cvsa guardian 4th quarter 2013

Volume 20, Issue 44th Quarter 2013

GUARDIANA Publication of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance

enhancing CMVsafety

uniformityexemptions

funding

motorcoachsafety

grants

safetyMCSAP

technologyMAP-21

data quality

stream

lining

hazm

at

training

standards

size &weight

crashworthiness

� InsightPresident’s Message ................................................................................1Executive Director’s Message................................................................2Letters to the Editor

CSA Missing the Mark..........................................................................3Challenging Data Q Violations and Assessments ........................3Use the Iowa DOT Model to Further Human Trafficking Fight ....4

Knowledge MattersThe CVSA Decal—What Does it Really Mean? ..............................5Why Do Wheels Come Off ..................................................................7

� Cover StoryA Safer Tomorrow: CVSA’s Policy Positions for the Next

Transportation Bill in the U.S. ..........................................................9

� Government NewsAsk the Administrator ............................................................................12Changing the Paradigm of Motorcoach Safety ..................................13FMCSA Data Quality Grants Improve State Data Reporting........14Implementation of the Unified Registration System—

What You Need to Know ..................................................................16NTC Announces EMMT Training .........................................................16FMCSA Improving the Collection of Traffic Enforcement Data .....16The Legislative & Regulatory Rundown ...........................................17

� Inspector’s CornerThe Journey to Becoming the NAIC Champion ..............................18

� CVSA Committee & Program NewsBrake Safety Week Inspection Results Show Lowest

Brake System Out-of-Service Rate Yet ..........................................19Annual Conference Round-Up

Colorado Welcomes CMV Safety and Enforcement Professionals ..........................................................20

CVSA Names New Officers for 2013-2014....................................20Savage Presents CVSA President’s Awards ..................................21Regions Elect New Presidents..........................................................21

� Regional NewsPuerto Rico Public Service Commission Launches

Advertising Campaign ......................................................................22School Opening Marks Enforcement Effort in Florida..................22Florida Conducts TACT Enforcement ................................................23MN State Patrol and New Ally Avert Unsafe Food from

Consumers’ Table................................................................................23Nebraska State Patrol Completes 2013 Post Crash

Inspection Course ..............................................................................24Iowa DOT Deploying Laptop-Disabling Equipment in

Motor Vehicle Enforcement Vehicles ............................................25An Update from the Region III President ........................................26Washington State Honored for Automated Infrared Roadside

Screening (AIRS) ................................................................................26CHP Enforcement and Outreach Helps Reduce OOS Rate ........27Verification Exercise for the Transportation of

Hazardous Materials ..........................................................................28

Out-of-Service Snapshots from the Yukon Territory ....................28Motorcoach Inspections in Alberta ..................................................28Local Enforcement ................................................................................29Regional Rap ..........................................................................................30

� From the Driver's SeatDistracted Driving Tops My List of Safety Issues ............................31

� Safety InnovatorsTechnology and Information Sharing Aid in

Detecting Fatigued CMV Drivers ....................................................32Trailer Inspection and Maintenance ..................................................33

� RAD Inspection NewsEnvironmental Assessment for a Low- and Intermediate-level

Waste Deep Geologic Repository in Kincardine, Ontario ........34Meetings and Conferences of Interest ............................................34Idaho Site Taps Old World Process to Treat Nuclear Waste ........35Two Level VI Certification Classes Take Place..................................35NRC Approves Changes to TRUPACT-II and HalfPACT..................36WIPP Chooses Andy Walker to Act as Technical Project Officer ....36Richard Swedberg Retires from FMCSA ...........................................37WIPP Shipment & Disposal Information...........................................37

GUARDIANFourth Quarter

Volume 20, Issue 4www.cvsa.org

IN THIS ISSUEGUARDIAN

A Publication of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance

GUARDIAN6303 Ivy Lane • Suite 310 • Greenbelt, MD 20770-6319Phone: 301-830-6143 • Fax: 301-830-6144

Guardian is published quarterly by the Commercial Vehicle SafetyAlliance with support from the Federal Motor Carrier SafetyAdministration. CVSA and FMCSA are dedicated to governmentand industry working together to promote commercial vehiclesafety on North American highways.

CVSA Staff: Stephen A. Keppler, Executive Director • Collin B.Mooney, CAE, Deputy Executive Director • Carlisle Smith, Director,Hazardous Materials Programs • Adrienne Gildea, Director, Policy & Government Affairs • William P. Schaefer, Director, VehiclePrograms • Lisa Claydon, Director, Communications & Marketing • Iris R. Leonard, Manager, Member & Program Services • Edgar M.Martinez, Member Services • Claudia V. McNatt, Manager, Meetings& Events • J. Craig Defibaugh, Controller • Wanica L. Foreman,Administrative Assistant

Copyright 2013, CVSA. All rights reserved. No part of this issue may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

For comments, suggestions or information, please [email protected].

Commercial VehicleSafety Alliance

@cvsa

GUARDIAN

I N S I G H T

FOURTH QUARTER 2013 1

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

A Quest to Enhance Data Quality and UniformityBy Sgt. Tom Fuller, New York State Police

In Denver, one of the items I said that I wanted tofocus us on this year was data quality anduniformity. This initiative was something PastPresident Maj. Mark Savage started a few years ago and I want to continue on that course. All of ourorganizations continually seek ways to be moreefficient and effective, and our ability to do so on thepublic sector side hinges, in large part, on the dataand information that is being created through thework of our inspectors and investigators. In industry,I know many of you are constantly evaluating yourown performance data, as well as that which wecreate, to make decisions. Two significantaccomplishments that the Data Quality andUniformity Ad Hoc Committee is pushing along arehelping to modernize Aspen (as well as the other 3rd party inspection software products), as well asaddressing the adjudicated citations issue. Both ofthese activities have seen progress during Mark’stenure and are now moving closer to becomingreality. FMCSA has initiated the work to do theprogramming to integrate our recommendations into the inspection software, and, as a result of our deliberations and decision in Denver, will bepublishing a notice in the Federal Register to outlinean approach to account for adjudicated citations inthe Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA), SafetyMeasurement System (SMS). It will be important that we continue to see this work through to its full implementation, but I am pleased that we aremaking progress on these two important issues thatwill enhance uniformity. I thank all of the memberswho have contributed to these efforts.

Another issue that has recently come into the forefrontis what some in the media and industry are calling“enforcement disparities.” This is one of thebyproducts of how different people are viewing thedata that we are creating. In this case, because of how CSA and the SMS are treating the inspection data,some people are seeing differences in enforcement as

a negative thing. At its core, CVSA is about uniformityand reciprocity. The North American StandardInspection Program has been around for threedecades, and the 13,000 CVSA-certified inspectors all have been properly trained and are conductingthe inspection procedure the same way, nearly fourmillion times per year. Each jurisdiction has its areasof focus and concentration based on their particularsafety needs. In addition, there are many factors thatimpact on what the enforcement model looks like in each jurisdiction. Ultimately, what we do is allabout saving lives, and all of our activities are gearedtowards that goal. If we are not making progress, we need to continually evaluate what we are doingand change course if need be.

As we go about our daily work, we need to keep in mind that the regulated industry is counting on us to practice what we preach—and ensure our inspectors are adhering to all the inspectionprocedures, operational policies, the North AmericanStandard Out-of-Service Criteria (OOSC) and when to apply a CVSA Decal when warranted. It also is incumbent upon industry to understand andappreciate that there will always be enforcementdifferences, as each jurisdiction is different and hasdifferent safety needs. The place where all of thiscomes together is CVSA. As a collective group ofsafety professionals, this organization helps todebate issues and solve problems so we cancontinually advance our mutual goal of saving lives.Our differences are what make us unique, but theyare also what give us our strength. So, I ask for your help in continuing our efforts to enhance dataquality and uniformity, and to jump into theconversation to affect positive change. �

“As a collectivegroup of safetyprofessionals,this organizationhelps to debateissues and solveproblems so wecan continuallyadvance ourmutual goal ofsaving lives”

I N S I G H T

GUARDIAN2

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

Gearing up for 2014By Stephen A. Keppler, CVSA, Executive Director

As 2013 comes to a close, I thought it would beuseful to start looking towards next year andwhat may be on the horizon. There are a numberof significant policy issues looming that will keep all of us busy next year. As noted in thisissue of Guardian, the current transportationauthorization bill in the United States expires in September, and the CVSA Reauthorization Task Force and Executive Committee have beenworking diligently to prepare us for thediscussions that will be taking place as Congressstarts to consider the bill. As much as we willwork to ensure our policy recommendations areheard, the issue that will take top billing in theconversations in the halls of Congress will behow to keep the nation’s transportation systemfunded for both the short and long-term.

The Safety Fitness Determination Rulecomponent of FMCSA’s CSA Program isexpected to be published for Notice andComment sometime in the spring. This will be a significant event and our CSA Task Force is prepping for this eventuality. Related to CSA,the results of FMCSA’s Crash Weighting Studyare expected to be announced soon, and boththe DOT Inspector General and the GovernmentAccountability Office are conducting separatestudies regarding CSA; their results areexpected to be released in 2014.

The long-awaited Electronic Logging DeviceSupplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is about to be published for comments. Animportant aspect of this rule will be to evaluateand comment on it in context with what Canadais doing, as they also are working on acompanion standard. The National HighwayTraffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is slated topublish its proposed rule on speed limiters.Recently, FMCSA has joined in on this rulemakingto not just address new equipment, but in useequipment as well. This issue also has potentialimplications across the border, as there areseveral Canadian provinces that already requirethese devices. The integration of the medicalcertificate with the commercial driver’s license isanother rule that is moving towards fullimplementation in 2014 in the United States.

There are a number of items in the currentauthorization bill, Moving Ahead for Progress inthe 21st Century Act (MAP-21), that are chuggingalong, some of which are scheduled to hit the

streets in 2014. One of the items of importanceto CVSA Members and Associate Members is theTruck Size & Weight Study. CVSA’s Size & WeightCommittee has been providing input to theFHWA contract team that is supporting theproject, and there are many members that areparticipating in CVSA’s Heavy Vehicle DataCollection Study to help gather inspection data to help look at potential safety implications.Another MAP-21 provision that we are trackingand providing input on at FHWA is the TruckParking Study, which has significant implicationsfor our Associate Members. The National FreightAdvisory Council established in MAP-21 isdebating a number of items relative to the futureof freight policy in the United States; CVSA isrepresented by Maj. Mark Savage in this group.

The Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse and theNational Registry of Certified Medical Examinersare expected to make progress towardsimplementation in 2014, and studies regardingFarm Exemptions and the Hazmat Safety PermitProgram are due out. Relating to Hazmat,PHMSA is moving forward on the MAP-21 studyon the feasibility of a paperless hazardcommunications pilot program, and CVSA’sHazardous Materials Committee is engaged withPHMSA on this effort. Another item that isgetting a lot of attention in MAP-21 is the studyrequiring FMCSA to evaluate the 34-restartprovision of the Hours-of-Service regulations thatwent into effect July 1 of this year. In addition,FMCSA recently announced it is shifting courseregarding the entry level driver training

rulemaking that has been on their docket for a while, and also was a provision in MAP-21, so we expect there to be some progress maderegarding this issue in 2014. Several standardsaddressing occupant protection, crash avoidance,fire suppression, and crash mitigation formotorcoaches are also in various stages of study,with NHTSA taking the lead on these initiatives.

Amid all of this activity, CVSA has a number of Petitions for Rulemaking at FMCSA we arehoping will get attention and positive movementthis coming year.

Whew, that was a mouthful—and just the tip of the iceberg. As you can imagine, the variousDOT modal agencies that CVSA interacts withhave a lot to work on. It is also important forus to keep in close consultations with ourMembers from Canada and Mexico to ensurewe are cognizant of, and can effectivelycommunicate, their input. Many of theseinitiatives have the potential to have significantimpacts on CVSA Members and AssociateMembers. We are tracking, reporting on, andproviding input on these items as directed bythe Executive Committee.

I sincerely appreciate all of you who arecontributing to our collective efforts. At times, it seems to make all of our heads spin, but it iscritical that we contribute to the process. Forthose of you who are not involved, I encourageyou to get involved. As you can see, there aremany opportunities to do so! �

I N S I G H T


I was an early and ardent supporter of CSA. It’s humorous even now to look back at some of the blogs I wrote back when it was still CSA2010. I was most supportive of the Driver Safety Management System (DSMS) that wascontained in early reports. I felt it was historicallysignificant that the FMCSA was finally going toaddress driver behavior as it relates to motorcarrier safety. For the first time, drivers wouldhave skin in the game.

You see, to this day, there is a sinister, inherentanti-carrier bias in everything the FMCSA does.Its press releases, its testimony to Congress, its remarks at seminars and meetings and most definitely its regulatory processes springfrom one clear premise…all carriers arecomplicit in driver behaviors and violations.FMCSA continues to believe that our industryencourages, condones or, at the very least,looks the other way when drivers violate their regulations.

While that may have been true not that manyyears ago, carriers who think that way arecertainly in the minority today. And FMCSAneeds to recognize the sea change and adaptaccordingly.

