforcement action will be taken as aresult of the review. Additionally, noinformation provided will be shared withany entities outside TSA and the propri-etary information will be protected inaccordance with the Code of FederalRegulations.

Participating in the HWY BASEprogram offers many benefits. Amongthose are the following:• May give a company a competitive

edge thru TSA’s “Gold Standard”achievement recognition• Grant funding for security

enhancements may be availablefrom TSA • National transportation securi-

ty posture will be enhanced,reducing the overall risk of ter-rorism• Company assets will be better

protected against both terroristand criminal elements• May reduce a company’s

potential liability exposure (“canyou afford not to be security-minded?”)

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First Quarter 2012 www.cvsa.org

TSA Initiates “Highway Baseline Assessment for Security Enhancements” Program

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Many think of the TransportationSecurity Administration (TSA) at ourairports as we prepare for screening priorto boarding an aircraft, however, withover 200,000 trained First Observers™contributing to recent success in foiling aFebruary, 2011 motorcoach hijackingand a Texas bomb plot linked to terror-ism, the Administration’s eyes are clear-ly focused on the road.

First Observer is the anti-terrorismdomain awareness program created byTSA’s Highway and Motor Carrier(HMC) Division to train highway pro-fessionals to accurately observe, assessand report terrorist behavior. The TSAbelieves First Observer has widespreadhighway mode application and is a lowcost, easy to implement force multiplier.

Recent success stories such as thefoiled hijacking of a Greyhound motor-coach traveling between Arlington, VAand Durham, NC and the disruption ofa Texas bomb plot targeting formerPresident George W. Bush and power

plants throughout the West Coast, vali-date HMC’s belief. Headlines aroundthe time focused on Super Bowl XLVfestivities and HMC jumped into theaction by training 1200 new FirstObservers at or near Cowboys Stadium.Following Green Bay’s victory overPittsburgh, only minor incidents, withno nexus to terrorism, were reported tothe 24-hour First Observer Call Center.The motorcoach hijacking, attemptedtwo days prior to kick-off, didn’t receivemuch press amid the hoopla surroundingAmerica’s premier sports extravaganza.

Boarding a Greyhound motorcoachbound from Arlington, VA to Raleigh,NC with 35 passengers onboard, alleged

hijacker, 32-year-old Jose Darwin Flores,32, of Arlington, VA, approached thedriver with a handgun and took controlof the bus, according to Warren County,NC, Sheriff Johnny M. Williams.

Southbound on Interstate I-85, alongthe Richmond, VA and Raleigh corridor,Flores told the driver to pull over nearExit 223. There, 33 terrified passengerswere allowed to leave the bus. Two pas-sengers remained on the bus. One hid inthe back of the motorcoach and the otherwould not leave the driver alone to facethe hijacker. Upon release at the exit,many of the passengers contacted police.

Flores then forced the driver, a Carey,NC veteran motorcoach operator receiv-ing Greyhound and TSA training whenshe joined the company, to continuedown the road. Following many of thelessons presented in her TSA/FirstObserver training, she remained calmand convinced the driver she could notcontinue the trip if she were not allowedto use a rest room. (continued on page 16)

TSA’s Highway Anti-Terrorism Program Helps Foil Hijacking and Bomb PlotsBy Mark Messina, TSA, Highway and Motor Carrier Transportation, Security Specialist

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• Company reputation as an “industryleader” may be enhanced

• May improve community relationsthrough recognition as a “good neigh-bor”

• Employees will benefit from animproved security environment

• Will provide data to inform futuredecision making at the federal level

• Offers a no-cost opportunity forindustry stakeholders to enhance theirsecurity posture with non-bindingrecommendations for improvement.

The personnel assigned to actuallyconduct the HWY BASE reviews will be

Transportation Security representativeswho are security professionals trained inall surface transportation modes. Theseemployees, assigned to TSA officesnationwide, will be tasked with collectingsecurity data from locally participatingcompanies, having that data analyzed,and generating a report for the stake-holder. After the initial review by a localTSA security professional, the companywill have opportunities to work closelywith the TSA representative to imple-ment any recommendations deemedappropriate by the company. Any mitiga-tion recommendations made in thereport will be advisory in nature and

place no financial or legal obligation onthe participating company. TSA person-nel will be reaching out to general freighttrucking, food transporters, motor coachand school bus companies, as well selectinfrastructure sites. Hazardous materialtransporters are not currently part of thetransportation sector selected for thisprogram.

Remember, the goal of the HWYBASE program is to reduce the risk of aterrorist incident involving the highwaytransportation sector. TSA is asking forHWY BASE participation from all of ourindustry partners as we continue focusingon transportation security awareness.

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First Quarter 2012 www.cvsa.org

Agreeing to her request, Floresallowed the driver to pull over at a localSunoco gas station where she and bothremaining passengers exited to use therest room, leaving Flores alone on thebus. Shortly afterward, sheriff deputies,alerted by released passengers, stunnedFlores after he refused to leave the busand took him into custody.

Today, Flores is in the WarrenCounty Detention Center, held on a$30-million bond and faces multiple kid-napping charges. The Greyhound driver,a mother of three with previous schoolbus driving experience, credits her TSAtraining and her years of experience forher success.

Similar TSA training led to theFebruary, 2011, FBI bust of Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari, a 20-year-old Saudi stu-dent studying in Texas. Aldawsari wascharged with attempting to bomb nuclearpower plants and dams along the WestCoast and the home of former PresidentGeorge W. Bush. An alert employee ofCon-way Inc., Ann Arbor, Michiganbased transportation and logistics serviceprovider with a hub in Lubbock, TX,quickly initiated the process alerting locallaw enforcement personal and the FBI toa shipment of Phenol, a chemical used inhomemade bomb manufacturing.

Following First Observer principlesrolled out to Con-way associates underthe program’s previous “Highway Watch”moniker, the Con-way employee real-ized something “just didn’t look right”when the chemicals passed through theLubbock hub.

Based on the nature of the chemicalsshipped and inconsistency regarding theintended use of the chemical, provisionsin Con-way’s incident management pro-gram triggered a DHS/TSA notificationplan. Reacting to reports, the FBI gainedentry into Aldawsari’s apartment onValentine’s Day finding, according to thecomplaint, “concentrated sulfuric acid,concentrated nitric acid, lab equipment,to include beakers and flasks, wiring,Christmas lights, the HazMat suit andclocks.” All of those, the governmentalleges, could be used to make an impro-vised explosive device. The FBI arrestedAldasawsari, February 23, 2011 andcharged him with the attempted use of aweapon of mass destruction.

First Observer motorcoach securityand cargo modules used by theGreyhound driver and the Con-waylogistics associate clearly defineprocesses enabling users to non-con-frontationally and accurately observe,assess and report terrorist and criminalactivity. Eleven training modulesendemic to the program cover allnational highway modes such as infra-structure, trucking, cargo, HAZMAT,school bus, motorcoach, parking struc-tures, highway workers, port authorityoperations, vehicle rental and leasingand law enforcement industries andorganizations.

Keeping the training time and costmanageable was another part of the TSAtraining strategy. At a time when everygovernment, public and private sectoragency or organization is “doing more

with less,” First Observer training isprovided at no cost to stakeholders. MostFirst Observer training is online(www.FirstObserver.com), but TSAknows the most effective training isclassroom based. That’s why FirstObserver offers “Train the Trainer” ses-sions as a significant part of the curricu-lum. Onsite and webinar training oppor-tunities exist and based on specifics ofthe group, high-level, direct training isavailable as well.

Until now, training was optional fordomestic motorcoach and over-the-roadbus (OTRB) operators. The 9-11 Act,however, requires OTRB operators toprovide anti-terrorism domain awarenesstraining such as First Observer to itsfrontline employees. TSA is currentlypreparing a rule requiring training ofspecific passenger carriers. With thisrequirement in mind, at its presentationto the FPWG, TSA asked the group toconsider recommending a DOD acquisi-tions policy change requiring TSA-approved security awareness training ofANY motor carrier, bus or truck wishingto do business with the DOD.

“This is a government program thatnot only allows HMC to form true part-nerships with other public and privatesector highway security professionals butit’s one that makes sense and is easy tointegrate into existing security plans andoperations.” said HMC General ManagerWilliam H. (Bill) Arrington.

Information about First Observerand the HMC mission is found on theHMC website (www.tsa.gov/highway).

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I attended my first COHMEDConference in San Diego in 1996. Itseems like it wasn’t that long ago, mustbe my age, but that’s another story. In2004, I got involved with the COHMEDLeadership as the Region IV Chair.Since then, I have found myself on ajourney that has led to my current posi-tion as the COHMED Program Chair.It is truly an honor to serve in thiscapacity. For the last 21 years I havebeen involved in a diverse variety ofaspects involving hazardous materialstransportation safety. It has been a pas-sion that has driven me to this point inmy career. Hazardous materials trans-portation is challenging, interesting,and educational. At the same time, itcan be frustrating, mind boggling andit’s constantly changing! That’s whytraining and education are so impor-tant. So, our mission at the annualCOHMED Conference is to make thechallenges of hazardous materials inter-esting and educational.

Our 2012 COHMED conferencewill be held from January 20 throughFebruary 3, 2012, in Newport Beach,CA. I commend the leadership team forputting together one of the best confer-ence agendas we’ve had.

When I took the reins as theCOHMED Program Chair, I set a goalto increase our attendance at theCOHMED Conferences. To be suc-cessful in today’s tough economictimes, we need to work together andpool our combined resources. One ofthe steps we’ve taken to leverage ourcombined resources is through buildingpartnerships. At last year’s conference,during the industry meeting, I chal-lenged our attendees from industry tobring more of their industry partners tothe next conference.

This year we were able to partnerwith the FMCSA National TrainingCenter to host an instructor develop-ment update course for their nationalinstructors who teach the hazardous

material inspection courses. Thecourse will be held on the first day,which will allow participants to attendthe COHMED conference the rest ofthe week. This cost sharing will allowstates to send people to the conferencewho otherwise would not have beenable to attend.

We’ve also built a strong relationshipwith the Pipeline and HazardousMaterials Safety Administration. Theyare assisting us with instructors and somegrant funding. In addition, we’ve workedwith our Canadian liaisons and we’ll beoffering more training sessions applica-ble to our counterparts from Canada.We have had great participation in thepast from Transport Canada and arelooking forward to the provincial agen-cies being more involved.

By building partnerships and workingtogether we can provide the synergy weneed to take COHMED to the nextlevel! See you there.

COHMED Builds Partnerships toEnsure SuccessBy Capt. Bill Reese, Idaho State Police, CVSA, COHMED Program Chair

International Safety Team Receives Media Training to Promote CVSA Safety MessageBy Andrew Stoeckle, Washington State Patrol, Commercial Vehicle Division, CVSA 2012 International Safety Team, Team Leader

Members of the International Safety Team (IST) will be attend-ing public information officer (PIO) training in Ann Arbor, MI.After being selected to the IST for 2012 several members askedif they could receive PIO/media training. One of IST’s sponsorsCon-way Freight offered to host and conduct the training attheir headquarters in Ann Arbor. A date was set for the firstweek in January, and the team has packed their snowshoes tohead north!

As a member of the IST I am looking forward to the train-ing and after talking to several other members while inAustin, TX I believe they are too. As law enforcement officersand civil servants we are told not to talk or trust the mediaunless we have received training. Although when it comes to

getting information out to the media it is the best way. It alsois important to know what media outlets are available. Twitteris one easy way to get a message out to the public and media.You can just type a quick message and thousands of peoplecan read it.

Members of the IST will be at selected media kickoffevents for CVSA programs like Roadcheck, Operation SafeDriver and Operation Air Brake to name a few, as well asother industry and trade events throughout the year. Thistraining will help us better understand our roles and respon-sibilities at these events. It will also help us understand whatthe media expects from us. This is important so we get theright message out.

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First Quarter 2012 www.cvsa.org

Targeting enforcement and educationefforts at both passenger as well as com-mercial vehicle drivers is starting to payoff, according to recently released resultsfrom CVSA’s 2011 Operation SafeDriver campaign. Drivers are slowingdown and taking heed of safety groups’messages that driving fast and cutting itclose around commercial vehicles is adeadly combination.

Operation Safe Driver was launchedin 2007 by CVSA, in partnership withFMCSA, to address the problem ofimproving the behavior of all driversoperating in an unsafe manner – eitherby, in, or around commercial vehicles –and to initiate educational and enforce-ment strategies to address those exhibit-ing high-risk behaviors.

“Campaigns that target and removeunsafe drivers from the road, like CVSA’sOperation Safe Driver, are yielding pos-itive results,” said Stephen A. Keppler,CVSA’s executive director. “Until wemove closer to achieving zero deaths,CVSA will continue to educate the driv-ing public – and especially teens - aboutthe risks they take when speeding andcutting off vehicles.”

CVSA initiated two new focus areasunder the Operation Safe Driver cam-paign after analysis of crash data revealedcertain demographics were more prone tobe at risk for being involved in crasheswith commercial vehicles. The Teens &Trucks Program was created to help edu-cate teens about safe driving practicesaround commercial vehicles. Efforts edu-cating young drivers (ages 16-20) areproving to have the most significant effect,with fatalities from crashes declining at afaster rate than overall fatalities between2006 and 2010. According to recentlyreleased data from the National Highway

Traffic Safety Administration, there hasbeen a 39 percent decrease in fatalities inyoung driver-involved crashes comparedto a 23-percent decrease in overall fatali-ties during the 2006 to 2010 time period.

In 2011, CVSA launched theDefeating Distracted Driving campaignfor commercial vehicle drivers and willroll out a similar campaign focusing onDefeating Distracted Driving for Teens.Distracted driving has been a focus areaboth by safety groups and DOTSecretary Ray LaHood after the VirginiaTech Transportation Institute released itsreport linking catastrophic crash eventsto the use of cell phones and otherportable electronic devices.

During this year’s campaign, lawenforcement officers who pulled overnearly 44,000 commercial and passengervehicle drivers found that the top threereasons warnings and citations wereissued to both commercial and non-commercial vehicle drivers include (1)speeding, (2) failure to obey traffic con-trol devices and (3) failing to use a safety

belt. This indicates a switch in the topthree violations position from 2010. In2010, speeding was first, followed byfailure to use a safety belt, and failure toobey traffic control devices respectively.

Of the warnings issued to CMV driv-ers, 16.8% were for speeding, versus40.5% for passenger car drivers, both sig-nificant reductions from 2010; 5.9%were for failure to obey traffic controldevices, compared to 3.2% for passengercar drivers, minor reductions from 2010;and, 3% were issued for failing to use aseat belt while operating their vehicle,compared to 1.9% for passenger carcounterparts. These numbers representa slight rise for CMV drivers and a slightdecrease for passenger car drivers. Ofthe citations issued to CMV drivers,12.8% were for speeding, versus 40.6% -a significant drop for passenger car driv-ers; 2.9% were for failure to obey trafficcontrol devices, a slight drop, comparedto 1.9% for passenger car drivers; and,3.7% were issued for failing to use a seatbelt while operating their vehicle, com-pared to 7.0% for passenger car counter-parts. CMV drivers were issued signifi-cantly less warnings and citations in2011 for failing to buckle up (416) ascompared to 2010 (1,055).

The data, obtained during the fourthannual Operation Safe Driver campaign,October 15-22, 2011, was collected by3,805 law enforcement personnel at1,848 locations across the United Statesand Canada. On the enforcement front,details on the results include:• 34,725 CMV Roadside Inspections

(4.7% resulted in the driver beingplaced out-of-service; 24.6% of theLevel I Inspections resulted in thevehicle(s) being placed out of service.In 2010, there were 39,784 inspec-

CVSA’s Operation Safe Driver Data Show Message Getting Through to DriversCombined Enforcement, Educational Outreach Takes Unsafe Drivers Off Roads

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tions conducted and a driverOOS rate of 5.3%, vehicleLevel I OOS rate of 27.4%;

• For Drivers: 0.81 violations perroadside inspection (0.44 in2010); 0.08 OOS violations perroadside inspection (same in2010); 0.07 citations per road-side inspection (0.04 in 2010);

• For Vehicles: 4.45 violations perroadside inspection (1.04 in2010); 0.23 OOS violations perroadside inspection (same in2010); 0.07 citations per road-side inspection (0.08 in 2010);

• 20,804 CMV Driver TrafficEnforcement Contacts: 7,062warnings were issued (0.32 percontact); 8,121 citations wereissued (0.35 per contact); In2010, there were 21,555 contacts,which resulted in 7,062 warnings(0.33 per contact) and 8,067citations (0.40 per contact);

• 8,770 Non-CMV Driver TrafficEnforcement Contacts: 7,126warnings were issued (0.52 percontact); 7,256 citations wereissued (0.69 per contact); In2010, there were 7,700 contacts,which resulted in 3,818 warnings(0.60 per contact) and 6,477citations (0.68 per contact);

• 27,482 CMV Driver Licensechecks (31,737 in 2010) and6,375 Non-CMV DriverLicense checks (9,876 in 2010).

“FMCSA is proud to be part ofa life-saving effort like OperationSafe Driver – which sends a strongmessage to all drivers to think safe-ty first, every trip and every time,”said FMCSA Administrator AnneS. Ferro.

For more information about CVSA’soutreach programs, including Teens &Trucks and Defeating DistractedDriving for Commercial VehicleDrivers, please visit www.opera-tionsafedriver.org.

For the second year in a row, commercial vehicle inspectors conducted a record numberof inspections during Operation Air Brake’s “Brake Safety Week”. Each year enforce-ment data gathered from across the continent provides a snapshot of industry’s rate ofcompliance while highlighting areas that need continued focus with regards to brakesafety regulations and relevant maintenance practices. This year, although the numberof out-of-service (OOS) defects for both brake adjustment and brake components aredown slightly, the overall OOS rate for brakes rose.

“Brakes continue to be the number one OOS defect and Brake Safety Week is areminder of the critical importance they serve in the safe operation of commercial vehi-cles,” said Stephen A. Keppler, CVSA’s executive director. “The Operation Air Brakecampaign remains the premier joint effort among federal, state, and local commercialvehicle enforcement and industry to promote commercial vehicle brake safety.”

Brake Safety Week is a prominent event of the Operation Air Brake campaign, anongoing, international effort dedicated to improving truck and bus brake safetythroughout North America. Brake Safety Week took place September 11-17, 2011. Itsimportance is underscored by the fact that brakes were cited in 29.4 percent of crashesas an associate factor in the crash, according to the Large Crash Causation study con-ducted in 2006.

Overall results show: • 30,872 vehicles inspected in 2011. This exceeds the 2010 mark of 30,472 vehicles,

the previous record inspected, since the program started in 1998;• 2,605 or 8.4% of vehicles were placed OOS for brake adjustment (8.9% in 2010,

9.0% in 2009);• 2,453 (or 7.9%) of vehicles were placed OOS for brake components (8.0% in 2010,

9.2% in 2009); and,• 4,385 (or 14.2%) of vehicles were placed OOS for brakes overall (13.5% in 2010,

15.1% in 2009).

The Operation Air Brake campaign exists, in part, to reduce the out-of-service ratefor brake-related defects. This Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) modelhas been used successfully in other areas of traffic safety, and is being employedthroughout North America to focus on the very important issue of brake safety and reg-ulatory compliance. The Operation Air Brake Campaign was developed and initiatedby Canada in 1998.

The OOS rates for Canada were again lower than in the U.S. for 2011. This year,8.7% of vehicles inspected in the U.S. during Brake Safety Week were placed OOS forpoor brake adjustment, compared to 3.7% in Canada. Inspections in Canada resultedin 7.3% of vehicles being placed out of service for brakes, compared to 4.4% in 2010.

“FMCSA once again applauds Operation Air Brake for saving lives by preventingcontinued operation of trucks and buses with serious brake problems that place thesafety of the traveling public at risk,” said FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro.

To learn more about Operation Air Brake and Brake Safety Week, visit www.oper-ationairbrake.com.

Brake Safety Week Captures Snapshot of Industry’s Compliance RateBrake Adjustment, Component Out-of-Service Defects Drop, Overall OOS Rate for Brakes Up

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First Quarter 2012 www.cvsa.org

Keeping pace with the changes in regu-lations and technology, combined withthe fast-paced nature of commercialtransportation, can be a challenge.CVSA is vigilant in keeping our mem-bers informed by providing bothenforcement and industry the tools tonot only keep pace, but to be out aheadof the curve to help you do your job aseffectively and efficiently as possible.However, it is our members who are thebest resource for providing updates onimportant and timely issues affecting theindustry. CVSA provides a place to learnfrom others; contribute input throughour many committees and programs; andto hear what is working in other jurisdic-tions and companies and how to apply itin your own workplace. When you areactive in CVSA, you become to be a partof a large and diverse group with tremen-dous knowledge that can support youwhen you need it.

Networking is one of the importantbenefits available to you. AttendingCVSA events and meeting face-to-facewith key industry representatives, as wellas law enforcement officials, is very valu-able.

“This unique audience has made itpossible to discuss issues important toour company and clients face-to-face

with those who can aid, advise and edu-cate us,” said Del Lisk, Drive Cam VicePresident, Safety Services. “Many timesI’ve brought back information that hasimpacted our thinking about the futuredirection of our technologies.”

CVSA provides a unique forum forour industry partners to share their per-spectives throughout CVSA’s commit-tees and programs, as well as providingsupport and critical input to theAlliance, the Associate AdvisoryCommittee as well as other technicaladvisory committees.

“Our number one objective is to pro-vide safe, well-maintained equipment forthe do-it-yourself household-movingcustomer,” said Joe Cook, U-HaulInternational’s Director of GovernmentRelations. “By far, the greatest benefitfrom CVSA membership is the relation-ships we build each year with othermembers. Our membership in theCVSA community has allowed us to fos-ter relations with law enforcement,industry, policy makers and other stake-holders committed to achieving highwaysafety as well as reciprocity and unifor-mity of regulations throughout theUnited States and Canada. Membershipallows us access to people who areexperts in their respective fields who in

turn can provide answers to complicatedquestions. Of course, it has to be recip-rocal for it to work. If someone hasinquiries about our operation we wantthem to have someone they can reach outto as well.”

Another great benefit is the opportu-nity to participate in one of CVSA’smany technical working committees.

“The Vehicle Committee is a greatarena for us to make sure any changes wemake meet the standards necessary tokeep our highways safe,” added Cook.“In addition, the Information SystemsCommittee offers the opportunity toconnect with the enforcement peoplethat handle the inspection and crash datafor their jurisdictions which, over theyears, has helped us and enforcement tounderstand each other and how we oper-ate much better. The Program InitiativesCommittee provides a broad view of themany items introduced and being con-sidered by CVSA.”

“CVSA allows the State of Nebraskato promote safety by achieving our goalsthrough uniformity, compatibility, andreciprocity of commercial motor vehicleinspections,” said Doug Donscheski,MCSAP Manager, Nebraska StatePatrol, Carrier Enforcement Division.“We have been actively involved in sev-

COVER STORY

Making the Most of YourMembership

CVSA Programs At a Glance

All CVSA programs share three core elements: education,enforcement and awareness. All are designed to familiar-ize drivers, safety managers, enforcement agencies, elect-ed officials, and the motoring public about commercialvehicle safety issues and how it affects them. For moreinformation about any of these programs, please visitwww.cvsa.org/programs. Cooperative Hazardous

Materials Enforcement Development (COHMED)

North American Inspectors

Championship (NAIC) International Safety Team

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eral committees such as the Executive,Driver/Traffic Enforcement, HazardousMaterials, Data/Information Systems,Size and Weight, Program Initiatives, andIntelligent Transportation Systems.Being a member of CVSA allows us tobe on the front end of proposed nationallegislation that will affect our jurisdic-tion. The networking within CVSA ispriceless. Through our contacts withinCVSA we have implemented a monthlyteleconference sharing information with-in the Midwest States.”

Information provided to and throughour committees allows for important dia-logue to take place.

“I joined the Passenger Vehicle (MotorCoach) Committee mainly because theYukon started to inspect motor coachesand I wanted to learn as much as possible,”said Julius Debuschewitz, B.A., Manager,National Safety Code, Government ofYukon. “I am also the only CVSA instruc-tor in the Yukon so I joined the TrainingCommittee with the aim of learning moreand becoming part of the network thatinevitably is part of the committees. I havealso attended the NAIC Committee meet-ings which helped me be able to travel toNAIC and judge Level I and Level Vinspections and instruct part of the practi-cal passenger vehicle training offered to

contestants. The overall aim, however, wasto get enough knowledge about the pro-gram to send a contestant from the Yukonto the next NAIC. Yukon now will hold itsfirst Yukon Challenge 2012. The Yukontakes part in Operation Air Brake andRoadcheck each year, which has led to bet-ter OOS rates in both events as time hasgone by. This has been the case particular-ly with local carriers, something the long-distance carriers are quite happy about.”

The Hazardous Materials Committeeprovides technical expertise related to haz-ardous materials/transportation of danger-ous goods in an effort to reduce incidentsand encourage uniformity and consistencyin the application of the regulations.

As Capt. W.L. “Bill” Reese, Idaho StatePolice, Commercial Vehicle SafetyHazardous Materials explains, “In Idaho wehave a small program, 21 commissionedstaff and four support staff. Even with oursmall staff we’ve always strived to get themost out of our involvement with CVSAand to benefit from our relationship. Weparticipate in the Training Committee,Vehicle Committee, Hazmat Committee,and the Information Systems Committee.We also participate in the Level VI andCOHMED Programs. Being activelyinvolved in these committees and programsallows us to get critical information and at

the same time represent our agency and ourinterests. When I took over as the DeputyCommander of our Commercial VehicleSafety Division in 2003, we were not active-ly participating in Operation Airbrake andsome of the other CVSA Programs. SinceI took over, we have been actively involvedin most of the programs. I’ve found that ourofficers in the field like to be more involvedand it contributes to our overall success inour state. The bottom-line for me hasalways been the more you are involved thebigger impact you can have in your ownjurisdiction and nationally. I’ve worked forthe last 21 years to help build a model pro-gram. We are small but highly successful forour size. A big reason for that is our activeparticipation with CVSA.”

The Information Systems Commit-tee serves the needs of the CMV safetyprogram and supports CVSA’s mission.