As an industry, we invest tens of millions ofdollars into safety and compliance. We purchasestate-of-the-art collision and lane-divergencewarning systems. Many of us have embracedELDs long before they will be mandatory. [Anddon’t get me started on how FMCSA could haveaddressed driver fatigue long ago had they hadthe guts to mandate e-logs sooner. How manyfatigue-related fatalities are on the hands ofFMCSA which winked and nodded at logviolations for years when they alone had theauthority to reduce them? In actuality, it’s thefeds who have looked the other way.]We spend countless millions more on safety andcompliance personnel, log auditing software,training, employment screening, etc. Heck, weeven have to pay $10 to get a drivers’ PSP recordto do our hiring due diligence. And we’re theonly ones doing anything with the information.FMCSA isn’t. Our state partners aren’t.

Motor carrier safety is touted as a federal, stateand carrier partnership…but, we all know that’s a lot of hot air. The feds think we’re complicitwith our drivers and (some) states issueinspection reports which penalize carriers but don’t write citations to the drivers. [An inherent flaw in the system wherein the

MCSAP funds for the inspections are moreimportant to states than issuing citationswhich, studies show, is the most effective way to affect the desired behavioral change.]Drivers still don’t have skin in the game today.

Motor carrier safety is left to the carrier. If weterminate a driver for his safety record, if weterminate a driver for what we determine to betoo many CSA points, we take the hit. We havean empty truck. We lose revenue…and thedriver…he’s hired the next day by a less safety-conscious carrier. The safe, conscientious,compliant carrier takes the hit. The less thanconscientious carrier fills a seat.

Where is the incentive in all these federalprograms and regulations? Where is thepartnership?

So, I ask FMCSA (actually, I did ask FMCSAIndiana Division Administrator KennethStrickland this a few months ago if anyone had suggested this.) if anyone has consideredmodifying CSA so that the drivers’ CSA points do follow him? And how about giving a safe,compliant carrier credit (deducting points) for cutting loose a driver who accumulates toomany points?

I know, I know…the cynical folks at FMCSA arealready thinking we “force” the poor driver toviolate the regulations and then jettison thehapless fellow when he gets too many points.But, I calculate it would take about a week fordrivers nationwide to learn which carriers runsafe, compliant operations. Given drivernetworking today, maybe a week is overlygenerous. Good, safe, professional drivers wouldflock to good, safe, professional carriers. Unsafecarriers would likely be put out of business bymarket forces…primarily the inability to attractand retain drivers. Ta da! CSA works!

Think about it. Two minor changes: 1) driversown the points their violations generate (restore the DSMS—individual responsibility for individual actions and behaviors. What anovel idea!). Unsafe drivers will have troublefinding jobs and repent or they are removedfrom the industry. 2) Carriers inherit the points of any drivers they hire and shed the points ofany drivers they terminate. If you want to hire a driver just to fill a seat, you pay the (CSA) price. Ta da! CSA works! CSA works as it wasintended…finally. �

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

CSA—Missing the MarkBy Kevin Mullen, Director—Safety, ADS Logistics Co, LLC

We would like to address the Data Q systemthat was set up by the FMCSA so truckingcompanies could challenge erroneous violationand points assessed, by the state, during safetyinspections conducted by the CVSA.

After doing hundreds of Data Qs in the past wehave concluded that the system sometimesworks, but, for the most part, fails to address thesafety issues.

Too many times, officers write erroneous orfrivolous violations and then the violation is DataQ’d—only to be changed to another violationthat meets the states quota or agenda.

CVSA has set policies that every CVSA inspectorshould follow, just as FMCSA has set rules andregulations for companies and drivers to follow.If everyone would play by the same rule book,then the information gleaned from theseinspections would be more accurate.

It is well-known throughout the truckingindustry that insurance carriers rely on a lot ofdata, including Data Q scores, to rate premiumsfor trucking companies. If these erroneous andfrivolous violations are not put in check, thepremiums for the trucking companies willcontinue to climb.

As it is now, the individuals at the state levelbecome judge and jury regardless of the facts.The points accessed for erroneous and frivolousviolations stay with the company for 24 monthsand the individual driver for 36 months without“due process of law” provided by the UnitedStates Constitution.

The FMCSA and CVSA regulations and policies,for the most part, are very clear as to what isexpected of the companies and drivers. However,when the state reads items into the regulation ormisinterprets its meaning, then it tends to causeproblems for everyone involved.

CVSA should put in place an impartial panel,with members from different states, whichcould decide these contested Data Qs insteadof letting the individual states be judge andjury. In this manner, these erroneous andfrivolous Data Qs can be decided in a fair andimpartial basis, and the data that is gleanedwould be more accurate without the influenceof the state’s agenda. �

Challenging Data QViolations andAssessmentsBy B J Morse, Transportation Consultant

I N S I G H T

GUARDIAN4

Use the Iowa DOT Model to Further Human Trafficking Fight in Your StateBy Lyn Thompson, Truckers Against Trafficking

In May, the Iowa DOT’s Office of Motor VehicleEnforcement, partnering with the nonprofitorganization Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT),created a plan that is effectively expanding theirefforts to fight human trafficking in their state.

The plan, which has become known as the IowaDOT Model, because it is the first of its kind inthe United States, provides a number of entrypoints for state law enforcement to engagemembers of the trucking industry in battlingthis crime, and it uses asset forfeiture funds topay for expenses.

Iowa Motor Vehicle Division Chief DaveLorenzen, who, along with his staff, originatedthe plan, believes enlisting the help of truckdrivers is a good way to expand the reach oflaw officers. “The motor carrier industry peopleare out there every day, 24-7, 365 days a year,”he said. “They see things where there’s not thatmuch law enforcement out there. They canobviously give us a set of eyes we don’t have.”

Lorenzen learned about TAT and its goal ofeducating, equipping, empowering andmobilizing the trucking industry to fight humantrafficking as part of their everyday work. Heexamined TAT’s materials and spoke with TATExecutive Director Kendis Paris.

“One of the initiatives of our office is to reachout to the motor carrier industry to providematerials that educate them on the aspects ofhuman trafficking,” Lorenzen explained. “Wenow have materials for drivers in the 40 staterest areas, and we’re also continuing to workwith putting the materials in the truck stopsacross the state.”

The complete Iowa DOT Model includes:

• Training MVE employees with TAT materials

• Stocking weigh stations and rest areas withTAT materials

• Visiting truck stops and trucking companieswith TAT materials, urging them to trainemployees and distribute

• Spreading awareness about TAT via multiplechannels—website, Iowa Truck InformationGuide, state fair, etc.

• Using influence to spread the word about TATto trucking (and other) agencies (i.e. DIAP,CVSA, motor coach industry, driver servicesstaff, etc.)

• Incorporating TAT training DVD and walletcards into all programs that MVE builds (law enforcement, service clubs, motorcarrier industry)

• Using asset forfeiture funds to pay for TAT materials

• Ensuring that every CDL issued (or renewed)is accompanied with a TAT wallet card

“We’re excited that several other states havealready looked at this model and are using it toexpand their law enforcement efforts, includingArizona, Idaho, Colorado and Connecticut,”stated Paris. “We’d like to see it adopted in fullacross the country.”

Human trafficking is a $32-billion industryworldwide. The U.S. Justice Departmentestimates between 100,000-300,000 Americanchildren are at-risk each year of being traffickedinto the sex trade. Foreign nationals who aretrafficked into this country for that purpose are

an additional population. Ongoing FBI stingshave rescued trafficking victims at a variety oflocations nationwide, including truck stops andtravel plazas.

“As members of the trucking industry arebecoming educated about this crime, they’restepping up and becoming involved in significantways to help eradicate it,” said Paris. “Calls fromtruckers to the National Human TraffickingResource Center (NHTRC) to report humantrafficking tips or situations continue to rise.Truckers now rank seventh among all caller typesreporting potential human trafficking situations.If law enforcement can do its part to spreadawareness and put our materials into theirhands, I believe members of the truckingindustry will prove themselves to be crucialpartners in this endeavor.”

For more information, contact Kendis Paris at720-202-1037 or [email protected]. �

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

I N S I G H T


KNOWLEDGE MATTERS

Over the years, the original intentand purpose of the CVSA decalprogram has been lost. Inspectorsand industry alike often confusewhat the decal means, what it

stands for, and what should be considered whenviewing it on a vehicle.

There are approximately 13,000 CVSA-certifiedinspectors conducting over four millioninspections a year throughout North America.Two of the seven types of North AmericanStandard Inspections, the Level I and Level V,include a comprehensive review of the vehicle.Passing one of these two inspections will resultin the vehicle being eligible for a CVSA decal. If,at the completion of one of these inspections,any vehicle in the commercial motor vehiclecombination qualifies, certified inspectors mustfollow CVSA policy by applying a CVSA decal toeach vehicle that passed. Inspectors apply thedecals, but what does this decal really mean and what is the decal’s intended purpose?

• Does it mean the vehicle has no violations?

• Does it mean every component on the vehiclehas been thoroughly inspected and found tobe in good working order?

• Does it mean the carrier does not need tohave the vehicle inspected for another year?

• Is it placed on the vehicle as a badge of honorindicating that the carrier is an excellentcarrier?

• Is it just another sticker for a carrier to placeon the vehicle to go along with all the othermarking requirements?

• Is it the same as the sticker for the periodicinspection requirements?

• Is it a screening tool for inspectors?

Is it a combination of these or is it somethingentirely different? We will explore these differentthoughts and explain why inspectors really carrythese colorful stickers.

To unravel this mystery, we need to start whereall inspectors look when they need guidance intheir job functions and responsibilities—agencypolicy. In this case, we want to review the CVSAOperations Manual. Within this manual, we findOperational Policy 5—Inspection/CVSA decal.This policy outlines how to conduct inspectionsand procedures for proper use and application ofthe CVSA decal. It includes general informationabout how, where, and when to apply the decal.

It also provides guidance on what to do once a decal is affixed to a vehicle, thus, giving us theintended purpose of the decal.

We will begin with when a CVSA decal is to beapplied. Operational Policy 5 states: “To qualifyfor a CVSA decal, a vehicle must not have anycritical vehicle inspection item violationscontained in CVSA Operational Policy.” Thisstatement does not say the vehicle is defect orviolation free, it only states there cannot be anyviolations of the Critical Vehicle Inspection Items.The genesis for the entire North AmericanStandard Inspection was based on California’s“Critical Item Inspection,” which was an 11-stepprocedure that formed the core of the Level IInspection procedure, which is now 37 steps. It was the original intent by the foundingmembers of CVSA, as still is the case today, that when a vehicle passes the inspection withno defects of the critical inspection items that a CVSA decal shall be applied.

To take this a step further, we also need to takehidden components into consideration. This isalso referred to in Operational Policy 5 whichstates: “For the purpose of a CVSA decalissuance, if no violation is detected during aNorth American Standard Level I or Level VInspection due to a hidden part of the listedCritical Vehicle Inspection Items, CVSA decal shallbe applied.” This means that there could be adefect of a Critical Inspection Item present, butbased on our training, tools, and access to certainitems, we may not be able to detect it. So, nowwe have determined that the CVSA decal: 1) doesnot mean that a vehicle is defect or violationfree; and 2) does not mean that all componentshave been thoroughly inspected and found to bein good working order.

Once a decal is placed on a commercial motorvehicle we further discover in Operational Policy5 that it is valid for a period not to exceed threeconsecutive months (the decal will be valid forthe remainder of the current month pluspotentially two additional months). So, it is validfor up to three months, but what does thismean? Operational Policy 5 further points outthat: “Vehicles displaying a valid CVSA decalgenerally will not be subject to re-inspection.” In support of this statement, the policy alsoprovides guidelines as to when a vehicle with acurrent CVSA decal can/should be re-inspected

The CVSA Decal—What Does it Really Mean?By John Sova, Trooper, North Dakota Highway Patrol, and Kerri Wirachowsky, Enforcement Program Advisor Carrier Enforcement Program, Ontario Ministry of Transportation, and CVSA Vehicle Committee Chair

Continued on next page

I N S I G H T

GUARDIAN6

within the timeframe that the decal is valid. The policy outlines the following circumstanceswhere a re-inspection may be contemplated:

1. A North American Standard CriticalVehicle Inspection Item or Out-of-Serviceviolation is detected;

2. When a North American Standard Level IV(Special Inspection) exercise is involved;

3. When a statistically based randominspection technique is being employedto validate an individual jurisdiction orregional out-of-service percentage; or,

4. When re-inspections are conducted tomaintain CVSA North American StandardInspection quality assurance.

In the United States 49 CFR 396.17(f) of theFederal Motor Carrier Safety Regulationsindicates that the CVSA decal is equivalent to the required “periodic” or annual DOTinspection. This is not found in any CVSAPolicy. In fact, CVSA strongly believes andadvocates that the roadside inspectionprogram and the annual/periodic inspectionare not equivalent, and that these twoprograms need to be decoupled from eachother. The North American Standard Inspectionand the CVSA decal in our view are notequivalent to a “government mandatedmaintenance standard” inspection for annualor periodic inspections. The North AmericanStandard Inspection Program and NorthAmerican Standard Out-of-Service Criteria havebeen in place for more than two decades andwere never intended to serve this purpose.