“I attend the Information SystemsCommittee Meeting every CVSAConference. I bring back a lot of infor-mation, learning all the IT updates inSAFETYNET helps with answeringcertain DataQ requests, with Non-match Crashes and InspectionInformation-ASPEN fixes etc.,” saidShari Leichter, Administrative AnalystII, Bureau of Trucking Services, NJDOT. “I attend the second Executive

CVSA Committees At a Glance

For more information about any of CVSA’s committees, please visit www.cvsa.org/committees.

R O A D C H E C K2 0 1 2

North AmericanStandard Level VI

Inspection Program

Operation Air Brake/ Brake Safety Week

OperationSafe Driver

Saved by the BeltRoadcheck

ExecutiveAssociate Advisory

Driver-Traffic Enforcement

Hazardous MaterialsInformation Systems

Passenger CarrierProgram Initiatives

Size and WeightTrainingVehicle

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First Quarter 2012 www.cvsa.org

Committee meeting because I like tohear what went on in each committeemeeting and bring back that informationto our office at DOT, New Jersey StatePolice and New Jersey Motor VehiclesCommission. In addition, I attend theInternational Safety Team meetings.”

“The thing that we use the most fromCVSA is our contacts,” said TheresaBroadbent, Landstar TransportationLogistics Director, Equipment/OperatorCompliance. “We have invited manyCVSA members to speak during ourmonthly safety conference calls and dis-cussed everything from California andtheir EPA regulations, to trailer lengthlaws. CVSA is so embedded in our life.”Broadbent added.

Work conducted during these meet-ings directly contributes to and shapestremendous changes in legislation, regu-lations, policy, research, enforcement,operations, education and social trends.But the impact does not end when themeetings do. CVSA continues to have animpact throughout the year through ourmany programs, and legislative and regu-latory work – all of which helps to driveour membership and industry forward inraising the safety bar higher.

What Members Like Most

“I am the Missouri MCSAP coordinator, and my degree is in business. I use CVSA’s Guardian to learn more about the industry sothat I understand the terminology that my partners are using when we develop the CVSP and handle other grant issues. This jobhas quite a learning curve, but reading as much as I can about the industry helps,” Christa A. Luebbering, Missouri Department ofTransportation, Commercial Motor Vehicle Program Manager, Traffic & Highway Safety

“The ability to contribute to publications such as Guardian is yet another benefit. Last year we were able to take advantage of the‘Industry Spotlight’ section to get the message out about our Safe Trailering program. We truly appreciate the opportunity to pro-mote our programs to hundreds of members through CVSA publications,” Joe Cook, U-Haul International

“I try to become very much involved with CVSA on a regular basis and … am very involved with CSA 2010. I train our employeeson the DOT inspection process and Roadside inspections. I take truck safety over the top and enforce all rules and regulations ofthe FMCSA. It is my bible along with CVSA North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria that I teach to the mechanics at ourcompany. I am a Fleet and Equipment Manager and I work very close with the Washington State Patrol, Vancouver WashingtonDOT and Clark County DOT Officers to promote safe truck enforcement on our highways. Being a former Law Enforcement Officermyself I take truck and vehicle safety very serious and I make sure my people do also. Thank you for the updates you have beensending that is what is needed in our industry. I love getting the updates it keeps me aware of what is going on,” Chuck Williams,Calportland Company

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Tools of the Trade

CVSA offers a number of value-added products in our store that are designed toenhance both your ability to educate your staff and/or employees on safety andtraining procedures. For more information, please visit the CVSA Online Store athttp://cvsa.stores.yahoo.net/.

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Rule #1: Use Internet Explorer, other browsers my change the waythe forms are displayed and limit the functionality of the website.

How to retrieve your password or member ID: Go to the WWW.CVSA.Org using Internet Explorer• If you have membership, you already have an account. Even if

you have never been to this site, all members have an account. • If you don’t know your password, click on the blue text at the

bottom of the “My Account Login” box.• If you do not have an email address on file with us, or it has

changed since you last updated us, you will need to contact themain office and they will be able to help you.

After you have logged in, click on the “View My Account” button onthe right-hand side in order to update your information, register formeetings or pay membership dues.

Note: only the Primary Contact for an organization can make pay-ments for, or make updates to, the company record.

The main screen for your account looks like the one above, and willshow all invoices that are currently due, as well as their source. Inthis example there is one invoice with a balance due, and it is froma meeting. To pay this invoice you can click on the link above it,“Select Invoices to Pay Now.”

If you wish to update your contact information above, click on the“Update” link to the right of the Profile information title.

To make updates to an organizations record, or pay the companymembership, the primary contact can select “OrganizationProcessing” on the left. Although the link is present for everyone,only the primary contact will be able to utilize it.

As you can see after we select organization processing we are in therecord for the organization by the red print at the top “WelcomeCommercial Vehicle Safety Alliance” at which point the functionali-ty is similar to the individuals. To update the profile information, youselect “update” next to the title “profile information”. And mem-bership information can be found by selecting “More Info” next tothe membership information header.

The “more information” screen for membership shows the list ofindividuals the company has selected to act as representatives,allowing them to access the members only area of the CVSA web-site. If you would like to add additional representatives, you can doso here by selecting “add a representative.”

Individual Memberships: To view your membership information,select to view the Services section on the left. Here you can select“your memberships” to view your current membership status, andrenew your membership.

Using the CVSA Website to Update Your Membership Profile, Pay Dues or Register for Meetings

First Quarter 2012 www.cvsa.org

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Becoming a CVSA sponsor has theability to provide a key enabler to dif-ferentiate and spotlight your organiza-tion as showing a commitment to safe-ty and security, and help generate rev-enue opportunities, commercial expert-ise and credibility in a competitive andfast-paced industry. Your customersand the safety community that is repre-sented by CVSA and the groups wework with are likely to be far morereceptive to messages accessed throughintegrated sponsorship campaigns thanthrough other forms of commercialcommunication.

Defining the ProblemRoadway congestion, traffic jams, over-turned tractor trailers due to mechanicalfailures, crashes and deaths caused bydistracted and aggressive drivers. Theseare all common factors in the complicat-ed equation of our day to day drivingcommute. Many complain about andwonder why these problems occur. Onegroup, however, works every day to savelives by preventing these problems fromhappening in the first place – CVSA.

A Critical PieceBy becoming a CVSA sponsor, notonly are you enhancing your organiza-tion’s image, you are making a commit-ment to solving the most challengingsafety issues.

Your organization’s support makes itpossible for CVSA to:• Enhance roadside inspection efforts

across North America;• Increase member services;• Develop and disseminate pertinent

safety and regulatory information toindustry; and,

• Deliver quality educational and train-ing programs for commercial vehicleenforcement and industry throughoutNorth America.

As a CVSA sponsor you gain premi-um exposure with government, industryleaders and participants, while increasingtheir visibility within the commercialmotor carrier community. Sponsorshipis a guaranteed tool to ensuring yourorganization gets targeted exposure as anindustry leader and participant attention.

As you evaluate the 2012 CVSASponsorship Opportunities, please keepin mind:• CVSA is a very active and dynamic

organization. Since 1980, our mem-bers have helped contribute to andshape tremendous changes in legisla-tion, regulations, policy, research,enforcement, operations, educationand social trends throughout NorthAmerica.

• Our sponsors say it best. The reasonthey are sponsors is that it gives themthe opportunity to participate and

have a voice in programs that strive tofamiliarize the general public, govern-ment and enforcement agencies andelected officials about truck and bussafety and security issues.

• Your organization’s support helpsCVSA extend its mission and makesit possible to enhance roadsideinspection and other safety, compli-ance and educational efforts acrossNorth America; develop and dissem-inate pertinent safety and regulatoryinformation to government andindustry; and, deliver quality educa-tional and training programs for com-mercial vehicle enforcement, industryand the general public throughoutNorth America.

We know you have many choices onwhere to invest your time and money,and we very much appreciate yourspending some of it with us. Please takethe opportunity to review our 2012Sponsorship Opportunities brochurelocated on our website at www.cvsa.org.We are confident that your support as aCVSA sponsor, your commitment tosafety and security, will give you the kindof return on investment you are lookingfor.

Please contact Edgar Martinez at(301) 830-6156 or edgarm@cvsa.orgwith questions and to secure your spon-sorship opportunity today.

2012 CVSA Sponsorship Opportunities Now Available

The grass has turned brown, there is anip in the air, and snow is looming in theforecast so it must be time again to facethe trials of the winter season. With thewinter season for me comes the changein my duties. I have the privilege to workwith FMCSA during the winter monthsconducting safety investigations. I con-tinue to conduct roadside inspections,when time permits, but it allows me tostep to the other side of commercialvehicle enforcement. It is on this sidethat you learn the importance of a quali-ty inspection both in finding violationsand properly documenting them. Thisalso includes understanding the impor-tance of a clean inspection (no viola-tions) when one is warranted.

As roadside inspectors, we areresponsible for conducting roadsideinspections to ensure that commercialmotor vehicles are operating in a safemanner on our roadways. We arefocused on getting our inspections com-pleted in a timely manner and in a quan-tity that keeps our supervisor happy. Aswe do this, we may lose sight of the factwe are just the first step of the enforce-ment cycle, albeit a very important step.Roadside inspections are an importantenforcement tool but they also serve alarger purpose. These inspections serveas the data in the Carrier SafetyMeasurement System (CSMS) andDriver Safety Measurement System(DSMS). These measurement systemsare used to determine which carriersrequire further intervention. This inter-vention can range from a Warning Letterto a Full On-Site Safety Investigation.

Understanding both sides of CMVenforcement makes for a better inspectordue to an increase in inspector knowl-edge. Knowledge is extremely important

when conducting CMV enforcement.There are two areas of knowledge andboth, I feel, are equally important. Thefirst is the knowledge we all think of andthat is of the actual regulations and theapplication of them on a roadside inspec-tion. The second area of knowledge, thatcompletes the inspector, is the under-standing of what you do roadside affectsnot only the carrier and drivers but alsoother enforcement personnel. Theimplementation of CSA only highlightsthe importance of high quality, uniforminspections across all jurisdictions.

The inspector is expected to beknowledgeable in the regulations, theproper application of the regulations, theproper documentation on the report, andthe proper enforcement at the conclusionof the roadside inspection. As anenforcement community, we usuallyfocus on the latter or what type ofenforcement we are taking road side. Weneed to place just as much emphasis onthe first three items as we do in the actu-al enforcement. Roadside inspectionsare data gathering so if we don’t have acomplete understanding of the regula-tion and the regulatory intent, it canlower the quality of the inspection. Theproper documentation can also have ahuge impact on the quality of the inspec-tion. CSA assigns a severity value toevery violation on the inspection. If theviolation is not coded properly, thewrong severity weight will be assignedand will affect the impact that inspectionhas on the CSMS. An example of thiswould be citing a vehicle violation under393.9(a), inoperative required lamps, fora turn signal inoperative, 2 points, whenit should be coded under 393.9TS, 6points. In this case, when I adjust for ageof the inspection, the total points

assessed wouldbe 6 under393.9(a) insteadof 18 under393.9TS. Byciting a violationunder the wrongsection, the vio-lation may alsonot affect the DSMS when it should havesince not all violations affect the driverscore. Clean or no violation inspectionsalso have a significant impact on theCSMS. These inspections are importantbecause they show the carrier and/ordriver is complying with the regulationsand will improve their SMS which inturn will keep investigators from spend-ing time with the wrong carriers. Wheninspections are only completed whenthere are violations, it skews the data andaffects the quality of information in thedatabase. Put in simple terms, garbagein equals garbage out. The CSAOperational Model is only as good as theinformation we put into it. If we do notput the highest quality inspections intothe SMS, how do we expect the SMS toprovide high quality data for investiga-tors to use in determining which carriersrequire an intervention.

Depending on the jurisdiction,inspectors have many irons in the fire:roadside inspections, traffic enforcement,size and weight enforcement, state per-mit enforcement, investigations,instructing, crash investigation, andcommunity awareness and policing.With all of these other duties weighingon our time, it is crucial that we take thetime to conduct good quality inspec-tions. The CSA Operational Model andCommercial Vehicle Safety on our roadsis depending on it.

Trp. John Sova

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Guardian

Inspector’s CornerBy Trp. John Sova, South Dakota Highway Patrol, NAIC 2011 Grand Champion

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I am writing this article as I take on therole of chair of the training committee. Iam very excited to take on this role, astraining is very important and touches allaspects within our Alliance. Trainingguarantees those processes developed byCVSA are implemented by the member-ship in a uniform and timely manner.My background in training goes back tomy college days and my study to becomea high school math teacher. During mylessons, I felt that a career in law enforce-ment would better suit me than a careeras a teacher. In 1996, I joined theColorado State Patrol and within thefirst two years I became an accidentreconstructionist. In 2002, I was select-ed to the position of lead instructor forAccident Investigation and Reconstruc-tion at the Colorado State PatrolAcademy. During my time at theAcademy, I redeveloped our Level IVreconstruction course and implementeda procedure that established uniformedcriteria in applying for our Level IIIreconstruction course. In 2004, I took onthe rank of sergeant and for the pasteight years I have supervised the trainingteam of the Motor Carrier SafetySection. During these past seven years, Ihave developed numerous trainingcourses ranging from hours-of-serviceupdates to the implementation ofOperational Policy 14. I have personallydeveloped our State Inspector Challengewhich included the development of thewritten exam, coordination of the practi-cals, and the implementation of a stan-dardized scoring system. As you can see,for most of my adult life I have beeninvolved in instructing.