These two “types” of vehicle inspections—the roadside inspection and the annualinspection—are intended to complement each other, and one inspection is not any more important than another. The roadsideinspection is the “last line of defense” forhighway safety. When a driver or vehicle isplaced out- of-service during a roadsideinspection, it is indicative that the motorcarrier likely has a failing or defectivepreventative maintenance and/or driver tripinspection program. When a vehicle “passesinspection,” the CVSA decal is applied toindicate that there were no violations of critical inspection items that could beinspected and were not hidden at that time.

One of the main purposes for the CVSA decal is for it to be used as a screening tool forinspectors to increase efficiency and maximizetheir efforts. The decal allows an inspector to

screen out vehicles that have already passedroadside inspections, so they can focus theirefforts on CMVs that have either not beeninspected or were inspected but may containdefects/violations of the critical vehicleinspection items. Although vehicles with currentCVSA decals may not be free of all defects/violations, if there were any violations noted at the time of inspection they were unlikely to result in an imminent hazard situation.

As we have seen, the CVSA decal serves severalpurposes. We also find these purposes outlinedin the first official meeting minutes of the CVSA(February 27-28, 1980) and which are still truetoday. Below is the information quoted fromthese minutes regarding provisions in the CVSAMember MOU and the decal:

“Equipment successfully passing inspectionby parties to the agreement and under theprovisions contained herein shall be issuedan identification device (decal). The purposeof said decal is to identify equipment havingsuccessfully passed inspection, to servenotice to all parties hereto of such successfulinspection; and, by way of identification,obviate the necessity for further safetyinspection by parties hereto so long as thedecal remains in force and effect.”

As you can see, even in the formative years of CVSA, the decal was front and center in theminds of the members, as well as the industrythey regulated. It was—and still is—one of thefoundational elements of the organization, as it isnot only a symbol of uniformity and reciprocity,which are key tenets of CVSA, it is also evidenceof the quality of the inspection performed. Whileover the years, inspectors have called intoquestion the purpose and value of the CVSAdecal, industry always has viewed it as a valuabletool to help them in evaluating the efficacy oftheir safety and maintenance programs.

So, the next time an inspector conducts aninspection and is wondering whether or not toplace a CVSA decal on a vehicle, remember thatthe decal is an important operational tool forenforcement to help make efficient use of theirtime, as well as visible evidence of their work.The decal also helps the industry to evaluate itsown practices so they can help do their part inadvancing CVSA’s safety mission. It is also animportant symbol that embodies what CVSA is allabout—uniformity and reciprocity of commercialvehicle inspections and enforcement acrossNorth America! �

One of the mainpurposes for theCVSA decal is for it to be used as a screening tool for inspectors toincrease efficiencyand maximize their efforts.

Continued from page 5

KNOWLEDGE MATTERS

I N S I G H T


We don't hear many reports of wheelseparations anymore, but that doesn't mean we have solved the problem. Reliable estimatessuggest unplanned separations still occur at arate of probably several per day. Exact numbersare hard to determine because many incidents go unreported.

"We do not have much information aboutwheel off incidents," says William Schaefer,Director of Vehicle Programs at the CommercialVehicle Safety Alliance. "A lost wheel may notbe discovered immediately by the vehicleoperator and then when it is, it is fixed,providing no record for enforcement orresearch efforts. Also, even when a wheel isinvolved in a crash—whether with anothervehicle or with pedestrians or property—thedriver may not know it has happened andtracking the vehicle down could be achallenging forensic exercise."

The October issue of Heavy Duty Truckingfeatures an in-depth look at solutions to wheel separations, including tips on bearinginstallation and wheel fastener tightening andinstallation procedures. Because of the limitedspace in our printed publication, there was nota lot of room for a broader discussion of theproblem. In this edition of our monthly Tire &Wheel newsletter, we take a deep-dive into theissue of wheel separations, including some verygood background on the problem and someinnovative research into its causes.

The last time wheel separations came underserious scrutiny in this country was 1992.Following a rash of wheel separations in the fall of 1991 that left seven people dead, anextensive National Transportation Safety Board(NTSB) investigation concluded that "…theleading causes of wheel separations frommedium and heavy trucks are impropertightening of wheel fasteners and bearingfailure; both are the result of inadequatemaintenance."

A series of recommendations issued by theNTSB was followed up by industry, includingthe Truck Trailer Manufacturers Association,the Society of Automotive Engineers, theTechnology and Maintenance Council of theAmerican Trucking Associations and others.

Suppliers came to the table with innovativeproducts and guidelines aimed at improvingwheel installation and reducing wheel-separation incidents.

The NTSB report dealt more with solutions thanthe causes. In fairness, since 1992, policies andprocedures have been developed to mitigate the problem, and information on wheel-endmaintenance is easy to find. The recurringproblems seem to rest with industry's reluctanceto put in place rigorous maintenance procedures.

A few years after the series of incidents thatprompted the NTSB investigation, the Provinceof Ontario experienced a series of fatal wheelseparation events. The tragedies that occurredin 1995 prompted an investigation into thecauses of wheel separation, and do date, someof the best research on the problem has comefrom Ontario.

A coroner's inquest, convened in October of that year, put forward 31 recommendationsconcerning wheel maintenance and inspection,chains of responsibility and legal accountability.Among the results of the inquest was acontentious absolute liability offence with finesof up to $50,000 to the carrier and driver,regardless of why a wheel might have separated.

The recommendations also mandated officialinvestigation of each reported incident. Fromthat, Ontario learned a great deal about thecauses and was able to reduce the number ofwheel separations quite dramatically.

The number of reported incidents droppedfrom 215 in 1997 to just 99 in 1998, with anaverage of 75 incidents per year between 1999and 2003 (the most recent year for whichfigures are readily available). This decrease has

Why Do Wheels Come Off Trucks?By Jim Park, TruckingInfo.com


I N S I G H T

GUARDIAN8

KNOWLEDGE MATTERS

been sustained up to the present time, butcountless more wheel separations went—andcontinue to go—unreported.

Trends in Wheel SeparationIn its investigation, officials in the Province ofOntario came up with some interestingstatistics on wheel separation incidents.Research revealed that separation incidentswere about even between tractor and trailer,with trailers representing about 6% moreincidents than trucks.

Seasonality also appears to have been a factor,although hard conclusions about why remainelusive. Separation incidents reported inOntario spiked to around 35 per month inJanuary and February 1997 when the monthlyaverage over the year was about 5 or 6.Fastener-related separation accounted for25 of the recorded incidents while bearingrelated failures accounted for about 8 to 10.The following year, the seasonal increase waspresent, but with the heightened awareness of the problem, and after the training programswere in place, the numbers dropped to abouthalf the previous year's numbers.

In 643 incidents where the mode of failure was reported, failure of the wheel fastenersoccurred in 65% of the incidents, while wheelbearings were the mode of failure in 26%.

Failure of the wheel itself or the axle spindleresulting in separations accounted for only 9%of the 643 incidents. Those types of failures areconsidered exceptions to the norm.

Of a group of 80 separation reports generatedbetween 2000 and 2003 involving wheelfasteners, 66 or 83%, noted that the suspectwheel had recently been repaired. This turnsout to be a critical observation.

One of Ontario's coroner's jury recommendationswas a training and certification program forworkers who remove or replace wheels on trucks,trailers and motorcoaches. It's an offense in thatprovince for a non-certified technician to install a wheel, and there is a sign-off procedure todocument who did the work.

The training program covers, among manyother things, proper wheel-nut torqueingprocedures, which investigators had discoveredwas lacking in the province. Proper proceduresinclude removing all rust and debris frommating surfaces, proper inspection of thefastening hardware and proper fastening,which means at the very least using acalibrated torque wrench rather than an impactwrench to tighten the lug nuts.

Investigations of many wheel-separationsrevealed that wheel nuts had worked lose dueto lost clamping force attributed to materiallodged between the wheel discs breaking freeand/or fasteners damaged by over-torqueing.As we have noted, the number of reportedseparations has dropped since the training,certification and sign-off programs went intoplace. No longer, in Ontario, can just anyonegrab an impact wrench and go to town on atruck wheel.

The Ontario regulations also require a recentlyinstalled wheel to be retorqued after 50 to 100miles. While many carriers and owner-operators say the requirement is burdensome,it appears to have contributed to a reduction inwheel separations.

Check out the October 2013 edition of HeavyDuty Trucking for more on the procedures andtechniques for proper wheel-end maintenance.

You can read a very good synopsis of the eventsin Ontario in a report written by the OntarioMinistry of Transportation's Rob Monster. It's well worth 10 minutes of your time. You candownload it at http://docsfiles.com/pdf_wheel_separations.html. �

Jim Park is a freelance journalist and currently the Equipment Editor of Heavy Duty Trucking. This article is reprinted with permission fromTruckinginfo.com, the website of Heavy DutyTrucking magazine.


Of a group of 80separation reportsgenerated between2000 and 2003involving wheelfasteners, 66 or83%, noted that the suspect wheelhad recently beenrepaired.

CO V E R S T O R Y



CVSA’S POLICY POSITIONS FOR THE NEXTTRANSPORTATION BILL IN THE U.S.

a safertomorrow

By Alan Martin, Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, CVSA Reauthorization Task Force Chair & Program Initiatives Committee Chair

Part of CVSA’s mission is “to promote commercial motor vehicle (CMV) safety and security by providing leadership to enforcement, industry and policy makers.” On September 30, 2014, the current highway transportation bill, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), will expire. While it’s likely that Congress will extend the current program into 2015, work will begin in 2014 on the policy changesthat will be incorporated into the next highway bill. In order to meet its mission ofproviding leadership to policy makers, CVSA has spent the past year developing a series of policy positions in preparation for the coming debate.

CO V E R S T O R Y

GUARDIAN10


How We Got HereIn August of 2012, CVSA’s ExecutiveCommittee, under then-President David Palmer, directed the ProgramInitiatives Committee to create a task force to develop recommended policypositions for the Alliance. The task force iscomprised of representatives from each ofthe Regions, a Locals Representative, theAssociate Advisory Committee Chair, and the International Officers. In addition, several subject matter experts were invitedto join the group to ensure there was goodinsight on the various technical issues thatwould be discussed.

Once the task force was assembled, a survey was sent to the CVSA membership to gather input on items and issues ofinterest and to begin honing in on the issuesthat matter most to the membership. At thesame time, members of the task forcereviewed the Alliance’s existing policypositions and compared them to the policyincluded in MAP-21 to determine whichissues had been resolved, which positionsshould carry forward, and which should be revised.

Next, the task force held a series ofconference calls to discuss the survey results and to begin identifying issue areas to focus on. The Alliance solicited input fromother groups as well, asking for their inputon issues they view as critical. A number oforganizations replied, and many asked theAlliance to consider supporting items ontheir agendas.

In December of 2012, CVSA held a two-day, in person meeting at the Alliance’sheadquarters in Greenbelt, Maryland. At the meeting, the task force heard from a number of outside organizations and, along with the input from the membersurvey, a list of positions that the Alliancecould consider taking was compiled. At theend of the meeting, the task force agreed on a number of positions and staff beganworking to assemble them into a series ofdraft positions.

The task force spent the following monthsnarrowing down and refining the policyrecommendations. As agreements wereforged, a series of issue papers wasdeveloped to correspond with each policyrecommendation. After each paper wasapproved by the task force, they werepresented to the CVSA Executive Committeefor review and approval.

As 2013 comes to a close, the task force isdiligently completing its work. As of mid-November, the Executive Committee hadapproved eight position papers and the taskforce was completing work on three more.These papers—and the positions theyoutline—will serve as the core of theAlliance’s advocacy efforts next year, though,it is anticipated that other issues may arise.

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) is an internationalnot-for-profit organization comprising local, state, provincial,territorial, and federal motor carrier safety officials and industryrepresentatives from the United States (U.S.), Canada, and Mexico.CVSA’s mission is to promote commercial motor vehicle (CMV)safety and security by providing leadership to enforcement, industryand policy makers. In the U.S., CVSA’s members are thejurisdictions tasked with enforcing the Federal Motor Carrier SafetyRegulations (FMCSRs) and the Hazardous Materials Regulations(HMRs), funded through the Federal Motor Carrier SafetyAdministration’s (FMCSA) Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program(MCSAP). In addition, CVSA has several hundred associatemembers who are committed to helping the Alliance achieve itsgoals: uniformity, compatibility and reciprocity of commercial vehicleinspections, and enforcement activities throughout North Americaby individuals dedicated to highway safety and security. As part ofthe next surface transportation authorization debate, CVSAencourages Members of Congress to consider the followingimprovements to CMV safety policy.

Improving the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance ProgramThe Federal government entrusts the States with the responsibilityof enforcing the FMCSRs and the HMRs. To meet that responsibility,Congress provides funding to the States, through the MCSAP anda number of other focused grant programs. The States use thesefunds to conduct enforcement activities, train personnel, purchaseequipment, update software and other technology, and conductoutreach and education activities. The funds are used, in part, to paythe salaries of more than 13,000 full and part time CMV safetyprofessionals. According to FMCSA, these people conduct morethan 3.5 million roadside inspections, 34,000 new entrant safetyaudits, and 7,800 compliance reviews each year. The benefits of the MCSAP are well documented and every dollarinvested in the State programs yields a big return for taxpayers.CVSA estimates that the MCSAP has an estimated benefit-to-costratio of 18:1, and every roadside inspection conducted yields anestimated $2,400 in safety benefits. And, of course, effectiveenforcement of the FMCSRs and HMRs helps save lives, keepingdangerous vehicles and drivers off the nation’s roads. With eachnew transportation bill, the States are tasked with additionalenforcement and oversight responsibilities. At the same time, themotor carrier industry continues to grow. With a growing industry,and new and improved regulations, it is imperative that Stateshave the funds necessary to effectively develop andimplement their CMV safety programs. To meet this needCVSA recommends increasing the Basic MCSAP Grantprogram match to 90 percent Federal /10 percent State.Training, in particular, is critical to a uniform, effective programand funds are required for the development of training materials,

instructors, and travel to and from training courses. CVSAsupports providing adequate resources to maintain andenhance existing State CMV inspector training programs toensure uniform enforcement of motor carrier safety andhazardous materials regulations. Furthermore, flexibilitywithin grant programs is a key consideration, allowing Statesto meet their responsibilities through creative, State-specificsolutions.

Recognizing that future funding for the MCSAP is directly tied tothe long-term solvency of the Highway Trust Fund (HTF), CVSAsupports ongoing efforts to identify sustainable, long-termrevenue sources to address the HTF solvency, in order toensure stability for the MCSAP. However, in the event that nonew revenue is available, CVSA urges Congress to ensurethat MCSAP funding is not reduced, but remains at the levelsset by the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act(MAP-21).When States see a reduction in their MCSAP funding,jobs are lost, programs are reduced and fewer inspections,compliance reviews, and safety audits are conducted, reducingthe safety benefit of those activities and undermining years ofimprovement in CMV safety. Even without a reduction in funding,States will experience a reduction in productivity due to a varietyof factors, including cost of living increases, increased premiumson benefits or fringe rates, increases in equipment purchases, andincreases to update software and other technology. Another challenge the States face is the administrative burden ofMCSAP and, in particular, the current Commercial Vehicle SafetyPlan (CVSP) requirements. States should be required to providecomprehensive plans detailing how Federal funds will be used tomeet their safety goals. However, the current process iscumbersome, redundant and time consuming for the States,siphoning off time and funds that could be better spent onenforcement and education activities. CVSA recommendsstreamlining and restructuring the current CVSP process torelieve the States of some of the administrative burden itcreates.

Regulatory EffectivenessThe foundation of quality, uniform and consistent enforcementactivities is an effective regulatory framework. It is critical thatthose subject to the regulations understand their responsibilitiesand that those tasked with enforcing them can do so effectively.Over time, however, additional regulatory authority, coupled withchanges to the industry and technological advancements, canresult in inconsistent, outdated and redundant regulatorylanguage. To improve the clarity and effectiveness of the federalregulations, CVSA supports a number of ‘housekeeping’improvements geared towards reducing, enhancing and

Enhancing Truck and Bus Safety

Available CVSAWhitepapers• Robust Motor Carrier Safety

Assistance Program Critical to Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety

• Improving Safety throughRegulatory Housekeeping,Reciprocity and Uniformity

• Exemptions CompromiseSafety, Impede UniformEnforcement

• A Responsible Approach toCommercial Motor Vehicle Size and Weight Limits

• En Route Inspections of Passenger-CarryingCommercial Motor Vehicles

• Strengthening HazardousMaterials Safety

• Preventing & MitigatingCommercial Motor VehicleCrashes with Technology

• Improving Commercial Motor Vehicle CrashworthinessStandards

CO V E R S T O R Y

MCSAP ChangesCVSA’s reauthorization positionstouch on a variety of topics, but are all geared toward improvingCMV safety by bringing more

clarity, consistency and effectiveness toenforcement of the regulations. One of the most critical priorities revolves aroundrecommended improvements to the MotorCarrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP). As the enforcement community knows, Stateshave been entrusted with the task of keepingthe nation’s roadways safe, but to do so, States must have funding and flexibility to carry out the mission. CVSA has a series ofrecommendations geared toward ensuringthat the States have adequate funds to carryout the responsibilities assigned to them.Specifically, the Alliance recommendsimprovements to the Motor Carrier SafetyAssistance Program’s grant applicationprocess, seeking to reduce the administrativeburden on both the States and FMCSA,streamlining the process and freeing up timeand resources that can be refocused on theprogram’s mission—safety. CVSA will work toensure that decision makers understand thesignificance of the MCSAP program and howthe enforcement community’s efforts savelives every day by taking dangerous vehiclesand drivers off the road.

RegulatoryEffectivenessCVSA also recommendsimprovements to the regulations

themselves. The foundation of an effectiveregulatory framework is quality, uniform andconsistent enforcement activities. It is criticalthat those subject to the FMCSRs understandtheir responsibilities and that those taskedwith enforcing those safety regulations can doso effectively. However, over time, additionalregulatory authority, coupled with changes tothe industry and technological advancementshave resulted in inconsistent, outdated andredundant regulatory language. To addressthis, CVSA has developed a series ofrecommendations to reduce, enhance andstreamline regulations. In addition to efforts toclean up the FMCSRs, CVSA also encourages ahigher level of collaboration between the U.S.and its North American neighbors to advanceregulatory reciprocity and uniformity.

ExemptionsAnother top priority for theAlliance is the issue ofexemptions. CVSA has longopposed the practice of

exempting segments of industry from theregulations. Every new exemption is anopportunity for confusion and inconsistency in enforcement, which undermines the veryfoundation of the federal commercial motorvehicle enforcement program—uniformity.CVSA continues to oppose the inclusion oflegislative exemptions.

Motorcoach SafetyThe Alliance continues itscommitment to motorcoachsafety in this latest round ofpolicy recommendations, urging

that the current prohibition on roadsideinspections of buses and motorcoachescarrying passengers be eliminated. In addition,CVSA will ask Congress to give States theauthority to require that passenger-carryingCMVs report to an open weigh station while enroute, specifically for weight enforcementpurposes. This authority will help ensure thatpassenger-carrying vehicles and componentsare not being overloaded.

Truck Size and WeightOne topic that’s sure to get a lot of attention in the comingmonths is the issue of truck sizeand weight limits. CVSA was a

strong advocate for the Comprehensive TruckSize and Weight Limits study mandated byMAP-21 and it is the position of the Alliancethat no changes should be made to federaltruck size and weight limits until the study hasbeen completed.

Hazardous MaterialsThe Alliance has also developedpositions addressing hazardousmaterials safety, seekingimprovements to policy that will

ensure States have the funds and tools theyneed to effectively enforce the HazardousMaterials Regulations, and opposing anychanges that seek to limit States’ authorityover hazardous materials shipments.

Data Quality and Information TechnologyData quality and informationtechnology are a criticalcomponent in the CMV safety

strategy. The data collected is the foundationon which the Federal and State programs arebuilt. Therefore, it is imperative that the datacoming in is as accurate as possible and thatthe quality of that data is not underminedwhen processed and transmitted. CVSA hasdeveloped a series of recommendations thatwill improve both the collection and handlingof data.

CrashworthinessStandardsFinally, while reducing thenumber of crashes that occur on our nation’s roadways should

be a top priority for the CMV community, workcan also be done to help reduce the impact ofcrashes that do occur. The Alliance will supportplacing a high priority on evaluating andimplementing enhancements to commercialmotor vehicle crashworthiness standards. Inaddition, CVSA supports legislation and policiesthat encourage the deployment of safetytechnologies proven, through independentresearch, to improve commercial motorvehicle safety, either through preventingcrashes or mitigating the severity of crashes.

Next StepsThe task force will work to finalize theremaining issue papers as 2013 comes to aclose. When the discussion begins in earnestnext spring, CVSA will be well-positioned toadvocate strongly for the priorities andpositions identified and developed by themembership. While it’s unlikely that a newreauthorization will be completed before theSeptember 2014 deadline, a good deal of workwill be completed in the coming months andthe direction of the bill will certainly begin totake shape. CVSA will work with all parties toensure that full consideration is given to theissues that matter to the commercial vehiclesafety community. �

CVSA’s Reauthorization Priorities


Q

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GUARDIAN12

ASK THE FMCSA ADMINISTRATOR

Each edition, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrator Anne S. Ferro answers your questions.

QCompliance, Safety, Accountability or CSA’sSafety Measurement System (SMS) hasproven to be an effective tool to identifymotor carriers for intervention. What kind of improvements to the SMS is the FMCSAworking on?

A: FMCSA designed both the SMS methodologyand the SMS Online public website with theintention that improvements could berecommended and added over time. FMCSAimplemented a number of enhancements to theSMS methodology a little less than a year ago inDecember 2012, including the development of anew Hazardous Materials Compliance BehaviorAnalysis Safety Improvement Category (BASIC).

FMCSA is currently working on a new design forthe SMS Online public website. The re-design isbased on feedback from a variety ofstakeholders, including FMCSA’s Motor CarrierSafety Advisory Committee, and will improve thedisplay and user experience. This round ofenhancements will not change the SMSmethodology. Before implementation, there willbe a preview period when the public cancomment on the changes.

The enhancements will achieve several keyobjectives:1. Provide easier navigation and user-friendly

features and descriptions to clarify the SMS’srole as FMCSA’s prioritization tool forinterventions.

2. Consolidate FMCSA carrier compliance andsafety information so users do not have to go to multiple sites.

3. Improve access to detailed information andnew performance monitoring tools.

4. Provide clarity on the relationship betweenthe BASICS and crash risk.

The preview is currently available for theenforcement community, and a Federal Registernotice will be published when it is available forindustry and public review. FMCSA is stronglyencouraging all stakeholders to review therevised format and give us their comments.

FMCSA currently uses all violation datareported on inspections in the SafetyMeasurement System (SMS) and Pre-employment Screening Program (PSP). Does the Agency have plans to addressviolation data associated with state citationswhen they are dismissed or adjudicated andthe defendant is found not guilty?

A: To improve the quality of data and promoteuniformity in the treatment of violation dataused by SMS and PSP, the Agency is exploringways to address inspection violationsassociated with a citation that has beenadjudicated by a court.

By working with partners like CVSA, the Agency has developed a process that wouldallow motor carriers to submit Requests for Data Review (RDR) through DataQs along withcourt documentation. A DataQs analyst wouldexamine and append inspection records to reflect the result of the adjudication process. Inturn, the Agency would store and acknowledgethe citation result in its systems.

In September of this year, the CVSA ExecutiveCommittee voted to support the proposedprocess. A Federal Register announcement willprovide details on the Agency’s approach. TheAgency continues to identify IT and policyimpacts and will provide training on the newprocess for DataQs analysts in spring 2014.

What is the Motor Carrier Safety AdvisoryCommittee and how does it work?

A: Established by Congress in 2006, the MotorCarrier Safety Advisory Committee or MCSAC iscomposed of 20 experts from the motor carriersafety advocacy, safety enforcement, industry,and labor sectors with the sole mission ofproviding recommendations to the Agency. Eachmember serves a two-year term. The MCSACbrings unique perspectives to their work anddevelops consensus-driven recommendations forour Agency.

Currently, MCSAC members are consideringwhether hours-of-service requirements for driversof passenger carrier vehicles should be changedto improve safety. As part of this task, the groupprovides the Agency with information and ideas

to help in our consideration of regulatory optionsin strengthening safety requirements.

The Agency places a premium on reaching out tothe trucking community and all of our safetystakeholders. That is why we created a MCSACsubcommittee to focus on CSA. This group hasbeen hard at work considering enhancements toCSA so that we can continually improve theprogram. I value the commitment of the MCSACmembership to safety. Without their hard workand dedication, we could not be successful inwhat we do.

You can learn more about the MCSAC and readthe results of their work by going towww.mcsac.fmcsa.dot.gov

U.S. DOT has a new Secretary—what is helike to work for?

A: Great! Our new Secretary, Anthony Foxx, isnot a novice to transportation. He understandsfirst-hand the importance of transportation fromhis tenure as Mayor of Charlotte. In his ownfamily, he experienced how transportationprovided his family with a way to a better future.His great-grandfather, Pete Kelly, drove a truck,and he used it to raise 13 kids and send all ofthem to college.

Every day, I see his sharp understanding abouttransportation and his firm belief in its capacityto move America forward. Secretary Foxx has aclear and strong vision of safety. His overridingpriority is to make our transportation system thesafest and most efficient in the world. He alsounderstands the role of CVSA members inhighway safety and that what you do matters. He knows that our important safety work isnever complete. He values your partnershipwhen it comes to truck and bus safety.

He asks his senior leaders at DOT to use our owncreativity and innovation to solve problems andpush our agendas forward. Reaching out to you,in turn, I ask for your continued support toimprove the work we do with bigger, bolder andbetter ideas.

We will be both participant and witness to agreat era for transportation safety with SecretaryFoxx at the helm. �

GO V E R NME N T N E W S

Have a question? Send it to [email protected].



“Running a bus companywill be like running anairline. There won’t be lot of tolerance foranything less than superior performance.”

That is a direct quote from a passenger carriercompany official after his operation was one ofthe first carriers declared an imminent hazardand shut down as part of FMCSA’s MotorcoachSafety Initiative.