In selecting the leadership of theTraining Committee, I wanted to simul-taneously maintain continuity with our

past while looking forward to the future.I have asked Milan “Butch” Orbovich ofthe Public Utilities Commission of Ohioto be the Vice Chairman. Butch is anNTC Master Instructor and is an activemember of CVSA. Butch and I share avision of the Training Committee as anintegral part of each of the CVSA com-mittees. I have also asked Capt. SteveRundell of the Texas Department ofPublic Safety to be our Secretary. Capt.Rundell will continue his role as a mem-ber of our leadership team and I look for-ward to his involvement in ensuring theTraining Committee achieves its goals.Each has accepted my request to remainas part of our leadership team and withtheir help, we look to move the TrainingCommittee forward and accomplishthose tasks set before us.

The purpose of our Training Com-mittee, “Achieve excellence and profes-sionalism in the performance of com-mercial vehicle inspections throughuniform and quality training,” is part ofthe foundation which ensures ourAlliance stays at the forefront of com-mercial vehicle safety. I see the TrainingCommittee as the glue that binds all ofthe committees within our Alliance.Through our active cooperation, theTraining Committee will ensure thoseprocedures developed by our sisterCVSA committees are implemented toour members in a consistent and timelymanner. The strength of our partner-ships and working together in achiev-ing our committee goals will moveCVSA forward as the internationalauthority on commercial motor vehiclesafety and security.

To make sure the Alliance continuesto reach its goals there are three impor-tant upcoming training issues which will

have to be addressed. First, are thechanges to the Hours-of-Service (HOS),second is the training of the 2012 OutOf Service (OOS) Criteria, and third isthe development of an AOBRD andEOBR training procedures.

During the December ExecutiveCommittee Meeting, Associate Admini-strator for Enforcement Bill Quade stat-ed that FMCSA would post the newHOS rules by the end of the month.Due to the possible changes to theserules, a robust, comprehensive trainingprocedure will need to be developed. Toensure a consistent application ofenforcement of the rules, the TrainingCommittee will need the involvement ofall of its membership. With the activeparticipation of our membership, theTraining Committee can achieve its goalof providing effective and uniformedtraining. HOS will be a high prioritydiscussion topic at the 2012 CVSASpring Workshop.

CVSA is also currently finalizing the2012 OOS Criteria. As the OOS Criteriais the foundation of our Alliance, theTraining Committee will need to ensureall roadside inspectors are properly train-ing on its implementation. In the past, theTexas Department of Public Safety (DPS)has assisted the Training Committee indeveloping the presentation that ourmembership uses to instruct the OOSCriteria. This presentation is a valuabletool which ensures uniformity in ourtraining throughout all jurisdictions.CVSA President David Palmer has agreedagain to volunteer his state’s remarkableexpertise and to assist in the developmentof the 2012 OOS Criteria TrainingPresentation. I would like to thankPresident Palmer and the Texas DPS fortheir help in starting the development of

Training Committee Helps CVSA Members Achieve Excellence,Professionalism in the Performance of CMV Inspections Through Uniform, Quality Training By Sgt. Rocco Domenico, Colorado State Police, CVSA Training Committee Chair

First Quarter 2012 www.cvsa.org

the OOS presentation. With this presen-tation, the Training Committee will have astarting point in our discussions on final-izing the OOS Criteria implementation.During the last Executive CommitteeMeeting, an idea was presented on devel-oping a webinar as a means to train ourroadside inspectors on the OOS Criteria.With help from our partners at NTC, thiswebinar will not only keep our traininguniform, but will keep our training effortsmoving toward our goal of leveraging newtechnologies.

Lastly, I would like to address thetraining on the AOBRD and EOBR.As we know, the rulemaking for therequirements of the EOBR are currentlyon hold. To keep to our mission state-ment of providing leadership to enforce-ment, industry and policy makers, theTraining Committee will need to startdeveloping a procedure on enforcement.While we may not know exactly what

the final rule will look like, the TrainingCommittee will need to put in place theprocess on implementing this training tothe roadside inspector. If the TrainingCommittee can have in place a means bywhich all of our membership can con-duct this training, the content of thetraining will fall into place around thisprocedure. I look forward to our discus-sion on this topic at the 2012 SpringWorkshop.

These are three important topicscoming before the Training Committee;they are by no means our only discussionissues. We still have the CDL enforce-ment, cell phones in commercial vehi-cles, and numerous other regulations thatthe Training Committee may need toaddress. The work of the TrainingCommittee will assist in moving ourAlliance to achieving excellence and pro-fessionalism in commercial vehicleinspection through quality training.

As I conclude, I would like to leaveyou with my philosophy on how I see theTraining Committee proceeding for-ward. From my teaching background, Ido believe there is no such thing as a stu-pid question. Active participation by allof our members in our discussions willmake certain a final decision is clear anduniform. If a member is willing to givetheir honest, fact-based opinion on ourdiscussion topics, it will be my duty toensure their opinion is heard. Overall, Isee the Training Committee as the focalpoint in getting information out to theroadside inspectors so they can performtheir duties to improve commercial vehi-cle safety and security in an effective andefficient manner. This Training Com-mittee has well over one hundred years ofknowledge in training. I will be lookingto use this knowledge base as we tackleissues on training and standardizedinspections.

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The CVSA Vehicle Committee has recently been workingto develop several Inspection Bulletins, including multiplebulletins relating to inspection of hydraulic brakes and onerelating to treadle valve inspections. During the CVSAConference in Austin, TX, several hydraulic brake out-of-service criteria changes were approved. Since that time theinspection bulletins have been in development. The deci-sion was made to also include a bulletin for the air overhydraulic brake systems.

CVSA Inspection Bulletins are public documents thatprovide inspectors and industry alike with extra detail andguidance on particular vehicle or driver inspection aspects.During the meeting in Austin, a concern was raised aboutan important maintenance issue relating to potential trea-dle valve separation, which could result in loss of primarybraking control of the vehicle. The Committee continuesto work with industry partners to develop guidance on thisissue. The bulletin will bring educational awareness to

enforcement officers as well as service technicians conduct-ing inspections of commercial motor vehicles.

In 2012 the Vehicle Committee also plans to com-plete new hydraulic brake inspection criteria and developsome out-of-service criteria related to inspecting a braketreadle valve. Along with these initiatives, theCommittee will be providing FMCSA with suggestionson ways to regulate view obstructions, including sunvisors, on commercial motor vehicles. Reports on sever-al crashes, some fatal, have been presented to the com-mittee where view obstruction was identified as acausative factor in the crash. A third initiative by theVehicle Committee will be to improve uniformity in theapplication of the coupling device section of the Out-Of-Service Criteria. Working with our industry partners,the Vehicle Committee intends to clarify this section soenforcement personnel can understand and apply theout-of-service conditions more consistently.

Vehicle Committee Works to Ensure Enforcement, Industry Understand OOS ConditionsBy Lt. Brian Ausloos, Wisconsin State Patrol, Motor Carrier Enforcement Section,

CVSA Vehicle Committee Vice Chair

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The North American Cargo Securement Harmonization PublicForum met November 29th in Montreal, for the second of itsbiannual meetings. It bolstered its reputation as a key venue forrepresentatives of state, provincial, and federal agencies, indus-try participants, and others to meet to discuss enforcement cri-teria, share best practices, and establish harmonized policies onsecuring cargo on commercial motor vehicles. The open meet-ing attracted more than 60 attendees and addressed numeroustechnical issues. It also hosted four guest presentations on cur-rent and future cargo securement needs and desires.

The origin of the Forum dates to the early 1990s whenefforts began in Canada to harmonize motor transport cargosecurement regulations. In 1994, collaboration began betweenthe United States and Canadian governments to pursue uniformregulatory requirements for securement of cargo in highwaytransport. The result of that initial collaboration was the forma-tion of the Model Regulation, formally titled the NorthAmerican Cargo Securement Standard. The Model Regulationestablishes the minimum requirements for achieving safe cargosecurement to be adopted by both countries through theirrespective established regulatory processes. The Forum, mean-while, has since become largely associated with CVSA’s VehicleCommittee, from which many of the issues arise and throughwhich some are resolved. But the Forum now includes an estab-lished process that supports harmonization through the ModelRegulation.

The Model Regulation is a living document fashioned coop-eratively among the two countries’ regulating agencies andindustry. The current edition, the January 2003 version, standsas the target regulatory model for the two countries.Discrepancies between the regulations in the two countries con-tinue to exist due to the fact that it takes varying levels of effort

and time to adopt and implement the new regulations. But theModel Regulation serves as a target, and it is moving NorthAmerica toward cargo securement regulation and enforcementharmonization. The Model Regulation document can beviewed at the following URL: http://www.cvsa.org/committees/cargo_securement.php.

The Forum, meanwhile, provides a venue and a process toaddress issues that arise, and it allows new perspectives toinform the refinement of the Model Regulation. The processhas evolved over the years, with the latest iteration in use, moreor less, since the March 2008 meeting in Denver, CO. Issues aresubmitted to CVSA, confirmed as cargo securement issues forconsideration, and added to the Forum agenda. Topics thatrequire interpretation of the regulations (especially the ModelRegulation) are referred to the Regulators Group, comprisingrepresentatives of the U.S. FMCSA and the Canadian Councilof Motor Transport Administrators.

Some examples of topics addressed at the latest meetinginclude: clarifying what is a loose tiedown; defining preferredmethods for securing metal coils; clarifying what are meant bycrushed cars; improving the definition of what is an acceptabletiedown; and reviewing ongoing research of what is acceptablewear and tear for synthetic web tiedowns.

Four presentations were made to the Forum to address vari-ous specific operations or commodity securement concerns: (1)a presentation by FP Innovations was made concerning the useof composite stakes on bunk trailers, suggesting inspectionmethods and criteria; (2) a presentation from an association oftow truck operators on the proper securement of damaged vehi-cles; (3) improved methods for safely securing prefabricatedhouses to trailer chassis from the Québec association of prefabhouses; and (4) best practices from the Canadian oil and gas

industry for securing long drilling pipeor rods.

The next North American CargoSecurement Harmonization PublicForum meets in conjunction with the CVSA Workshop in Bellevue,WA, on Monday, April 23, 2012.For further information, check the CVSA website at this URL:http://www.cvsa.org/committees/cargo_securement.php.

North American Cargo Securement Harmonization Efforts ContinueBy Pierre Pratt, Contrôle Routier Québec Société de l’assurance Automobile du Québec, Coordonnateur CVSA,

and Will Schaefer, CVSA, Director, Vehicle Programs

First Quarter 2012 www.cvsa.org

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During the months of October andNovember 2011 the FMCSA NationalTraining Center (NTC) conducted asso-ciate staff instructor recertification train-ing for North American Standard Part Aand Part B instructors. NTC associatestaff instructors are comprised of stateand federal personnel that have complet-ed the NTC’s instructor developmentprogram and are evaluated and assistedby NTC Master Instructors during theirfirst instructing assignment.

This is the first time that this train-ing has been conducted utilizing webi-nars. All previous instructor recertifica-tion and training has been conducted atselected locations throughout theUnited States where instructors wouldhave to travel, causing NTC to incurtravel, lodging and meal expenses. Thewebinar-based recertification andtraining has proven to be extremely costeffective and was well received by theparticipants.

NTC is responsible for providinginstructors and course material to indi-vidual states for the purposes of trainingenforcement personnel in the applicationof The Federal Motor Carrier SafetyRegulations (FMCSRs) and NorthAmerican Standard Out-of-Service Criteria(OOSC).

This year’s webinars were presented bymembers of NTC’s Training Review andUpdate Committee (TRUC), the com-mittee members are Dick Morrison(FMCSA/NTC), James “Buckie”Thomas(Arkansas Highway Police), Keith Kerns(Public Utilities Commission of Ohio)and Randy West (CVSA). Also instru-mental in preparing this year’s training wasJoe Bowling (Virginia State Police).

The purpose of the training andrecertification webinars is to ensure

that all NTC instructors have receivedthe latest updates to course materials,are aware of any changes that haveoccurred in the FMCSRs and have themost recent CVSA inspection bul-letins. Uniform presentation of coursematerials is essential in ensuring thatwe have a successful roadside inspec-tion program. This training and recerti-fication will occur annually and ismandatory for the instructors.

This year’s training focused on CSA,properly identifying carriers, properselection and documentation of viola-tions, course material changes and vari-ous regulatory changes that haveoccurred including changes made in theFMCSR Part 383 CDL definitions.

Many areas of the course material andtraining are comprised of information,inspection bulletins and operational poli-cies that have been issued by CVSA fromthe extensive research, input and discus-sion that occur within the various CVSAcommittees. My involvement with theNTC and its mission to ensure that wehave the best instructors. Teaching qual-ity course material has been one of themost rewarding experiences of my career,and as a member of CVSA’s 2012International Safety Team, I will be pro-vided with even more opportunities topromote the mission of commercial vehi-cle safety and the role that CVSA andNTC play.

NTC Conducts Webinar-Based Instructor Recertification TrainingBy Keith Kerns, Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, Safety Investigator,

CVSA 2012 International Safety Team Member

Left to Right: Dick Morrison, FMCSA, Keith Kerns, Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, and James “Buckie”Thomas, Arkansas Highway Police.