In response to a series of tragic motorcoachcrashes resulting in multiple fatalities, this pastMarch, FMCSA implemented a three-phase planknown as the Motorcoach Safety Initiative(MSI). The MSI contains both immediate andlonger-term actions to deliver a strong stanceon motorcoach safety and change the paradigmto improve our effectiveness. This approachemploys three main components—enforcement,stakeholder engagement, and consumeroutreach—and emphasizes quick actionsupported by a long-term strategy to helpfurther the Agency’s ability to effectivelychange the paradigm of motorcoach safetyenforcement and compliance.

Phase I of the MSI included meetings with CVSAleadership, safety advocates and industryassociations to explore avenues to enhance thesafety awareness of the industry. Phase I alsoincluded Operation Quick Strike, which beganApril 1, 2013. Fifty-four FMCSA Special Agentsreceived specialized training in enhancedinvestigative techniques on passenger carrieroperations. Following a week-long trainingcourse, they were immediately deployed, and, with assistance from our State partners,began an intensive campaign utilizing theseenhanced techniques on a list of 250 high-riskpassenger carriers.

To date, over 185 of the 250 investigations havebeen completed with dramatic results. Theinvestigations have yielded a 73 percentenforcement rate, nearly a third of theinvestigations (57) resulted in a proposedunsatisfactory safety fitness rating, and 14

imminent hazards were issued. On-site Level Vinspections conducted with the assistance ofour state partners resulted in an exceptionallyhigh OOS rate of 26 percent.

In late August, FMCSA and our state partnersconducted the National Passenger Carrier Strike Force. During this two-week event,approximately 8,000 passenger vehicleinspections were conducted. In addition, safetyassessments on approximately 1,300 passengercarriers with insufficient performance data were conducted by federal and state personnel.The results of these safety assessments willassist FMCSA in prioritizing passenger carriersfor future investigations and to meet the MAP-21 legislative mandate that FMCSA conduct acomprehensive investigation on passengercarriers every three years.

Phase II of the initiative includes a dedicatedoutreach effort to work with stakeholders suchas tour operators, faith-based organizations,and educational associations to raise awarenessconcerning passenger safety. Industrystakeholders are being urged to utilize theextensive safety performance data available to the public through our SaferBus App andFMCSA web-based resources. We want toencourage consumers of all types to make aninformed decision, not a decision based on

price alone, when contracting with a passengercarrier. Educational outreach to stakeholders isa critical component to an effectiveenforcement strategy.

Finally, Phase III of the MSI will conclude withthe Agency’s analysis of what it will take toachieve one level of safety for all passengers.FMCSA is analyzing its safety oversightauthority and its resource needs to develop a safety oversight structure that provides a continuously rigorous oversight andenforcement program like the MSI. The goal is to employ more robust and effectiveenforcement practices to ensure compliance of motorcoach companies, remove unsafecarriers from the road, and ensure the safety of bus passengers and the traveling public. It will take all of us to get to our goal of onestandard for passenger safety, and we willcontinue to work together to save lives.

FMCSA is grateful to all state inspectors who have lent their expertise and effort to increasingthe volume of Level V inspections. Given theprohibition against en route inspections, theseinspections as part of an investigation are addingmeaningfully to the intervention. The shockinglyhigh rate of out of service vehicles of 26 percentduring these scheduled inspections reinforces theimportance of this work. �

FMCSA’s Motorcoach Safety Initiative: Changing the Paradigm of Motorcoach Safety

By Loretta Bitner, Chief, Commercial Passenger Carrier Safety Division, FMCSA

As a data-driven organization, the Federal Motor Carrier SafetyAdministration (FMCSA) relies on strong partnerships with itsstakeholders to achieve its safety mission of reducing the number ofcrashes, injuries, and fatalities involving large trucks and buses. Timely, accurate, and accessible data reported by state troopers, localpolice officers, roadside inspectors, and safety investigators are critical to the success of the Agency’s safety programs and the development ofits regulations. FMCSA uses data collected from motor carriers, federaland state agencies, and other sources to monitor motor carriercompliance with federal regulations. These data are also necessary toevaluate the safety performance of motor carriers, drivers, and vehiclefleets, and to help federal safety investigators focus their enforcementresources by identifying high-risk carriers and drivers.

Historically, data deficiencies (related to accuracy, timeliness, andcompleteness of information) have posed problems for FMCSA. In 1999, Congress addressed this by passing the Motor Carrier SafetyImprovement Act (MCSIA), which—among other things—created theCommercial Vehicle Analysis Reporting System, or CVARS. ThroughCVARS, FMCSA initiated several efforts to improve the collection andanalysis of truck and bus crash data. Between 2002 and 2005, more than$21 million in discretionary grants and cooperative agreements wereprovided to the States under the CVARS program.

In August 2005, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient TransportationEquity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) was signed into law. Under SAFETEA-LU, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation was authorizedto make grants to any agency or instrumentality of a state or territory of the United States, exclusive of local governments, through the SafetyData Improvement Program (SaDIP) for projects and activities aimed at improving the accuracy, timeliness, and completeness of commercialmotor vehicle (CMV) safety data. In 2012, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP–21) authorized continuation ofthis program.

State Safety Data Improvement ProgramIn FY 2006, SAFETEA-LU authorized $2 million in SaDIP grants, and from FY 2007 through FY 2013, SAFETEA-LU authorized an additional $3 millionin SaDIP grants each year. The program has been so popular that requestsfor SaDIP grants have exceeded the available funds each year from FY 2008through FY 2013. Since the inception of the program, FMCSA has awarded97 SaDIP grants to 36 states, totaling nearly $23 million. Table 1 on the nextpage shows the history of SaDIP awards to states.

States have used grant funds to initiate the following primary activities:

• Reducing the backlog of data not yet entered into state-level databasesby hiring contractors and state personnel to create more complete statecrash data files.

• Improving the state’s timely reporting of inspections data byincorporating the use of mobile data units to reduce or eliminate thenumber of paper inspection report forms requiring hand-entry of data.

• Developing and implementing electronic data systems for collecting andprocessing crash data in a more timely, accurate and consistent manner.

• Providing training and educating law enforcement officers and statetraffic records personnel on the definitions and criteria for CMV crashesand how to create more accurate and consistent data.

• Analyzing existing data and state crash data collection forms to identifyinsufficiencies or inaccuracies and develop plans for addressing them.

In addition to meeting the eligibility requirements established by SAFETEA-LU, successful SaDIP grant applicants must also address their performanceagainst the State Safety Data Quality (SSDQ) performance measures in theirgrant proposals. The SSDQ measures were developed by FMCSA to evaluatethe completeness, timeliness, accuracy, and consistency of the state-reported commercial motor vehicle crash and inspection records in theMotor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS).

The SSDQ evaluation uses a 12-month time period that ends three monthsprior to the MCMIS snapshot for each measure, unless otherwise stated inthe rating description. Crash and inspection records were used in thisevaluation if the date of the event occurred within the 12-month timeperiod, not when the records were uploaded to MCMIS.

The quality of this data is evaluated with each monthly snapshot and thestates receive ratings of "Good," "Fair" or "Poor" for nine SSDQ Measures.Based on these individual ratings, plus an Overriding Indicator, each statereceives an Overall State Rating. Data quality grant awards for activitiessupported by SaDIP, and formerly CVARS, have resulted in significantlyimproved data reported by the states to FMCSA. As of September 27, 2013,45 states had an Overall State Rating of “Good.”

The goals and priorities for the FY2014 SaDIP funding opportunity will be announced in a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) in the FederalRegister within the coming months. The NOFA will also provide basicinformation about how to apply. Additional information about prior yearSaDIP funding is available in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance(CFDA), under program number 20.234.

For more information about the State Safety Data Quality Program, please visit the Data Quality Module of the Analysis and Information Online website at: http://ai.fmcsa.dot.gov/DataQuality/dataquality.asp.FMCSA’s primary contact for technical aspects of the Safety DataImprovement Program is Scott Valentine. He can be reached [email protected] or 202-366-4869. �


GUARDIAN14

FMCSA Data Quality Grants Improve State Data Reporting

By Scott Valentine, FMCSA Analysis Division, Data Quality Program Manager

� States that Received SADIP Funding 2006-2013


15FOURTH QUARTER 2013

Table 1. SaDIP Funding Distribution FY 2006–13

State FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013

Alabama $300,000.00 $240,000.00 $500,000.00 $350,000.00 $443,001.00 $375,687.00

Alaska $160,384.00 $335,479.20 $94,416.00 $120,049.00 $127,758.00 $165,764.00

Arizona $112,800.00 $129,350.00

California $400,000.00

Connecticut $25,600.00 $45,600.00 $280,345.00 $258,343.00

District ofColumbia

$209,337.60 $334,294.00

Florida $440,000.00 $353,250.00 $338,373.00

Georgia $200,000.00 $54,136.00

Iowa $300,000.00 $350,000.00

Idaho $26,400.00 $300,000.00

Indiana $408,740.00 $316,000.00 $99,902.33 $111,281.00

Kansas $415,957.00 $640,000.00 $420,000.00 $240,288.16

Kentucky $256,000.00

Louisiana $188,482.91 $270,746.40 $298,305.00 $309,994.00

Maine $243,656.64 $101,408.00 $205,708.67 $193,619.00 $182,587.00 $183,126.00

Maryland $154,400.00 $288,000.00 $318,642.00

Massachusetts $201, 578.00 $299,664.00 $215,981.64 $90,447.00 $380,252.00

Michigan $230,810.00 $350,000.00 $290,000.00

Mississippi $249,994.00 $379,110.00

Missouri $68,250.00

Nebraska $299,923.20

Nevada $8,640.00

NewHampshire

$125,790.54

New Jersey $116,120.00 $104,244.00 $204,739.00 $204,739.00

New Mexico $180,000.00 $82,755.00 $102,640.00

North Carolina $425,153.00[1] $291,520.00 $450,120.40 $72,175.00 $697,920.00 $187,232.00

North Dakota $35,000.00

Oklahoma $80,726.09 $350,000.00

Pennsylvania $147,869.00

Rhode Island $44,000.00 $72,000.00 $54,944.00

Tennessee $28,016.00 $311,800.00

Texas $277,400.00

Utah $336,164.00

Virginia $300,000.00[2] $350,000.00 $456,000.00 $250,000.00

Washington $300,170.00

Wisconsin $350,000.00

Total $1,977,097.78 $3,000,000.00 $3,300,000.00 $3,000,000.00 $3,000,000.00 $3,000,000.00 $3,000,000.00 $2,994,000.00


GUARDIAN16

According to FMCSA’s most recent program effectiveness measurementreport, 297 people made it home to their families in fiscal year 2009,instead of dying in a CMV-involved crash, thanks to traffic enforcementinterventions conducted by state and local enforcement personnel.

FMCSA’s mission is saving lives. To do that, we will continue to encouragestates to consider their overall crash problems, including the crashcausation factors that led to those crashes. We are confident that trafficenforcement activities will remain a core element of the overallenforcement approach for state partners. FMCSA will also continue toencourage non-inspection traffic enforcement on CMVs by non-MCSAP-participating local agencies.

The data tell us that, between 2008 and 2011, inspections with trafficenforcement violations recorded on the report declined by almost 25percent. A variety of factors led to this: reductions in state resources due toeconomic factors, a decline in vehicle miles traveled, and, probably mostimportantly, an increased emphasis by FMCSA and our state partners ontraffic enforcement activities without the requirement that they beaccompanied by an inspection.

At the same time, our current system does not collect traffic enforcementactivities when they are not associated with an inspection uploaded toFMCSA. To improve FMCSA’s ability to more accurately assess the level oftraffic enforcement activities not associated with inspections and to bettermeasure the benefits provided by these grant-funded activities, FMCSA isasking states to begin reporting the following data elements in theirquarterly reports for grants that include non-inspection traffic enforcementactivities funded through MCSAP Basic, High Priority and BorderEnforcement grants:

• CMV Non-Inspection Traffic Enforcement Contacts

• CMV Non-Inspection Traffic Enforcement Citations

• Non-CMV Traffic Enforcement Contacts for violations impacting CMV Safety

• Non-CMV Traffic Enforcement Citations for violations impacting CMV Safety

Providing this information via a grant quarterly report is only a temporarysolution. As part of this initiative, FMCSA will also be working with thestates to determine the most efficient method of collecting this data in thelong term. Specifically, we will be looking at state capabilities toelectronically collect officer activity through a computer aided dispatchsystem, collect data for local agencies, collect the number of convictionsfrom either the state’s court records or the State Driver Licensing Agency,and determine how states keep track of this activity for the purpose ofgrant reimbursement.

FMCSA will ask states to begin capturing the four data elements for grant-funded activities in the first half of FY 2014. Based on the data collected andthe results of our capabilities evaluation, FMCSA may make minoradjustments to the data collection request in the second half of FY 2014.After that, FMCSA will consider long-term standards of reporting andcoordinate with states on the best approach before releasing officialguidance. Any final guidance will include adequate time to accommodatechanges to data systems, especially those funded by grants.