REGION IConnecticut, Delaware, District ofColumbia, Maine, Maryland,Massachusetts, New Hampshire, NewJersey, New York, Pennsylvania, PuertoRico, Rhode Island, US Virgin Islands,and Vermont.

REGION IIAlabama, American Samoa, Arkansas,Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana,Mississippi, North Carolina,Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee,Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.

REGION IIIColorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota,Missouri, Nebraska,North Dakota, Northern MarianaIslands, Ohio, South Dakota, andWisconsin.

REGION IVAlaska, Arizona, California, Guam,Hawaii, Idaho, Mexico, Montana,Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah,Washington, and Wyoming.

REGION VAlberta, British Columbia, Manitoba,New Brunswick, Newfoundland andLabrador, Nova Scotia, NorthwestTerritories, Nunavut, Ontario, PrinceEdward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan,and Yukon.

I

V

IVIII

II

REGIONAL NEWS

Inspectors Keep an Eye Out for Bad Logbooks By David McKane, Oregon Dept. of Transportation,

Motor Carrier Transportation Division, Manager, Investigations,

Safety, and Federal Programs

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First Quarter 2012 www.cvsa.org

Oregon truck safety inspectors were at itagain this year in special multi-day exer-cises that focused on driver logbooks. Insix major efforts that extended over 32days, inspectors checked 4,525 driversand placed 1,054 out-of-service for crit-ical safety violations (23%). Most of theviolations were related to driving afterthe 14th hour after coming on duty, driv-ing more than 11 hours, and holdinglogbooks that are not current or areimproperly completed and/or falsified.

For several years now, Oregon inspec-tors have been making headlines withexercises like these. But they demon-strate their effectiveness every day, asevidenced by the fact that they continueto lead the country at finding problemdrivers. FMCSA records for federal fis-cal year 2010 show Oregon with 42,942inspections and an overall 15.26% ratefor placing drivers out of service. OnlyConnecticut, with 24,324 inspectionsand a 12.72% rate, comes close toOregon’s results.

One team of Oregon inspectors has sooutperformed all other truck inspectorsthat it was honored with this year’sCommercial Vehicle Safety Award, pre-sented by the American Association ofMotor Vehicle Administrators, FMCSA,and the International Registration Plan.Motor Carrier Transportation DivisionSafety Compliance Specialists JessBrown, David Rios, Harold Smith, SteveSwanson, and Harold Wolford make up ateam called Oregon’s Safety Shift4. Theywere nominated for the national awardbecause in the last two years, these fiveindividuals alone conducted 3,700inspections and turned in a driver out-of-service rate of 28% in 2009 and 21%in 2010. During multi-day inspectionexercises they specialize in findingdrivers who are trying to avoid inspec-tions by driving the back roads or park-ing somewhere to wait things out.During these exercises, their driverout-of-service rate reached 52% in2009 and 42% in 2010.

In January 2011, the Washington StatePatrol initiated the Roads and RailsSafety emphasis in partnership withlocal and rail industry law enforcement.This year-long project is aimed atreducing commercial motor vehicle col-lisions and traffic violations in the Portof Seattle area.

It is a part of the commercial vehiclesafety enforcement and education effortthat will increase freight mobility andcommercial motor vehicle safetythroughout the state. Other areas offocus include railway crossing safety,ensuring the safe transportation anddocumentation of hazardous materialswithin intermodal containers, andchecking both vehicles and drivers forappropriate documentation.

The State Patrol will lead the firstjoint enforcement emphasis, and willtake place in the latter part of Februaryin the Port of Seattle vicinity. Details andtimes to follow.

Law enforcement agencies involved inthe partnership include the WashingtonState Patrol, Union Pacific Railroad Police,BNSF Police, Port of Seattle Police,Utilities and Transportation Commission,Seattle Police, U.S. Department ofTransportation, FMCSA, SnohomishCounty Sheriffs, Seattle Department ofTransportation, and Federal Way Police.

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R E G I O N A L N E W S

WSP Initiates Roads and Rails to Reduce CMV CollisionsBy Trp. C. Hooper,

Washington State Patrol

REGIONAL RAP

CVSA PAST PRESIDENT JOHN HARRISON RECOGNIZED WITHGOVERNOR’S PUBLIC SAFETY AWARD

On Tuesday, December 13, 2011,retired Georgia DPS MCCD Capt. andCVSA Past President John Harrisonreceived one of several Governor’sPublic Safety Awards for OutstandingService to the Profession. Gov. NathanDeal and Georgia Public SafetyTraining Center Director Tim Beardenpresented the award medallion whilelocal Fox Affiliate WAGA-TV reporterRandy Travis read the award citation.The award cites Capt. Harrison’s 34years of service to Georgia, as well ashis tenure in CVSA. Each year since1998, Georgia Governors have award-ed Public Safety professionals indiverse disciplines awards for heroismand service to the profession, andtheir names are engraved ontoplaques placed at the AwardsMemorial at the Training Center inForsyth.

The Governor’s Public SafetyAwards Program (GPSA) was initiated in 1998 in order to provide an opportunity for themen and women in the public safety family to be recognized for outstanding service totheir communities and contributions to their profession. As per former Gov. Zell Miller,who established these awards, “While we have appropriately honored those who havefallen, I would like to establish an organization that would also honor those who byvirtue of their personal integrity and determination make public safety the respectableand necessary profession it is.” Gov. Nathan Deal has committed to the continuation ofthe GPSA program.

PROVENCAL PROMOTED AT NECS®

David A. Fuhs, President and CEO of NECS® recently announced, at the company’sannual Board of Directors meeting, the promotion of Paul Provencal to the posi-tion of Vice President, D.O.T. Compliance Consulting. In his announcement, Mr.Fuhs advised that since joining NECS® six years ago, Paul Provencal has beeninstrumental in building their D.O.T. Compliance Consulting business and con-tributing significantly to the growth of their D.O.T. Compliance services. “He pro-vides extensive consulting and training support for numerous NECS® clients, assist-ing them in maintaining D.O.T./CSA Compliance including reducing the risk ofroadside inspections, violations, fine and penalties and lost revenue associatedwith vehicles and drivers placed out of service. Paul also coordinates the activitiesof additional Compliance and Safety consultants and is engaged in bringing newclients on-board” further stated Mr. Fuhs.

BRITISH COLUMBIA CONDUCTS CVSA MOTORCOACH INSTRUCTORDEVELOPMENT COURSE

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First Quarter 2012 www.cvsa.org

A CVSA Motorcoach Instructor Development course was

hosted by British Columbia Commercial Vehicle Safety &

Enforcement in Kamloops, BC on November 22 - 24, 2011.

The course was initiated by CVSA Region V (Canada)

Education Quality Assurance Team (EQAT) with Instructor

candidates from British Columbia, Alberta and Yukon

Territories.

Congratulations to David Sabyan (British Columbia),

Gerald Vose (Alberta), and Julius Debuschewitz (Yukon) who

were successfully certified as Instructors for CVSA

Motorcoach Inspection course. Please recognize their contri-

bution and personal commitment as commercial vehicle

safety professionals. Their efforts and professionalism during

the course and subsequent activities strongly supported

inter-provincial cooperation. They are an asset to Canada’s

CVSA program.

The course was facilitated by Richard Roberts, CVSA

Program Coordinator, BC and Wes Roth, Sgt CVSA

Programs, AB.

Pictured from left to right: Brandon Llyod, David Sabyan, Rick Spanier,Richard Roberts, Julius Debuschewitz, Wes Roth, Collin Nemeth, DonAllenby, Michael Jonson, Rob Scott, Michael Gustavson, KenSquarebriggs, Ged Vose. Piotr Giminski is kneeling.

Chief Mark C. McLeod retired December 1, 2010 as the

Commanding Officer, and Chief Law Enforcement Officer, of the

Motor Carrier Compliance Division within the Georgia

Department of Public Safety. Chief McLeod embarked on his

career with the State of Georgia in April 1981 as an employee of

the Department of Transportation, beginning with his initial posi-

tion of Equipment Operator within the Maintenance Division.

Chief McLeod transferred to the Enforcement Division of the

Department of Transportation in March 1982, thus launching his

longstanding career in the field of law enforcement.

Through his many years of employment with the Department

of Transportation Law Enforcement Division, Chief McLeod

expanded his career through the ranks of Major. In December

1999, Major McLeod was appointed to Colonel - the highest-

ranking position within the Department of Transportation’s Law

Enforcement Division. With the formation of the Department of

Motor Vehicle Safety by former Governor Roy Barnes, Colonel

McLeod assumed the position of Chief Law Enforcement Officer

for the Department of Motor Vehicle Safety’s Law Enforcement

Division. In 2005, the agency was once again divided, and the

enforcement division was brought to the Georgia State Patrol.

During his career with the Department of Public Safety, Chief

McLeod was the liaison to the Georgia General Assembly on leg-

islation that related to commercial motor vehicle enforcement

and commercial motor vehicle safety. Chief McLeod, a native of

Thomaston, Georgia, is a graduate of the Law Enforcement

Training Center of Middle Georgia, the Georgia Association of

Police Chiefs’ Executive Training Class, and a member of the

Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police. In addition, Chief

McLeod has also served on various law enforcement committees,

and is active in numerous law enforcement organizations.

REGIONAL RAP

GEORGIA DPS COMMANDING OFFICER,CHIEF MARK MCLEOD RETIRES

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R E G I O N A L N E W S

DPS SGT. BART MASSEY NAMED COMMERCIAL ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OF THE YEAR 2010

Sgt. Bart Massey is a twenty-two year veteran of the ArizonaDepartment of Public Safety (DPS). On March 1, 2008 DPS formeda new interdiction squad within the Commercial VehicleEnforcement Bureau. The squad was the vision of Sgt. Massey, whoperceived a growing need for interagency cooperation to dismantleand disrupt criminal organizations that were using commercialmotor vehicles to facilitate criminal activity.

Under Sgt. Massey’s leadership, the members of his squad haveenjoyed great success in shutting down much criminal activity in theshort life span of the program. In FY2010 alone, the squad generat-ed the following seizure statistics:

Marijuana 5963 PoundsCocaine 173.5 PoundsMethamphetamine 5.5 PoundsCurrency $3,117,743 Commercial Vehicles: 17Passenger Vehicles: 4Arrests 25Total number of seizures 26Wholesale Value of Seized Narcotics $10,913,980

Sgt. Massey’s sustained commitment to interagency cooperation ledto invaluable partnerships with a number of public agencies and withmembers of the commercial vehicle industry throughout Arizona and

the country. Theserelationships in turnled to enforcementefforts that wentbeyond the seizure of contraband and assets. Sgt. Massey established aprocess to provide criminal investigation units with intelligence andinformants to aid in investigations that ultimately dismantled or disrupt-ed several criminal enterprises that were operating across the country.

In the squad’s short existence, Sgt. Massey’s success and hiscommitment to advancing law enforcement cooperation with indus-try have been noticed by national initiatives such as the El PasoIntelligence Center, Office of National Drug Control Policy andFMCSA. Sgt. Massey has been asked to speak or serve on commit-tees at several law enforcement and industry venues such as theDomestic Highway Enforcement National Conference and theCombined Accident Reduction Effort Conference, giving insightsand examples of how interagency cooperation can increase boththe scope and effectiveness of efforts to disrupt criminal activityusing commercial vehicles.

Sgt. Massey’s consistent efforts exemplify the spirit of cooper-ation that is the cornerstone of effective law enforcement. Forthese reasons, the Arizona Department of Public Safety andArizona Trucking Association selected Sgt. Bart Massey as theOutstanding DPS Commercial Enforcement Officer of the Year.Congratulations, Sgt. Massey!

American Road Line

Association of Energy Service Companies

Blackjack Investments, Ltd.

Bloomington Shuttle Service, Inc.

California Trucking Association

EQ - The Environmental Quality Co.

Gordon Trucking, Inc.

Institute of Scrap and Recycling Industries, Inc.

Iowa Motor Truck Association

Legend Energy Services, LLC

Liberty Tire Recycling, LLC

Matheson-Trigas

Medallion Transport & Logistics, LLC

PartsRiver, Inc.

Pioneer Transportation, LLC

TRANSWAY, Inc.

Vangent, Inc.

Vigillo, LLC

NEW CVSA ASSOCIATE AND LOCAL ENFORCEMENT MEMBERS

Maj. Palmer and ATA Safety and MaintenanceCouncil Chairman Tom Long pose with the 2010Outstanding Arizona DPS Commercial EnforcementOfficer, Sgt. Bart Massey.

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As many of you already know, truck andbus traffic is on the rise. Here in theDallas Fort Worth area, we have seen anincrease in traffic over the last few years.Some of this increase is due to the mas-sive amount of construction projects inthe area. The job of enforcing regula-tions regarding truck and bus safety hasalways fallen on state agencies but nowmore than ever, more local agencies inthe United States and Canada havejoined this partnership in order to reducecrashes involving commercial motorvehicles. Texas, Colorado, Nevada andPennsylvania are just a few of the statesthat have local agencies enforcing safetyregulations. What started out as a smallpart-time duty has now turned into alarger, full-time effort to save lives. Thegoal of the local agencies is to supportour state partners in an effort to reducecrashes through enforcement and educa-tion efforts. Here in Fort Worth, we

have nine officers and a supervisor thatwork commercial vehicle enforcement.Not only do our officers conduct visibleroadside inspections and traffic enforce-ment, our efforts sometimes are “behindthe scenes.” Our unit has a great rela-tionship with our industry partners inthe Fort Worth area. Not only do weconduct safety meetings with their driv-ers and staff, we also show drivers howwe conduct certain levels of inspections.