Increasing traffic enforcement activities, and accurately measuring thoseactivities and the associated outcomes, is critical to adding to the lives eachyear currently being saved by these efforts. For more information, pleasecontact Brandon Poarch, Chief, FMCSA State Programs Division [email protected] or 202-366-3030. �

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) undertook theUnified Registration System (URS) rulemaking to improve and integrate theAgency’s registration process for all for-hire motor carriers (both exemptand non-exempt), brokers, freight forwarders, Intermodal EquipmentProviders (IEPs), Hazardous Materials Safety Permit (HMSPs) applicants and cargo tank (CT) manufacturing, testing, and repair facilities. The URSstreamlines and simplifies the registration process and serves as aclearinghouse and repository of information on these entities. Additionally,URS reduces the amount of time these entities must spend filling outpaperwork as part of the FMCSA registration process and enables theAgency to maintain more accurate information on the entities subject to its regulations. The URS final rule was published on August 23, 2013 (78 FR 52607).

There are two effective dates for particular provisions of this rule. OnNovember 1, 2013, two changes took effect. First, the new enforcementprovisions for failing to file biennial updates according to the schedule in 49 CFR 390.19(b)(2) took effect. As a result, starting on November 1, 2013,entities now subject to the biennial update requirement (i.e., motorcarriers, IEPs and HMSPs) were notified of when their biennial update isdue. (Brokers, freight forwarders and CT facilities do not need to meet thebiennial requirement until October 23, 2015). Failure to complete biennialupdates and submit them to FMCSA will result in the deactivation of theentities’ USDOT number and civil penalties of up to $1,000 per day with amaximum penalty of $10,000 [See 49 CFR 390.19(b)(4)].

Also effective November 1, 2013, a commercial motor vehicle (CMV)providing transportation in interstate commerce must not be operatedwithout: 1) USDOT Registration; and 2) an active USDOT Number. Motorcarriers operating a CMV without USDOT Registration and an active DOTnumber will be subject to civil penalties of up to $11,000 [See 49 CFR392.9b] beginning January 1, 2014.

On October 23, 2015, other provisions of the URS rule will take effect. As ofthat date, the Agency will require all FMCSA-regulated entities registeringor providing information to the Agency to do so through the URS electroniconline registration process.

The Agency has posted information and Frequently Asked Questions foryour use and convenience at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration-licensing/urs-Faqs.aspx. �

The National Training Center (NTC) has developed training in ElectronicMonitoring & Mapping Technology (EMMT) focused on roadside andinvestigator practices. EMMT devices help motor carriers compile recordsof duty status, track vehicle locations, gauge vehicle performance andmore. FMCSA can also use these devices during its inspections andinvestigations. NTC trained and certified 23 FMCSA investigators inEMMT in November. These 23 trainees will then train staff at all fourService Centers. NTC will also train FMCSA state partners in EMMT, whowill likewise train their respective states. Eventually, the new EMMTtraining will be incorporated into the North American Standard (NAS)—Part A course and the Investigative Safety Analysis (ISA) course. �

NTC Announces EMMT Training

Implementation of the UnifiedRegistration System: What You Need to Know

FMCSA Improving the Collection ofTraffic Enforcement Data



Outlook for 2014—Preparing forthe Next Transportation BillAs the 2013 legislative year wraps up in the U.S.,we begin to look ahead to 2014. The currenttransportation bill, the Moving Ahead forProgress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21),expires on September 30, 2014, which meansthat lawmakers have just over nine months todevelop and pass new legislation. However, as isbecoming the trend on Capitol Hill, it is unlikelythat Congress will meet that deadline. Instead,one or more extensions pushing current policyinto 2015 is expected.

There are a number of issues standing in theway of a completed reauthorization this year.First, and most pressing, is the ongoing debateover federal spending levels. In early January,Congress will once again consider the matter of funding the federal government. The budgetdeal that was agreed to following theshutdown in October included a three-monthcontinuing resolution (CR) that expires January15, 2014. To avoid another shutdown, Congresswill have to reach an agreement on fundinglevels for the remainder of FY2014, or at least aportion of it. Once Congress has reached a dealon spending levels, they must turn immediatelyto the issue of the debt ceiling by the currentdeadline of February 7, 2014. Once these twoissues are resolved, which will be no small task,Congress then will have to begin working onappropriations bills for FY2015, which aretechnically supposed to be completed by theend of the fiscal year. This all adds up to a verybusy beginning of 2014 for Congress. Inaddition, there is the fatigue factor forMembers of Congress. MAP-21 was completedonly last year, and some on Capitol Hill will notbe interested in dealing with highwaylegislation again so soon, regardless of thecoming expiration. This, combined with the fact that it is an election year, will likely resultin little momentum for completing atransportation bill.

While a bill is not likely to be completed, workwill certainly begin in 2014. The congressionalcommittees with jurisdiction overtransportation issues will begin holdinghearings and taking stakeholder input.Committee staff will spend the coming monthsdetermining the scope of the bill anddeveloping the corresponding policy. Membersof Congress will begin filing “marker bills,”

which are used to establish a position on aparticular issue, with the expectation that thebill will be rolled into the final legislation. Infact, several Members have already begunintroducing legislation on issues like drugtesting for CMV drivers, motorcoach safety, and truck size and weight restrictions. None ofthese bills are expected to pass on their own,but rather will contribute to the discussions inthe coming months, providing concepts andproposals for Members to react to and, in somecases, amend.

One major determination that will be madebefore Congress can move forward is the overall direction of the bill. Will it be a large,transformative bill that makes sweeping changesor will it be a scaled back bill that makes minorchanges to the existing structure? The end resultwill likely fall somewhere in between.

Another major consideration is funding. The Highway Trust Fund is headed, once again,for insolvency in 2015 and a large portion ofthe transportation discussion will center onhow to pay for the system. Given that MAP-21was passed just last year and the challengesthat will be associated with the funding debate,it’s possible that Congress will opt for a smallbill, with only a handful of policy changes,focusing their energy on the funding piece andallowing the changes made by MAP-21 to fullytake effect.

Regardless of how Congress decides toproceed, as noted in the cover story by AlanMartin, CVSA is ready for the comingdiscussion and will actively engage withCongress as considerations for thetransportation bill get underway. The Alliance,partnering with likeminded organizations, willwork to ensure that Members of Congress fullyunderstand the value and purpose of the MotorCarrier Safety Assistance Program and theimpact a robust, effective enforcementprogram has on commercial vehicle safety.

In addition to educating Members of Congresson the improvements outlined in the Alliance’sreauthorization policy, CVSA will be asked toengage in the discussions that will undoubtedlytake place on hours of service, electroniclogging devices and the CSA program.

2014 Regulatory AgendaWhile Congress begins consideration of thenext transportation bill, FMCSA will be busyimplementing the requirements of MAP-21. In the bill, Congress tasked FMCSA with 29 new rulemakings, all due within two years, as well as 15 reports. This is in addition to thework already underway at the agency.

According to DOT’s November Report onSignificant Rulemakings, a number of major rulesare slated for publication in the coming months.Most notable, perhaps, is the agency’s SafetyFitness Determination rule, which is schedule to be published for public comment in May ofnext year. The agency’s Final Rule on ElectronicLogging Devices, required by MAP-21, isscheduled to be published in December. FMCSA plans to propose enhancements to theUnified Registration System called for in MAP-21in August of 2014. Another MAP-21 requirementthat has not yet been initiated is the minimumtraining requirements for CMV drivers.

Among the studies required by the legislation,FMCSA is working on a report on the new“Covered Farm Vehicle” exemption included in bill, due to Congress by April of 2014. In addition, DOT is working to complete theComprehensive Truck Size and Weight Study by the November 2014 deadline. �

THE LEGISLATIVE & REGULATORY RUNDOWN By Adrienne Gildea, CVSA, Director, Policy & Government Affairs

GUARDIAN18

INSPECTOR’S CORNER

The Journey to Becoming a NAIC Grand ChampionBy Derek Canard, a CVSA-certified North American Standard inspector from Arkansas

Words cannot describe the honor andprivilege it has been to participate overthe years at NAIC. Being recognized as

the 2013 Grand Champion has been a long,emotional journey. I cannot begin to reflect onmy success from this year withoutacknowledging the disappointments from yearspast. I have tremendous pride in participating atNAIC by virtue of winning my department’s statecompetition; however, I was honestlyembarrassed when it was announcing duringcontestant introductions how many times I hadbeen to NAIC. Salt Lake City was the home of myfifth attempt to reach the pinnacle of my career.

I reminisced about each of the years I competedwhile staring out the window on my flight toUtah. No matter what year I tried to concentrateon, NAIC 2011 in Orlando weighed heavy on mymind. Coming off a High Points U.S. win in 2010, I promised everyone that, win or lose, I wouldgracefully pass the torch and become a mentorfor our state representatives in the future…I lied.Finishing runner up two years in a row wasn’tenough to bestow me with the grace needed towalk away.

The following year was difficult for me becausemy department elected to adopt a policylimiting the number of consecutive statechampionships to three. I was currently at fourand despite my pleas to be “grandfathered” in,I was sidelined. Each year I competed, Iapproached it as my opportunity to redeemmyself. Not having the opportunity to do so thefollowing year was hard, but it proved to bemore beneficial than I ever imagined.

I took the time off as an opportunity to evaluatemy abilities as an inspector, building on mystrengths while identifying my deficiencies. Icame into NAIC 2013 with different mindset,more determined as ever, and as the sayinggoes...the rest is history.

Just as I did on the flight to Salt Lake City, I usedthe time returning home to reminisce about mytime at NAIC. For the first time, I didn’t come

home pouting. I didn’t come home wondering ifthat one violation I find every day, but missedunder pressure, would have mattered. Mostimportantly, I didn’t come home thinking aboutwhat I needed to do next year to be better. Icame home this year thinking something morebittersweet, “its over.”

Over are the times I’ve spent networking withcontestants that would later go on to become my friends. Over are the times spent telling warstories and sharing a laugh with someone wholives 1,000 miles away. Over are the trainingsessions that have exposed my weaknesses andhelped me become a better inspector. Over arethe handshakes shared with drivers and industrypersonnel expressing our undying gratitude forone another. Over are the times that have mademe strive to be the best.

Looking out over the Utah mountains, I cameto a realization. My affection for NAIC wasn’tbecause of its recognition and competitivenature, it’s because of the experience. Nowhereelse have I been given a platform to meetpeople from all over North America that sharethe same niche profession as me. Nowhere elsehave I attended the caliber of in-depth training.Nowhere else outside of my own departmenthave I been made to feel appreciated. Nowhereelse but at NAIC. Trophies and titles arejust acknowledgements; the true award is the experience.

I cannot close without acknowledging thespecial people who have made this yearpossible. Thank you to my wife, Beth. I am sothankful to have her in my life. I know I havemade her life miserable throughout this journeyand she, too, has made many sacrifices alongthe way. Without her support, I would havebeen lost and I would be nothing. I can neverexpress how grateful I truly am and I promise totake her on a real vacation after next year.

Thank you to the Arkansas Highway Police. I amgrateful to work for a department that is such ahuge supporter of CVSA and NAIC. I thank you

Chief Burks and Major Claunch for recognizingthe importance of the program.

Thank you to my mentor and friend, BuckieThomas. I owe all my success to him. Buckie wasour department’s first contestant to make the top10 at NAIC and then gracefully passed the torch. I truly feel that I am an extension of him and hisabilities. He has pushed me further than I everthought I could go and, as head of our statecompletion, challenged me in ways only rivaledby Kerri. He is the true champion and deservesall the recognition. If I can be half the man UncleBuck is, I’ll consider myself successful. I amforever grateful.

Thank you to CVSA and its entire staff. I haveseen how much time and dedication is put intothe program and those involved can never bethanked enough for all their work. I speak forevery contestant when I say that we are blessedto have an organization that recognizes us forthe work we do at a sometimes unappreciatedjob. There is a little part of me dreading NAIC2014 because I know I’ve only seen a quarter ofwhat goes into it.

I’d like to say a special thank you Sharon Keane,wife of NY Trp. William Keane. Thank you forsharing your husband’s life with us. I first metBilly at NAIC in 2008. We were on a teamtogether and he babysat a young kid away fromhome that week. My time in Houston with Billyhas always stuck with me. A day or so beforeBilly’s passing, he asked Sharon get me a bag ofsweet tarts because I told him I had been cravingsome. The remaining sweet tart is now proudlydisplayed on the Grand Champion trophy as aconstant reminder of a lost friend. Sharon, mythoughts and prayers are with you and yourfamily daily.

Most importantly, thank you God. Thank you forthe blessings I’ve received though my years atNAIC and thank you for looking over my kidswhile their daddy was chasing a dream. �

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

“Trophies and titles are just acknowledgements; the true award is the experience”


C V S A COMM I T T E E & P R O GR A M N E W S

Brake Safety Week Inspection Results Show LowestBrake System Out-of-Service Rate Yet

During CVSA’s two annual international brake-focused enforcement events held in 2013—including the unannounced Brake Check day inMay and the seven-day Brake Safety Week,September 8-14, 2013—federal, state, provincial,and local commercial vehicle safety inspectorsfound the lowest percentage of vehicles withbrake violations sufficient to warrant out-of-service orders in over 15 years.

This year, participating agencies inspected20,067 vehicles throughout Brake Safety Weekand placed 2,714 commercial vehicles out-of-service for brake violations. Of the vehiclesinspected, the Out-of-Service (OOS) rate for allbrake-related violations conducted in NorthAmerica was 13.5%, compared with 15.3% for thesame week in 2012. This rate for brake violationsties with May 2013 and September 2010 for thelowest OOS rates recorded since similar eventsbegan in 1998. The OOS rate for brakeadjustment rose slightly to 9.0%, still near arecord low, and the OOS rate for brakecomponents was 7.1%, the lowest it has beensince 2000.

The OOS rates for inspections in Canada werelower than in the U.S., which is historicallyconsistent. The OOS rate for brake adjustmentwas 9.2% in the U.S. and 6.2% in Canada. TheOOS rate for brake components was 7.2% in theU.S. and 5.4% in Canada. The OOS rate for brakeswas 13.6% in the U.S. and 11.6% in Canada.

Brake Safety Week Results at a Glance: • 20,067 vehicles were inspected. In 2012,

21,255 were inspected.

• 1,811 or 9% of vehicles were placed OOS for brake adjustment (9.4% in 2012, 8.4% in 2011, 8.9% in 2010).

• 1,434 or 7.1% of vehicles were placed OOS for brake components (7.8% in 2012, 7.9% in 2011, 8% in 2010).

• 2,714 or 13.5% of vehicles were placed OOS for brakes overall (15.3% in 2012, 14.2% in 2011, 13.5% in 2010).

• More than 3.4 million brakes have beeninspected since the program’s inception.

The Operation Airbrake campaign is aninternational effort dedicated to preventingtruck and bus crashes and saving livesthroughout North America. Its importance isunderscored by the fact that brakes were citedas an associated factor in nearly three of 10CMV crashes, according to the most recentLarge Crash Causation study. Learn more atwww.operationairbrake.com.

Webinars for 2014Next year’s line-up will includepractical topics, such as…

• CVSA Reauthorization PolicyRecommendations and 2014Legislative Update

• CVSA Size & WeightCommittee Update: The Landscape for the S&WDebate in 2014

• How CSA Works

• The Level I Inspection Process

• Wireless Roadside Inspections

• CSA Public Display

• CDL Med Card Merger

• 2014 Out-of-Service Criteriaand Level I Updates

• And more!

Get Alerts and Be Proactive!Sign up for priority notification of webinars or suggest a webinartopic by sending an email [email protected]. Out-of-Service Rates for Brake Check and Brake Safety Week

0.0%

2.0%

4.0%

6.0%

8.0%

10.0%

12.0%

14.0%

16.0%

18.0%

20.0%

OOS Brake Adjustment OOS Brake Components OOS Brakes


GUARDIAN20

Colorado Welcomed CMV Safety andEnforcement ProfessionalsWith attendance of 600, enforcement, government and industry were well-represented at CVSA’s 2013 Annual Conference & Exhibition in Denver,September 15-19. Stephen A. Keppler, CVSA Executive Director, said “I amalways impressed and inspired by the commitment these professionals from all across North America have to commercial vehicle safety andworking together to make a difference. Their involvement and contributionsare what the Alliance is all about. We owe a big ‘thank you’ to each andevery attendee for their active participation in furthering our mission.”

CVSA Names New Officers for 2013-2014

CVSA transitioned to its officers for the 2013-2014term during the CVSA Annual Conference &Exhibition in Denver, Colorado. Sgt. ThomasFuller (right) of the New York State Policebecame CVSA President, and Capt. William“Bill” Reese (center) from the Idaho State Policemoved into the CVSA Vice President position.Capt. Jay Thompson (left) of the ArkansasHighway Police was elected by the membershipto be the new CVSA Secretary.

Thomas Fuller previously served as the CVSA VicePresident for 2012-2013. He has been with theNew York State Police for 26 years. In 1998, hebecame a MCSAP Inspector with the CommercialVehicle Enforcement Unit (CVEU), and since2003, he has been the program administrator ofthe Hazmat, Radiological and TechnologyProgram. Sgt. Fuller also is an associate staffinstructor for the FMCSA National TrainingCenter, a Radiological Interdiction instructor forU.S. Department of Homeland Security, and oneof nine national Level VI instructors. Fuller alsoserved as chair of CVSA’s COHMED program.

“I am honored to represent CVSA as thepresident. I will work diligently with our partnersto promote the Alliance’s mission of improvingcommercial vehicle safety and security, says Sgt.

Fuller. “To that end, my focus for the next yearwill be on four points: data quality anduniformity, enhanced communication withstakeholders, strengthening partnerships anddeveloping leaders,” he explains.

William Reese previously served as CVSASecretary-Treasurer for 2012-2013. He has beenwith the Idaho State Police since 1986. Afterserving as the CVS sergeant and lieutenant, hewas promoted to CVS captain in 2010. As divisioncommander, Captain Reese is responsible forIdaho’s commercial vehicle safety and hazardousmaterials inspection and response programs.From 1995-2003, he also served as an associatestaff member of the FMCSA National TrainingCenter. He previously also served as chair of theCVSA’s COHMED program.

Jay Thompson, CVSA’s newly elected Secretary,has been a law enforcement officer in Arkansasfor 23 years. His first CVSA experience was in2003, when he competed in the North AmericanInspectors Competition (NAIC) and was awardedthe John Youngblood Award of Excellence inColumbus, Ohio. He has also served as Region IIPresident for COHMED, CVSA Region II Presidentand CVSA Size & Weight Committee chair. �

ANNUAL CONFERENCE ROUND-UP

Chief Scott Hernandez of the Colorado State Patrolwelcomed CVSA to Denver.

For the first time, the General Session included aFederal Roundtable with Anne S. Ferro, FMCSAAdministrator; Darren E. Christle, Executive Director,CCMTA CRA Chair; and Federico Dominguez Zuloago,Federal Motor Carrier Administrator, SCT

The exhibition provided the perfect opportunity forattendees to see and compare solutions.

Sharing information and ideas is a vital part of theCVSA mission and that’s precisely why in-personmeetings like this are so important.


21

Savage Presents CVSA President’s AwardsMajor Mark Savage of the Colorado State Patrol, who served as CVSA president untilSeptember 17, 2013, presented four President’s Awards during the Denver conference for“going above and beyond.”

Regions Elect New PresidentsFour of CVSA’s five regions elected presidents who willserve on the CVSA Executive Committee:

John Conley has beenCVSA’s “go-to” personfor many years oncargo-tank relatedissues, including NAICand COHMED. He isthe Past President ofNational Tank Truck

Carriers, the trade association thatrepresents more than 200 highwaytransporters of commodities in bulk, as well as nearly 300 suppliers to thatindustry. He joined NTTC in 1989 afterserving as editor of Modern BulkTransporter magazine for 12 years. He is a past member of the Board of the Dangerous Goods Advisory Council, on the Transportation Research Board’sCommittee on the Transportation ofHazardous Materials, and on the CVSAHazardous Materials Committee. He alsoserves on the TRANSCAER NationalSteering Committee. He is retiring fromNTTC at the end of 2013.

Major Ron Cordovaretired earlier this yearfrom the New MexicoDepartment of PublicSafety after serving inlaw enforcement forover 21 years. Heserved in many

capacities with CVSA: president, NAIC co-chair, ITS committee chair and more. Ronplayed a critical role as CVSA took over theNAIC Program in 1999 and representedCVSA on a trip to Mexico to talk withCANACAR. He spearheaded the statewideSmart Roadside Program that was the firstof its kind and a model for otherjurisdictions. New Mexico was recognizedby ITS America and GHSA for utilizingtechnology to reduce CMV vehicle crashes.He was an integral leader in directingofficers and transportation inspectors inreducing the CMV crash rate in the state.

Sgt. William “Don”Rhodes retired inJune from the SouthCarolina StateTransport Police. He was an activemember of CVSAbeginning in 1992

and started participating in NAIC in 1993.He served CVSA in many capacities,including as Region II president, TrainingCommittee member and, most recently, as Program Initiatives Committee chair.He also helped with the development ofMCSAP Program Manager’s Course and wasan instructor of the CVSA North AmericanStandard Inspection Familiarization Course.Don was critical to the success of the initialroadside data uniformity ad hoc. He workedcollaboratively with FMCSA to improvegrant applications and supportingprocesses. His collaboration with the SouthCarolina Trucking Association for 21 years toprovide programs, guidance andenforcement to promote highway safetywithin the state was one of his manyaccomplishments.

Paul Tamburelli beganhis impressive careerin commercial motorvehicle safety, securityand risk managementmore than threedecades ago. In hiscurrent position of vice

president of government relations withCheckMark Safety Services, he works withthe Alliance, as well as federal and stateagencies and industry trade associations,for the advancement of commercial motorvehicle safety and security in NorthAmerica. He has been a long-timesupporter of CVSA in many importantcapacities, but it is his commitment to theNorth American Inspectors Championship(NAIC) that goes well beyond the call ofduty. Paul first got involved with the NorthAmerican Inspectors Championship in 1993.Since then, Paul has served as the NAICevent chair for many years and has workedtirelessly and selflessly to make it happenyear after year. �

Region I Cpl. Rick Koontz hasbeen with the Pennsylvania StatePolice for 24 Years and is currently theSupervisor of the Commercial VehicleSafety Division. He has been workingin Commercial Vehicle Enforcement forthe past 21 years.

Region II Lt. Col. TroyThompson, Florida Highway Patrol,began his career with the FloridaDepartment of Transportation’sOffice of Motor Carrier Compliancein 1993. In September 2013, Troy waspromoted to the rank of lieutenantcolonel to supervise the Florida

Highway Patrol’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcementsection. He has served in many roles as a hazardousmaterials specialist, field trainer, first-line supervisor andcommander. In 2011, Troy was named to the FloridaTrucking Association’s Hall of Fame for his outreachefforts with the industry.

Region III Maj. Lance Evans isthe special operations commander for the Iowa Department ofTransportation Office of MotorVehicle Enforcement, where hemanages the Data Q process,Hazardous Materials unit, SafetyAudit unit, internal training, field

training program, firearms program and evidenceprogram, and serves as office liaison for the GovernorsTraffic Safety Bureau. He has been with DOT Enforcementfor 19 years, served as the chair of the CVSA HazardousMaterials Committee, and is the Governor appointee tothe Council of States Governments MidwesternRadioactive Materials Transportation Committee.

Region V Pierre Pratte,Coordonnateur CVSA for ContrôleRoutier Québec, has been anenforcement officer for CMV sinceJanuary 1992. He has been a CVSANorth American Standards Part A and Binstructor since 1999, a member of theCanadian EQAT since 2001 (chair from

2009-2011), a motorcoach instructor since 2003, Québec’sCVSA coordinator since 2006, and Chair of the NorthAmerican Public cargo securement forum for two years.

For Region IV, Capt. Chris Mayrant of the New MexicoDepartment of Public Safety, who served as the region’sPresident for 2012-2013, will hold the position the 2013-2014 term. See page 38 for a complete listing ofExecutive Committee members or visit cvsa.org. �

FOURTH QUARTER 2013

Puerto Rico Public Service Commission LaunchesAdvertising Campaign

Region IConnecticut, Delaware, District ofColumbia, Maine, Maryland,Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania,Puerto Rico, 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 Mariana Islands, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

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

Region VAlberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, NewBrunswick, Newfoundland andLabrador, Nova Scotia, NorthwestTerritories, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan and Yukon.

REGION I

Puerto Rico’s campaign includes billboards featuring key safety and compliance messages.

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

GUARDIAN22

REGIONAL MAP

With the slogan "Queremos Seguridad por vanes, ayúdanos a tener unas carreteras más seguras" thePublic Service Commission and the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program launched an advertisingcampaign to guide and encourage all carriers to ensure the safety on the island’s roadways.

The advertising campaign, which will be disseminated through print, billboards, and radio ads,emphasizes the importance of complying with the laws and regulations that the Public ServiceCommission regulate. Specifically, it refers to using a seat belt, having an up-to-date medicalcertificate and the Public Service Commission license, taking the proper actions before departing and performing a general inspection to anticipate any situation that could put in risk the life of thedriver or any other who is in transit.

During the launching of the campaign, the Public Service Commission Inspectors conducted anoperation where material and information relating to the advertising campaign was distributed. The president of the Public Service Commission, Omar Negrón said, "over the past few months wehave focused our efforts in orienting our dealers about the importance of fully complying with lawsand safety regulations. Today, through this initiative, we continue to disseminate our message toensure the safety of all who transit on roads and highways.”