There have been some concerns aboutlocal agencies enforcing the regulationsand we are very aware of those concerns.We decided years ago that if our agencyhas to investigate these crashes in ourjurisdictions, we need to be part of thesolution. I want to encourage our indus-try partners to reach out to your localenforcement agencies that enforce thesafety regulations. I also want our localagencies to do the same and let yourindustry partners know that we are all in

this together. Saving lives is not a realpossibility by simply issuing citations onour roads and highways. The only waywe can reduce crashes and save lives is towork together for that common goal. It’snot just about CMV enforcement, it’salso about public education and aware-ness. In the DFW area, our local agen-cies work together each month and dur-ing CVSA safety campaigns to spreadthe word about distracted and aggressivedriving, teens and trucks and brake safe-ty. We understand that most CMVcrashes are not the fault of the truckdriver which is why we are very active inthe “Ticketing Aggressive Cars &Trucks” program. We actively try toeducate passenger vehicle drivers abouthow to drive around large commercialvehicles. We have over 20 local agenciesactively involved in CVSA right now.Jim Slykhuis (York Regional Police andcurrent Locals Vice President) and Ihave pledged to double our local mem-bership over the next few years. As wemove forward into 2012, I want to chal-lenge each of our local agencies andindustry partners to work together toensure that truck drivers and motoristsget to their destinations safely. A wordthat has been instilled in me by CVSAand my lead agency is “UNIFORMI-TY.” As Jim and I represent our localagencies over the next few years, unifor-mity is something we will be discussingwith all of our partners. In closing, Iwant to thank all of our local agenciesand industry partners for the great jobeach of you do every day. This is truly aPARTNERSHIP and without it, wecannot reach our goal of reducing CMVcrashes. If Jim and I can be of any assis-tance to our local agencies or industrypartners, please feel free to contact us.

Local Agencies Partner with State Agencies to Reduce Crashes InvolvingCommercial VehiclesBy Officer Robert Mills, Fort Worth (TX) Police Department, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement

First Quarter 2012 www.cvsa.org

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GuardianL O C A L E N F O R C E M E N T N E W S

In the spring of 2010 I received anemail from a member of the PittsburghPolice, Officer Tom Jacques, who took itupon himself to send this email out toall police officers who were qualified inconducting CVSA Level I inspections.Until then, I was unaware that success-fully completing the training to conductLevel I inspections did not result in mebecoming a member of CVSA or that Icould even join. After speaking withTom about CVSA, one of my membersand I attended CVSA’s AnnualConference in Anaheim. This was with-out a doubt one of the best conferencesI had ever been to. The other membersin attendance were very friendly andmade us feel welcome. After speakingwith members of the CVSA staff, wepaid our yearly dues and became LocalMembers. It has been a very busy yearand a half, with the conference inAustin and all of the upcoming eventsand training that has occurred.

I am unsure how other jurisdictionsacross North America work, but I cansay that here in Ontario we are blessedwith having the support of our leadagency, the Ministry of Transportation.I have been able to contact them at anytime and receive assistance in the formof advice or in their attendance at ourvarious commercial vehicle blitzes thatwe conduct each year. The ministry hasby far the greatest number of CVSAtrained inspectors in the province andtheir continued partnership with usmakes it much easier to achieve thedesired results of improved road safety.Each year we conduct approximately12 blitzes in our area which is locatedjust north of Toronto and attend andassist our neighbouring jurisdictionswith some of their blitzes. As I am sure

each of you can attest, money andmanpower is always an issue. By com-bining our resources we are able toinspect far more vehicles in a day thanwe would otherwise do. Trucks, beingmobile in nature, move from one juris-diction to another and thus a vehicle inour area will be in our neighbour’s areawithin an hour.

For the past six years we have beentraining our front line officers on whatthe Highway Traffic Act defines as acommercial motor vehicle and whatpaperwork is required for these vehi-cles. They have also been taught toidentify the easy to view defects whichwill affect safety on our roadways.During the three days of instruction,officers are informed that under no cir-cumstances are they to ever go under avehicle. The training that we providedoes not address the hazards that existand these officers do not carry thesafety equipment needed to safelyexamine the underside of the vehicle.What does happen is that if an officerstops a vehicle that needs to be lookedat he/she will contact either us or theMinistry of Transportation to attendand conduct a full Level I inspection.What we have found as a result of thistraining is that more and more com-mercial motor vehicles are beingstopped and inspected. When the callis made for a CVSA level of inspec-tion, the vehicle being inspected willgenerally be taken out of service as aresult of significant safety violations.Most of these officers are very eager tolearn and when they see ministry offi-cers stopped on the side of the roadwith a commercial motor vehicle, theywill stop, not only to make sure thatthey are safe, but also to ask them

questions about the stop and learnfrom them. This interaction goes along way in improving the workingrelationship between the police and theMinistry of Transportation officers.

In closing, let me say that the strongpartnership that exists between theMinistry of Transportation and the YorkRegional Police is due to a continued com-mitment of both sides to improve roadsafety and the desire from all involved towork together to make it happen.

Local and Lead Agencies Increase Reach to Ensure CMV Safety by Combining Resources By Sgt. Jim Slykhuis, York Regional Police, CVSA Local Vice President

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The Seattle Police Department (SPD) haspartnered up with the Washington StatePatrol (WSP) and the Seattle Departmentof Transportation (SDOT) to create aCommercial Vehicle Enforcement Squad(CVES). The CVES mission is toimprove public safety within the Seattleregion by reducing the number of unsafecommercial motor vehicles operating onour roadways through a process of educa-tion and enforcement.

The SPD squad is made up of fourofficers from the Traffic Section whocompleted a three week long commercialvehicle enforcement training course at theWSP Academy. The four CVES officers

will devote their time to enforcing com-mercial vehicle safety regulations and willalso be part of a multi-agency commercialvehicle enforcement task force.

This project was completed in part-nership with SDOT and the WSP whoprovided laptops, weight scales, a CVESenforcement vehicle as well as individualtools and equipment for the officers.

The Port of Seattle, BurlingtonNorthern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) andUnion Pacific Railway (UP) are also partic-ipating in this effort and have contributedadditional training, support and facilities.

Over 40,000 commercial vehiclestravel on the roadways through Seattle

every day. A number of these trucks areoperating with safety violations egre-gious enough to place them “out of serv-ice” under federal motor carrier safetyguidelines.

City, county, state and federal agen-cies have therefore organized a task forceto conduct commercial vehicle emphasispatrols. The goal of this enforcementeffort is to improve safety by reducingthe number of equipment violations andunsafe trucks operating throughout theSeattle region.

Task force emphasis patrols will occurover the next year in areas to be deter-mined by task force agreement.

Seattle Police Department, Washington State Patrol Partner to CreateCommercial Vehicle Enforcement SquadBy Trp. C. Hooper, Washington State Patrol

First Quarter 2012 www.cvsa.org

Why We DoWhat We DoCVSA has recently introduced a newfeature in Guardian, Why We DoWhat We Do, a photo gallery of out-of-service violations found roadside.We encourage all members to sendus your photos with a description ofthe out-of-service violation.

Loader in the trailer had only 1 tie downon the front.

The hub cover was broken and most ofthe oil had leaked out. A few more milesdown the road and there could have beenmajor wheel bearing issues.

A cracked wheel found on a log truck. Broken axle on log truck.

Photos submitted by Sgt. Dan McCormac, Transporation Officer Charles Nichols, Sgt. Garfield Scharfenberg of Alberta Solicitor General andPublic Security Commercial Vehicle Enforcement.

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A S S O C I A T E M E M B E R N E W S

Safety Innovators is a new column focusingon innovative ideas, information, extraor-dinary efforts and the people and organiza-tions that are raising the bar to ensure com-mercial vehicle safety.

Studies show that almost 40% of all traf-fic collisions are intersection-relatedcrashes. This should come as no surprisesince any time drivers have an opportuni-ty to cross each other’s path, the riskincreases substantially. Not only are inter-section crashes common, they also oftenlead to higher severity outcomes thanother types of vehicle incidents, such asside-swipes and backing collisions.

This is an important point. Why?Because some organizations focus somuch on frequency that they tend tooverlook less frequent incident types thatresult in higher severity crashes and a dis-proportionate amount of accident-relatedpayouts.

So what are the key contributors tothese intersection-related collisions? TheNational Highway Transportation SafetyAdministration (NHTSA) released aninteresting study on this topic, “CrashFactors in Intersection-Related Crashes:An On-Scene Perspective.” This researchstudied collisions that occurred at an inter-section while turning left, turning right orcrossing over. Because of the length of thearticle, I’ve included highlights that canhelp you as you look at the type and sever-ity of collisions within your organization.

About 96% of the intersection-relatedcollisions had critical reasons for theincident that were associated with thedriver. Less than 3% had critical reasonsassigned to the vehicle or environment.In other words, nearly every one of these

incidents was due to a driver action, notother factors.

What was the most common criticalreason for the incident? Inadequate sur-veillance. Drivers simply failed to see theproblem until it was too late. Effectiveuse of our eyes is still the most criticalaspect of safe driving.

Next most common was “falseassumption of other’s actions.” We fre-quently see this when viewing ourclients’ risky driving clips. For example, adriver approaching an intersection istaken by surprise when an on-comingvehicle turns left across their path. Don’tgive other drivers too much credit.Assume the worst and be prepared for it.

Close behind was, “turned withobstructed view” present in 7.8% of thecollisions. What does this mean? Toooften, drivers turn across an intersectionwithout a clear view. In other words,they’re relying on blind luck. At somepoint their luck will run out. When itcomes to turning across an intersectionthe motto should always be, “if you don’tknow, don’t go.”

“Illegal maneuver” was cited in 6.8%of the events. Far too many drivers habit-ually roll through stop-signs and trafficlights, or turn illegally. Unfortunately,each time they do this and nothing hap-pens, it reinforces that behavior. TheNHTSA findings suggest this dangeroushabit will catch up to them.

It may come as a surprise that it wasthis far down the list, but “internal distrac-tion” was found as the critical reason inonly 5.7% of the collisions. Certainly, dis-tractions need to be eliminated - especial-ly in and around intersections. But keep inmind there are other very important con-

cerning factors that need to be addressedin order to reduce risks at intersections.

The last factor I’ll mention is “mis-judgment of gap or other’s speed,” whichwas present in 5.5% of the crashes. We’veall had a close call due to this error. Thiscan be a dangerous mistake for everydriver but for those driving larger vehi-cles, it’s much more difficult to overcomebecause of less ability to accelerate out ofthe way and greater length of vehicle toclear the other driver’s path.

Let’s recap the key points:• Be especially vigilant in and around

intersections. Don’t just focus straightahead.

• Don’t assume you know what anotherdriver is going to do. Assume theworst and plan accordingly until theiractions confirm otherwise.

• Don’t move into, or across, the inter-section if you can’t see if it’s clear.Better to lose a few seconds off yourschedule waiting for a safe opportuni-ty than to risk a serious crash.

• Obey traffic control devices and traf-fic laws. Don’t become part of thealmost 7% who paid a high price forignoring these devices and laws.

• Eliminate all distractions inside thecab of your vehicle while approachingor entering an intersection. Driving isalways dangerous, but risks are evenhigher in and around intersections.

As the statistics show, intersectionsare risky. Use the tips mentioned togreatly reduce your chances of an inter-section crash. And if you can, consider analternate path if your route includes anintersection that is known to be a partic-ularly dangerous crossing.

Insights on Intersection CollisionsBy Del Lisk, DriveCam, Vice President, Safety Series

SAFETY INNOVATORS MAKING A DIFFERENCE

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First Quarter 2012 www.cvsa.org

CVSA President Maj. David Palmer traveled to the Phoenix, AZ areaOctober 27-28 to address the Signature Safety Series Breakfast spon-sored by the Arizona Trucking Association. The breakfast is held eachyear in conjunction with the association’s Leadership Conference andAnnual Membership Meeting and features a recognized safety leaderas the main speaker. Past speakers have included FMCSA administra-tors John Hill and Anne Ferro.

Maj. Palmer was introduced by ATA’s Safety & MaintenanceCouncil Chairman, Thomas Long of Knight Transportation (a CVSAmember), who served as emcee for the breakfast. In his remarks,Palmer discussed the role that CVSA plays in bringing together theenforcement community and the truck and bus industry to workcollaboratively on issues of mutual interest.

Palmer said that CVSA’s primary focus is on promoting uniformityamong states, provinces and local jurisdictions in the enforcement ofcommercial vehicle rules and laws. Much of the input for CVSA’s workcomes directly from its industry partners, Palmer said. He urged com-panies not now a member of CVSA to sign up and get involved.

“For several years, we held a luncheon and presented annualsafety awards during the final day of the conference,” said ATAPresident & CEO Karen Rasmussen. “However, the ATA Board ofDirectors felt that the safety awards deserved their own separateevent, a change that took place in 2008. But they didn’t want tolose the focus on safety at the conference, so they established theSignature Safety Series breakfast to recognize the importance ofsafety in the daily operations and company planning of ATA’s mem-ber carriers, and to bring in top safety speakers” she said.

“It was great to have Maj. Palmer as our speaker this year, butwe especially appreciate the time he spent with ATA members overthe two days, getting to know them and their company operationsin Arizona, and listening to their concerns,” Rasmussen said. “Itwas yet another example of the partnership and dialogue betweenindustry and CVSA. He did an excellent job of carrying the CVSAmessage to our members,” she said.

Eighty-five percent (85%) ofcargo theft occurs once the com-modities leave the secure con-fines of the manufacturer. Thehijacking and general activitiesassociated with the theft of high-valued freight poses a significantrisk to commercial motor vehicledrivers and to the assets operat-ed by motor carriers.

The Transported AssetProtection Association (TAPA) wasoriginally formed to address thesecurity hardening of High Valued Theft Targeted (HVTT) cargo in thehigh technology segment of our economy. Today, TAPA plays a lead-ership role in elevating the security protocols for facilities includingmanufacturing sites and warehouses along with the critical logistics net-work of trucks, ships, aircrafts and rail. TAPA is organized geographi-cally into TAPA The Americas, TAPA Europe, Middle East and Africa,and TAPA Asia Pacific. Although the various regions pose many uniquechallenges to security, the common mission of securing high valuedcommodities, whether high tech, high end clothing, auto parts, food orpharmaceuticals, bonds this progressive global alliance.

In light of the challenges associated with securing high-valuedcargo moving in trucks and containers, TAPA has developed aTrucking Security Review (TSR) with its the three global sectors. InNorth America, R&L Carriers Inc. and National Retail Systems, bothmember companies of TAPA, were selected to help develop the cri-teria and audit for the new 2012 TSR certification.

Reducing the risk of potential theft combines elements of bothsecurity and safety compliance. Although covert and overt securitytechnologies along with other deterrents play a significant role in thisbattle against organized crime, safety compliance cannot take a sub-ordinate role in the equation. If a commercial motor vehicle or driveris not in full compliance, delays associated with en route repairs andcorrections may increase the risk of theft if the pre-planned journeyand timeline are jeopardized. The new 2012 TSR introduces elementsof driver qualification and commercial motor vehicle compliance to thestandard. Auditors will apply many criteria found in the FMCSR in thereview and certification of motor carriers in North America.

Security the motor carrier industry is everyone’s responsibility.We all have a vested interest in assuring products and foodstuffscan be transported safely and securely to their destination.Although regulatory protocols continue to evolve with the guid-ance of governmental agencies around the globe, TAPA shall con-tinue to escalate the protocols to ensure resources and expertisecan be deployed to secure our supply chain. For more informationon the TSA, visit http://tapaonline.org/.

CVSA President Takes Partnership Message to Arizona Trucking Association

Safety, Compliance & Security: A Critical AllianceBy Gerald A. Krisa, R&L Carriers Inc., Vice-President

of Safety, CVSA, Associate Advisory Committee Chair

Gerald A. Krisa

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A S S O C I A T E M E M B E R N E W S

A few years ago, before my retirement fromthe Michigan State Police, I had anencounter with an extremely fatigued truckdriver. At about 9:00 PM on a beautifulsummer evening I was in plain clothesdriving an unmarked state police vehiclereturning home from a business meetingwhen I encountered the fatigued driver.My first impression was that the driver ofthe five-axle tractor-trailer combinationwas extremely drunk as the vehicle wasweaving radically across both westboundlanes of the freeway. It appeared that at anymoment the truck would leave the road-way. I had to get it stopped.

I radioed for assistance and with thehelp of a trooper in a marked patrol vehiclewe got the vehicle stopped. To my aston-ishment the middle aged male driver wasnot intoxicated, in fact he had not recentlyconsumed any alcohol at all. Was the driv-er under the influence of illegal or prescrip-tion drugs? No. Distracted driving? No.Drowsy or fatigued driving seemed to bethe only possibility left. I checked the dri-ver’s logbook and found everything to be inorder. Upon interviewing the driver thecause of his dangerous lane usage was con-firmed as driver fatigue. Although this driv-er was in full compliance with the federalhours of service regulations, it was his activ-ities while off duty that were the root of theproblem. During his 34-hour restart, hedid just about everything but rest. Heworked on his truck, worked on a projectaround the house, watched some television,and attended a family outing. Instead ofgetting the proper rest before returning toduty, the driver only napped for a few hoursbefore getting behind the wheel again. Thisdriver was extremely fatigued and unfit tooperate any motor vehicle, especially an80,000 pound CMV.

Yes, what happens off duty matters!In retrospect, the determination of

fatigue in this incident is not surprising as

researchers have consistently found thatdriving fatigued produces symptoms verysimilar to drunk driving. Unfortunately,the tragic results of fatigued driving anddrunk driving are usually the same.

Fatigued driving kills! Preventing driver fatigue is everyone’s

job. Law enforcement and federal regula-tors can only do so much. While hours ofservice regulations, logbooks, electroniconboard recorders and screening for sleepapnea are all important weapons in the bat-tle against fatigued driving, even whencombined these weapons will not provide atotal solution. A strong cultural change inwhich society places fatigued and distract-ed driving on par with drunk driving astotally unacceptable is the missing compo-nent in the fight against fatigued driving.

Families need to recognize that theyhave a responsibility to ensure that theirloved ones who operate a commercialmotor vehicle receive adequate sleep whileoff duty. They must refrain from placingdemands on the driver’s time that may pre-vent he/she from getting much needed rest.They must ensure the driver has an envi-ronment conducive to uninterrupted soundsleep. Federal regulators, law enforcers,company safety officials, safety advocatesand the media must work together to iden-tify and implement ways to create a culturewhere driving while fatigued is no longeran acceptable or tolerated behavior.

Driving fatigued is an unacceptablebehavior that will not be tolerated!

Another problem is that the effects offatigue are often underestimated. Driversoften fail to recognize the onset of fatigue.When the effects of fatigue become apparentdrivers think ingesting coffee or other stimu-lants, opening a window and turning up thevolume of the radio will magically eliminatefatigue. If only it was that simple. I can offera personal example of the effects of fatigue.Many years ago while working the midnight

shift at the Detroit State Police post, I fellasleep while driving a motorcycle home fromwork. I crashed when I fell asleep and failedto negotiate a left hand curve on an exit rampof the freeway. Except for my pride, I was notseriously injured. I did learn a lifesaving les-son that morning. Fatigue is a very powerfuland extremely dangerous phenomenon whichis much easier to prevent than to overcomeonce it sets in. That is the lesson I learned onthe day and that is the lesson we need toteach all drivers, especially drivers of largetrucks and buses.

According to the results of FMCSA’sLarge Truck Crash Causation Study(LTCCS) released in 2009, 13 percent ofall truck drivers involved in a fatal crashwere fatigued. Fatigue is reported as a cau-sation factor more frequently than inatten-tion (8.5 percent), alcohol (8 percent), orillegal drugs (2.3 percent). As alarming asthe fatigue problem is reported to be, thereality is that the problem is much worsethan reported. Crash investigators oftenfail to report driver fatigue as a crash cau-sation factor. Most crash reporting formsused by law enforcement do not provide forfatigue to be coded as a causation factor.For example if a driver nods off and runsoff the road the likely causation factor thatwill be reported as speed too fast orimproper lane usage, when in fact fatiguewas the true cause of the crash. Lawenforcers and traffic safety statisticiansmust do a better job at identifying and col-lecting data related to fatigue and distrac-tion as crash causation factors so that appli-cable countermeasures can be developedand implemented.

Preventing fatigued driving is every-one’s responsibility. We all need to recog-nize that fatigue kills and what happens offduty matters. We all need to accept thatfatigued driving is unacceptable and will nolonger be tolerated. Together we can andwill defeat fatigued driving.

What Happens Off Duty MattersBy Capt. Robert (Bob) Powers (Ret.), Sabino Consulting, President

First Quarter 2012 www.cvsa.org

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PRESIDENTMaj. David PalmerTexas Department of Public Safety

VICE PRESIDENT Lt. Thomas KellyMaine State Police

SECRETARY/TREASURER Maj. Mark SavageColorado State Patrol

CVSA Executive Committee, Committee & Program Chairs

REGION PRESIDENTS Region I Sgt. Raymond WeissNew York State Police

Region II Capt. Douglas ShackelfordNorth Carolina State Highway Patrol

Region III Alan MartinPublic Utilities Commission of Ohio

Region IV Lt. Bruce PolleiUtah Highway Patrol

Region V Reg WightmanManitoba Infrastructure and Transportation

LOCAL PRESIDENT Robert MillsFort Worth Police Department

REGION VICE PRESIDENTS (Non-Voting)Region I Sgt. Daniel CusumanoRhode Island State Police

Region II Vacant

Region III Maj. Lance EvansIowa Department of Transportation

Region IV Capt. Chris MayrantNew Mexico Department of Public Safety

Region V Pierre PratteContrôle Routier Québec

LOCAL VICE PRESIDENTSgt. James SlykhuisYork Regional Police Service

PAST PRESIDENTS Capt. Steve Dowling, California HighwayPatrolFrancis (Buzzy) France, Maryland State Police Darren E. Christle, Manitoba Infrastructure

and Transportation

GOVERNMENT NON-VOTING MEMBERS William (Bill) Quade, Federal Motor Carrier

Safety Administration (FMCSA) William (Bill) Arrington, Transportation

Security Administration (TSA)Doug MacEwen, Canadian Council of Motor

Transport Administrators (CCMTA), CRA ChairMauricio Hinojosa, Secretaria de

Comunicaciones y Transportes (SCT)Adolfo Spinola, Secretarìa de Seguridad Publica,

Policìa Federal Preventiva

ASSOCIATE NON-VOTING MEMBER Gerald Krisa, MBA, Chair AssociateAdvisory Committee, R+L Carriers, Inc.

COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Associate Advisory Gerald Krisa, MBA Committee R+L Carriers, Inc.Driver-Traffic Enforcement Lt. Thomas FitzgeraldCommittee Massachusetts State PoliceHazardous Materials Sgt. Thomas FullerCommittee New York State PoliceInformation Systems Capt. William ( Jake) ElovirtaCommittee Vermont Department of Motor VehiclesPassenger Carrier Lt. Donald Bridge, Jr.Committee Connecticut Department of Motor VehiclesProgram Initiatives Sgt. William (Don) RhodesCommittee South Carolina State Transport PoliceSize and Weight Capt. Jay ThompsonCommittee Arkansas Highway PoliceTraining Committee Sgt. Rocco Domenico

Colorado State PatrolVehicle Committee Kerri Wirachowsky

Ontario Ministry of Transportation

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PROGRAM CHAIRS

Level VI Inspection Carlisle SmithPublic Utilites Commission of Ohio

COHMED Capt. William (Bill) ReeseIdaho State Police

International Safety Team Capt. Bill DofflemyerMaryland State Police

Saved by the Belt Sgt. David MedeirosRhode Island State Police

Operation Safe Driver Vacant

Operation Airbrake John MeedSaskatchewan Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure

Roadcheck Lt. Mike JunkinAlabama Depatrment of Public Safety

North American Inspectors Paul TamburelliChampionship (NAIC) Checkmark Vehicle Safety Services, Inc.

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R A D I N S P E C T I O N N E W S

Level VI Classes Scheduled for 2012

Under a cooperative agreement with theU.S. DOE, CVSA has scheduled theLevel VI classes for 2012 to certifyinspectors to conduct Level VI inspec-tions on all transuranic waste andHighway Route Controlled Quantities(HRCQ) of radioactive materials.CVSA provides Level VI training toinspectors who meet the prerequisite ofbeing Level I and HazMat certified.The following are the classes scheduled:

n Phoenix, AZ–February 15-16Level VI “Train the Trainer” Course

n New Braintree, MA–March 19-23

n Springfield, IL–June 18-21

n Scranton, PA–October 1-4

n Sacramento, CA–October 15-18

n Austin, TX–November 5-8

Any state interested hosting a class orneeds inspectors trained is asked tocontact Larry D. Stern, Director,Level VI Program, at larrys@cvsa.orgor 301-830-6147.

RAD Inspection News is made possi-ble under a Cooperative Agreementwith the U.S. Department of Energy.

Legacy TRU Waste CleanupCompleted at Additional Sites

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)has successfully completed cleanup of allCold War legacy transuranic (TRU)waste at 21 sites. Two of the most recentsites include the Bettis Atomic PowerLaboratory (BAPL) near Pittsburgh, PAand Argonne National Laboratory(ANL) near Chicago, IL.

BAPL remote-handled (RH) TRUwaste was shipped to WIPP, makingBAPL the seventh site within the DOEcomplex to ship RH-TRU waste. Fifteen55-gallon drums of RH-TRU waste wereremoved from BAPL betweenSeptember 19-21 using RH-72B ship-ping packages, which can hold three 55-gallon drums. The last shipment of RH-TRU waste from BAPL arrived at WIPPon September 23.

ANL reached a similar milestone onSeptember 30. In all, the DOE hasremoved a total of 112 shipments ofTRU waste from ANL. While all lega-cy TRU waste has been removed, addi-tional shipments of newly generatedwaste are expected from Argonne overthe next year.

This summer, TRU waste cleanupwas also completed at the NuclearRadiation Development, LLC, a com-mercial facility that supported historicDOE missions near Grand Island, NY,and the Lawrence Berkeley NationalLaboratory in Berkeley, CA. Thesemilestones were all achieved usingfunds from the American Recovery andReinvestment ACT to expedite legacywaste cleanup activities across theDOE complex.

TRU waste consists of materialscontaminated with radioactive ele-ments that have atomic numbersgreater than uranium, including tools,rags, protective clothing, sludge andsoil. WIPP’s mission includes the safedisposal of tow types of TRU waste,RH and Contact-handled (CH). CH-TRU waste can be handled by workerswithout any other additional shieldingthan the container itself. RH-TRUwaste emits more penetrating radia-tion than CH-TRU waste and must behandled and transported in lead-shielded casks.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s WasteIsolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) markedimportant milestone in the mission toclean up the Cold War legacy transuran-ic (TRU) waste when it received its10,000th shipment of TRU waste onSeptember 24.

The 10,000th shipment, which con-sisted of defense-generated contact-han-dled TRU waste, arrived at WIPP in aTRUPACT-II shipping package. Theshipment came from the DOE’s Idahosite, which has accounted for nearly half

of the shipments WIPP received.WIPP’s first shipment came from

Los Alamos National Laboratory inNew Mexico. Other milestone ship-ments have included the first shipmentof remote-handled waste in 2007, thefinal shipment from the Rocky FlatsEnvironmental Technology Site in 2005and the first shipment using the newTRUPACT-III package.

“There were many people involved inthe making of this 10,000 shipmentmilestone and more than 12 million safe

miles; we appreciate the contributions ofeveryone associated with WIPP’s suc-cess,” said CBFO Interim Manager EdZiemianski. “It’s a collective tribute toall those involved, including the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency, NewMexico Environment Department, com-munities across the states, CBFO andDOE Headquarter employees, LosAlamos National Laboratory, SandiaNational Laboratories, the generatorsites whose employees characterize andcertify the waste before is shipped, state,county and local emergency responsepersonnel along the transportationroutes, CVSA, State Police,Departments of Public Safety and thoseinvolved with WIPP truck inspections,Tribes and Pueblos, the WesternGovernors’ Association and contractors -especially Washington TRU SolutionsLLC, the WIPP management and oper-ating contractor, whose employeesensure the waste is emplaced safely andcompliantly. We were able to achievethis milestone because of the integrationamong all team members.”

Since its opening, WIPP has receivedand disposed of more than 79,000 cubicmeters of defense-related TRU wastefrom locations around the country.

“We have a hard working group ofpeople dedicated to the safety of theircolleagues, the public and the environ-ment who have processed each one ofthese 10,000 shipments as if it were thefirst,” said Farok Sharif, president andgeneral manager of URS WashingtonTRU Solutions, the WIPP managementand operating contractor. “I amextremely proud of this accomplishmentand applaud the efforts of everyoneinvolved.”

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WIPP Receives 10,000th Shipment

First Quarter 2012 www.cvsa.org

The U.S. Department of Energy’s(DOE) Richland Operations Office(RL) Assistant Manager for the RiverCorridor, Joe Franco was selected asManager for the Carlsbad Field Office(CBFO), which oversees the WasteIsolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).

CBFO Deputy Manager EdZiemianski has been acting in the CBFOManager’s position for the past year andwill continue to serve as Deputy Manager.In operation since 1999, WIPP is a DOEfacility designed to safely isolate defense-related transuranic (TRU) waste frompeople and the environment.

Since 2006, Franco was responsible forcleanup and restoration of the 220 squaremiles of the Columbia River Corridor,which includes former plutonium produc-tion reactors and fuel fabrication, researchand support facilities, at the Hanford Site,Washington. Prior to his DOE RL posi-tion, Franco worked in numerous manage-ment positions from 1989 to 2006 forWashington TRU Solutions (WTS),LLC-formerly Westinghouse TRUSolutions, LLC prior to the company’sname change in 2003. WTS is the WIPPmanagement and operating contractor.”

“Joe, a native of Carlsbad, New Mexico,brings a wealth of experience to the job,including over 25 years of nuclear experi-ence,” said Acting Assistant Secretary forDOE Environmental Management DaveHuizenga. “Joe is no stranger to the site ashe previously worked as a contractor forWTS for 17 years. As Manager of CBFO,he’ll lead the development and implemen-tation of WIPP’s vision, priorities and pro-gram policies for the TRU waste manage-ment program mission for the DOE.”

Franco said he looks forward toreturning to Carlsbad and WIPP andfacilitating further TRU waste deivento-

ry. WIPP is America’s only deep geolog-ic repository for the permanent disposalof defense-generated TRU waste gener-ated from the research and production ofnuclear weapons. TRU waste temporar-ily stored at sites around the country isshipped to WIPP and permanently dis-posed in rooms mined out of an ancientsalt formation 2,150 feet below the sur-face.

“My experience at both Hanford andWIPP allows me to help further theDepartment’s TRU waste managementprogram as cleanup across the nation iscompleted,” said Franco. “Born andraised in the Carlsbad area, I welcomethe opportunity to build relationshipsand work with communities throughoutNew Mexico and other states with inter-est in WIPP.”

“I’d also like to thank Ed who hasdone an outstanding job ensuring thatWIPP operations continued seamlessly,leading the site’s American Recovery andReinvestment Act efforts and achieving

the 10,000th safe shipment of TRUwaste to WIPP,” said Huizenga. “I’mconfident that together Joe and Ed willbe a dynamic and effective leadershipteam at Carlsbad.”

“I’m pleased to have served as theDOE CBFO Interim Manager this pastyear. I look forward to continuing serv-ice as the Deputy Manager with Joe andthe CBFO and WIPP Team as we con-tinue our mission and progress withreducing the nation’s nuclear waste foot-print safely, compliantly and efficiently,”said Ziemianski.

The DOE created the Carlsbad AreaOffice in late 1993 to lead the nation’sTRU waste disposal efforts. In September2000, the office was elevated in status tobecome CBFO, taking on new responsi-bilities. The CBFO coordinates the TRUprogram at waste-generating sites, nation-al laboratories, and other participantsinvolved in characterizing and disposingof TRU waste at the WIPP site located 26miles southeast of Carlsbad, New Mexico.

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Carlsbad Field Office Manager Selected

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First Quarter 2012 www.cvsa.org

Level VI Public Outreach Effective in EducatingPublic on DOE Shipments as One of the SafestModes of Transportation in the Country

CVSA’s Level VI Public Outreach Program, combined with information providedon CVSA’s website, is proving to be an effective tool in educating the public aboutthe U.S. Department of Energy radioactive shipments.

Duane Sammons, the Level VI Public Outreach Coordinator, will be dis-cussing the program’s effectiveness at the following meetings in 2012:• U. S. DOE’s National Transportation Stakeholder Forum

City and date TBA• Contractors Transportation Management Association (CTMA) Meeting

Reno, NV, June 4-8• National Association of County Officials (NACO)

Pittsburgh, PA, July 13-17• National Conference State Legislatures (NCSL)

Chicago, IL, August 6-9

Visit CVSA’s Level VI Website for the up-to-date information regarding the

Level VI Program. Information on the CVSA’s Level VI Inspection Program is

located on CVSA’s website, including the minutes of the Level VI Program

Committee, Level VI training and public outreach schedules and other informa-

tion. Also, you can ask questions concerning the Level VI Inspection Program

on the Level VI Online Forum (blog). Visit www.cvsa.org, click on Programs,

then click on the Level VI radiation symbol and you are in the Level VI website.

WIPP SHIPMENTS & DISPOSAL INFORMATIONShipments Received as of November 21, 2011

Site Shipments Loaded Miles

Argonne National Laboratory 120 205,773

Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory 5 10,955

GE Vallecitos Nuclear Center 32 44,800

Idaho National Laboratory 5,032 7,001,760

Los Alamos National Laboratory 899 307,458

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory 18 24,804

Nevada Test Site 48 57,312

Oak Ridge National Laboratory 131 175,933

Rocky Flats Environmental Site 2,045 1,446,444

Hanford Site 572 1,034,176

Savannah River Site 1,279 1,938,860

Total to WIPP 10,181 12,248,275

Contractor Changes atthe Idaho National LabBy Capt. Bill Reese,

Idaho State Police

Six days per week Idaho State PoliceCommercial Vehicle Safety and HazardousMaterials Specialists travel to the IdahoNational Lab (INL) and complete inspectionson Transuranic (TRU) Waste shipments leav-ing the INL for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant(WIPP) in New Mexico. These shipmentsoriginate at the Advanced Waste MixedTreatment Project (AMWTP) at the INL.

Effective October 1, a new contractor,Idaho Treatment Group (ITG), is taking overthe shipping contract at AMWTP fromBechtel BWXT Idaho, LLC. With this newtransition we are losing a familiar face at theAMWTP. Karlan Richards was the shippingmanager for Bechtel BWXT Idaho, LLC. Shehas worked at AMWTP for the last tenyears. During most of those years Karlanserved as the shipping manager. Under herleadership we developed an excellentworking relationship and together wemoved thousands of truckloads of legacyTRU Waste, safely from the INL.

In 1991 I accepted an assignment toIdaho State Police Commercial VehicleSafety program. I served as one of the pri-mary officers assigned to inspect shipmentsleaving the INL. As I rose through the ranks,over the past 20 years, one of the mostimportant things I discovered was the needfor good working relationships. Karlan’sefforts were a key ingredient to the successIdaho has enjoyed with the shipping depart-ment at the INL and AMWTP. To get the jobdone we need each other and a good work-ing relationship is critical. Karlan fosteredthat relationship throughout the decade shespent at the INL.

Richards has accepted a position withBechtel Corporate at the Los AlamosNational Lab in New Mexico. The troopersand staff here in Idaho will miss her, butwish her well in her new adventure. We lookforward to continuing the good workingrelationship we have enjoyed with ITG. Itwill be critical to our success.

ABF Freight System, Inc.AMBEST, Inc.

Cambridge Systematics, Inc.Chesapeake Energy Corporation

Coach USACode Corporation

Compliance Safety Systems, LLCDATTCO, Inc.

DiSilva CompaniesGreyhound Canada Transportation

CorporationGreyhound Lines, Inc.

Intermodal Association of North AmericaJB Hunt Transport, Inc.

Landstar Transportation LogisticsNational Truck Tank Carriers, Inc.

New York State Motor Truck Association

Ohio Trucking AssociationOld Dominion Freight Line, Inc.

PrevostSYSCO Corporation

Tennessee Steel Haulers, Inc.United Motorcoach AssociationWal-Mart Transportation, LLC

YRC Worldwide, Inc.

Applus+ Technologies Arizona Trucking Association

Austin Powder CompanyContinental Corporation

DEKRA America, Inc.Great West Casualty Company

Groendyke Transport, Inc.HELP, Inc.

May Trucking Company

Mercer Transportation CompanyR+L Carriers, Inc.

Schlumberger Technology Corporation Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association

STEMCOTML Information Services, Inc.

Tyson Foods, Inc. Vehicle Inspection Systems, Inc.

A & R Transport, Inc.CheckMark Vehicle Safety Services, Inc.

International Road Dynamics, Inc.James Burg Trucking Company

J.J. Keller & Associates, Inc.RSC Equipment RentalU-Haul International

2011 CVSA SPONSORSDIAMOND

Academy Express, LLCAce Doran Hauling & Rigging, Inc.

Boyle TransportationBrown Line, LLC

ContainerPort Group, Inc. Daecher Consulting Group, Inc.

Dibble Trucking, Inc.East Penn Mfg. Co., Inc.

Greatwide Truckload ManagementHoffman Transportation, LLC

H.R. Ewell, Inc.Illinois Portable Truck Inspection, Inc.

Intercomp CompanyJames A. Turner, Inc.

Lynden, Inc.

Mid-West Truckers AssociationMr. Safety-Check Systems, Inc.

New Jersey Motor Truck Association Pitt Ohio Express, LLC

RegScan, Inc.The Besl Transfer Co.Warren Transport, Inc.

Zonar Systems

PLATINUM

GOLD

SILVER

BRONZE

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

2012 COHMED CONFERENCEJanuary 30 – February 3, 2012

Newport Beach, CA

BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETINGJanuary 31, 2012

Newport Beach, CA

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETINGFebruary 1, 2012

Newport Beach, CA

7TH ANNUAL FMCSA MCSAPLEADERSHIP CONFERENCEApril 23, 2012

Bellevue, WA

NORTH AMERICAN CARGOSECUREMENT HARMONIZATIONPUBLIC FORUMApril 23, 2012

Bellevue, WA

2012 CVSA WORKSHOPApril 24 – 26, 2012

Bellevue, WA

ROADCHECK 2012June 5 – 7, 2012

NAIC 2012August 6 – 11, 2012

Minneapolis, MN

CVSA ANNUAL CONFERENCE &EXHIBITIONSeptember 24 – 27, 2012

Portland, ME

Presorted Standard

US POSTAGE

PAIDBALTIMORE, MD

PERMIT # 33616303 Ivy Lane, Suite 310Greenbelt, MD 20770-6319

COHMED ConferenceJan. 30–Feb. 3, 2012Newport Beach, CA

CVSA WorkshopApr. 24–26, 2012Bellevue, WA

NAIC Aug. 6–11, 2012Minneapolis, MN

Visit CVSA.org for more information about all of our upcoming events.

CVSA Annual Conference &

Exhibition Sep. 24–27, 2012

Portland, ME