The Public Service Commission will remain active guiding all carriers and guaranteeing that they fullycomply with the specific regulations on this type of load. "It is our duty and obligation to ensure thataccidents as a consequence of the mishandling and breach of these policies are reduced," noted thedirector of MCSAP, Jose Miranda. �

The end of summer was signaled by schoolbuses on the road and students returning toacademia all across the country. Unfortunately,many motorists, including drivers ofcommercial motor vehicles, can becomeaccustomed to summer break and forget bestsafety practices when driving around schoolbuses and young pedestrians traveling toschool. When school began on August 19, 2013,in southeast Florida, the Florida HighwayPatrol’s Office of Commercial VehicleEnforcement (OCVE) recognized the child safetyhazards that occur while motorists become re-accustomed to additional motor vehicle andpedestrian traffic during the first week of schooland responded by assigning over 30 OCVEtroopers to intensified traffic enforcement alonghighways where high volumes of commercial

motor vehicle traffic operate through schoolzones. One corridor, US 27, identified in BrowardCounty, has a school zone where traffic mustadjust to speed limit reductions from 65 milesper hour to 15 miles per hour inside of a smallstretch of roadway. While the primary intent ofthis enforcement detail was to promote safetyfor children within school zones by educatingmotorists of the deadly consequences of poordriving behavior, several inspections andcitations were issued throughout the week toviolators. We cannot measure whether a life ormultiple lives were saved by this effort, but theOCVE considers this enforcement detail asuccess based on the result that no school zonecrashes were recorded and no children wereinjured in the school zones that OCVE identifiedfor this enforcement detail. �

School Opening Marked Enforcement Effort in Florida

REGION II



During the week of September 23-27, 2013, the Florida Highway Patrol’sOffice of Commercial Vehicle Enforcement (OCVE) conducted a TicketingAggressive Cars and Trucks (TACT) enforcement campaign. During thisweek-long enforcement wave, the OCVE dedicated 2,650 hours ofenforcement, resulting in 2,331 enforcement actions. In an effort to reducecrash rates as part of the TACT enforcement wave, the OCVE identifiedseveral corridors with high crash rates involving commercial motor vehiclesfor intensive enforcement. A stretch of I-75 between Naples and FortLauderdale, commonly known as Alligator Alley, was specifically identifiedas a corridor with high rates of deadly crashes due to a combination of driver behavior and rural remoteness for emergency response. On September 26 and 27, the OCVE dedicated 182 enforcement hours in a two-day multi-district enforcement detail using radars, lasers and fixedwing aircraft to focus on aggressive driving, fatigue and distracted driverbehaviors. This TACT initiated enforcement effort resulted in over 200enforcement actions, predominantly for unlawful speed, on commercialand non-commercial motor vehicles. �

Florida Conducts TACT Enforcement

REGION II

Florida Highway Patrol conducts a traffic stop on Alligator Alley.

MN State Patrol and New Ally Avert Unsafe Food from Consumers’ Table

REGION III

By Jordan Langer, State Patrol Office and Administrative Specialist, Minnesota State Patrol

For the past year, many Minnesota State Patrol (MSP) troopers andcommercial vehicle inspectors in the Minnesota State Patrol CommercialVehicle Section have added new tasks to their routine when inspectingthe cargo area of a truck hauling food or beverages: taking temperaturereadings of the food, checking for cross-contamination issues andinsanitary conditions, and contacting MDA if food violations or blatantdisregard for food safety is present.

The new role troopers and commercial vehicle inspectors have is part of a new partnership between MDA and the MSP’s Commercial VehicleSection. The alliance exploits the Commercial Vehicle Section’s exposureto trucks transporting food to assist MDA in their mission to eliminatetainted food from reaching consumers.

The inception of the partnership started last fall when Trooper BobHauge became aware of the then novel work Indiana State Police, incollaboration with local health agencies, were doing to crack down ontrucks hauling unsafe food. Motivated by the national media coverageand realizing food carriers in Minnesota could be committing similaroffenses without recourse, Sgt. Hauge purchased his own infraredthermometer and began checking food temperatures during his normalcargo inspections.

Within the first week of using the thermometer, Hauge said he stoppedsomeone hauling milk at 62 degrees and another person hauling bags ofsprouts at 58 degrees. In both cases, MDA was called to the scene toinvestigate and the food was subsequently embargoed and destroyed.And, in both situations, Sgt. Hauge exchanged business cards with theresponding MDA inspector, in hopes of forming a working partnership.

Within the ensuing months, after several meetings, phone calls and a“Ride Along‟ with Sgt. Hauge, MDA developed a guidance document thatincludes a decision tree for holding a truck and when to call MDA for

guidance concerning issues with temperature abuse, cross-contaminationissues and insanitary conditions. In addition, MDA provided the State Patrol’sCommercial Vehicle Section with 10 thermometers. Sgt. Hauge said MDAwas paramount in getting a protocol in place and a relationship forged.

Lorna Girard, Food Inspection Supervisor at MDA, said she is excitedabout the partnership and thinks the State Patrol’s Commercial VehicleSection will greatly help MDA’s efforts in eliminating unsafe food fromreaching consumers’ table. “The State Patrol Commercial Vehicle Sectionis a logical partner for MDA,” she said. �

Many MSP troopers and commercial vehicle are now using dual thermometers,which can take an infrared reading, using a 10:1 ratio (distance to surface reading). If the infrared reading is high, such as 65 degrees, MDA recommends taking atemperature reading using the probe. Placing the probe end between two food itemsor boxes and pressing together firmly obtains a more accurate reading of the actualproduct temperature.


GUARDIAN24

The Nebraska State Patrol Carrier EnforcementDivision initiated and developed a Post CrashInspection course in 2008 and recentlycompleted its fourth such course in August2013. Feedback from the attending studentscontinues to affirm the importance and highquality of education received. Inspectors fromColorado, Nebraska, New Jersey, Puerto Rico,South Dakota, Texas and the Washington DCMetro Police Department attended this year’scourse. In past years, personnel from Alaska,Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa,Kansas, South Dakota, and Wyoming haveprovided positive and supportive evaluations ofthe course. Student feedback is not dismissed,but rather used to improve each year’scurriculum. One student said, “I thoroughlyenjoyed the class. I would recommend it to allour motor carrier officers.” Another one said,“the whole class was excellent, the learningenvironment was great, and I cannot thank thestaff enough for all they did for us.”

When a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) isinvolved in a serious crash, multiple entitieswith different interests become involved.Regardless of their particular point of view,they all seek the truth in order to facilitate ajust and fair outcome, which can only beaccomplished with a thorough investigation.The purpose of the Post Crash Inspection (PCI)is to determine any and all contributing factorsfrom the CMV components, CMV driver and,possibly, the CMV carrier.

Due to the additional size and momentum ofCMVs, such crashes can be more devastating,both physically and emotionally, to all partiesinvolved. Evidence and contributing factorsshould be documented professionally,accurately, and completely. To do so,investigators need the proper tools andknowledge base. Being a NAS Level I certifiedinspector gives students the basic foundationneeded to conduct a Level I Inspection. The NSP Post Crash Inspection Course builds on that foundation and gives them the specificexpertise needed for a methodical andthorough forensic examination. The endresults, through either criminal or civilprocesses, are, therefore, based on all, not just some, of the facts.

Data gathered from Post Crash Inspections willnot only result in a more thorough investigationof the crash, the collected data may be used toidentify and focus enforcement actions to reducethe occurrence and severity of CMV crashes.Additionally, the data can be used to identify manufacturing/design defects, or possible carrierpractices that may lead to contributing factors.

The Post Crash Inspection Course was designedto replicate real life scenarios and to exposestudents to as many scenarios as possibleduring the week. This year’s course providedstaged wrecked vehicles including threetractors and semi-trailers, one pickup andtrailer, and one bus. The vehicles werepositioned as they may have been found at the

scene. Some were even tipped over on theirside, thus replicating the challenges studentswill face in actual Post Crash Inspections.Students practice critical thinking skills andlearn how to determine the correct course ofaction in collecting their data, such as how tosupply air pressure to brake chambers whenthe vehicle(s) are not operational and how todetermine if a defect was present before thecrash or caused by it. Students also practicedevidence preservation by learning how toproperly document their actions andobservations.

Students were provided with a book containingall PowerPoint presentations and coursematerials used during the class, which assists in easy notetaking materials, and the resourcesneeded to address questions in the field wellafter the course is completed. The studentbooks also included a DVD containing all coursematerial in PDF format.

The classroom instruction portion of the courseconsisted of the following items:

• Evidence Considerations—Preparesstudents with the correct mindset that acrash is a crime scene, and the CMV is theirevidence. Crime scene procedures,evidence recognition, preservation,documentation and collection were some ofthe highlights of this class.

• Photography—Outlines how a digitalcamera “sees the world,” basic camera

Nebraska State Patrol Completes 2013 Post Crash Inspection Course

REGION III

By Doug Donscheski, MCSAP Manager, Nebraska State Patrol, Carrier Enforcement

Back Row: Jose Miranda, Seth Wimer, Nestor Pla, Bart Teter, Trey Pellizzari, Mike Anderson, John Hibschman, Aaron Schoen, Gerald Schmidt; Front Row: Heriberto Zapata,Jason Carballo, Chris Halm, Dana Moore, Matt Koll, Monty Kindler, Shannon Kenison, Sheryl Harley



Iowa Department of Transportation motorvehicle enforcement (MVE) officers use amyriad of tools to complete their job duties.One of those tools is a laptop computer inevery Iowa DOT MVE patrol vehicle. Whilethese laptops are invaluable to the officers,they can also provide a dangerous distractionwhen the officer is driving.

To reduce the risk of this distraction, the IowaDOT is deploying a new piece of software in itspatrol vehicles called “Arch Angel.” This is acombination of hardware and softwaredesigned to improve safety of both lawenforcement and the motoring public bydisabling the laptop computer in the lawenforcement vehicle when a predeterminedspeed is reached.

MVE Chief Dave Lorenzen stated, “Distracteddriving can contribute to crashes and othertraffic problems, such as sudden stops,departing from your lane, and inconsistentspeeds. As a law enforcement agency, it is ourduty to not only enforce laws related to thoseissues and be part of the solution, not part ofthe problem. The Iowa DOT’s Motor VehicleEnforcement Office is committed to modelingsafe driver behavior by using this technology toensure the officer’s full attention is committedto safely operating the patrol vehicle.”

The Arch Angel software constantly monitorsthe speed of the law enforcement vehicle.When that speed reaches or exceeds 15 mph,the software automatically disables or locks thelaptop computer, key board, mouse and touch screen. While the computer is locked, criticalapplications continue to run ensuring that thephysical location of the officer continues to be

sent to other law enforcement officers sosituational awareness is maintained. The officeris able to use one keystroke to call for help ifnecessary. In addition, the officer can view astatewide map showing the location of theemergency they are responding to and theposition of other law enforcement officers inthe area. Once the vehicle’s speed falls below15 mph, the computer becomes active.

The installation of this equipment is just onemore way the Iowa DOT is working to eliminatedangerous driving behaviors and reach the goalof zero fatalities on Iowa’s highways.

For more information, contact: MVE Chief Dave Lorenzen at 515-237-3215 or [email protected]. �

Iowa DOT Deploying Laptop-Disabling Equipment in Motor Vehicle Enforcement Vehicles

REGION III

operations and nighttime photographytechniques.

• Vehicle Mechanics—Focuses particularlyon brake components and ABS functions.This block of instruction was presented by a representative of Bendix, a manufacturerof brake components which exposed thestudents in the minutia details of brakesystems from the manufacturer’sperspective. It was the block of instructionthat sets the course above and beyond anyother similar class.

• ECM—Includes instructions of preventingdata loss from Engine Control Modules.

• EOBR/AOBRD—Covers how to obtain,handle and interpret electronic log data.

• FMCSA—Outlines the capabilities andresources of the FMCSA and how they canassist the Post Crash inspector.

• Driver Impairment Awareness—CoversDUI and DUID, driver fatigue and sleepapnea, and driver focus and interviewing.

• Special Problems—Outlines how to designand conduct a research project as it relatesto CMVs and Post Crash Inspections

The course teaching philosophy was modeledafter successful forensic programs. Forensicscience depends on the expertise of variousprofessions. The application of any scientific areaof study to legal matters defines forensic science.Because of this definition, whenever possible,each class was instructed by an available expertin the associated topic and instructors used foreach practical scenario were experienced PostCrash Inspectors. This teaching method providedstudents with up-to-date information fromqualified instructors.

In our society, the quest for knowledge oftendepends on funding. People’s time and resourcestend to be measured with dollars and cents.Development of the NSP Post Crash InspectionCourse proved that those who seek the truthknow its value. The course is a testament toindustry and government working cooperatively,devoting their time and resources.

Mark your calendars as the 2014 Post CrashInspection Course is scheduled for September22-26, 2014, in Grand Island, Nebraska at theNebraska Law Enforcement Training Center. The class will be limited to 20 students (twofrom each jurisdiction). If you are interested in attending, please send email [email protected]. �

“The Iowa DOT’s MotorVehicle EnforcementOffice is committed tomodeling safe driverbehavior by using thistechnology to ensurethe officer’s fullattention is committedto safely operating thepatrol vehicle.”


GUARDIAN26

Another fall conference brought us a change inleadership within Region III. I am now theRegion President and Msgt. Todd Armstrongwas elected to fill the role of Vice President.The Region would like to thank Alan Martin(Ohio) for his service to the Region over thepast four years.

The Denver Conference saw a large turnout fromRegion III, in fact, the biggest turnout in recentmemory. Many issues were discussed that affectthe majority of the Region, namely CDL issueswhen pulling Anhydrous Ammonia nurse tanks,farm exemptions and hours-of-service issueswhen dealing with livestock haulers.

Region III is well represented when it comes tocommittees and programs within CVSA:

Josh Downing (Colorado)• Level VI Chair

Todd Armstrong (Illinois)• HM Vice Chair • Level VI Vice Chair

Chris Barr (Indiana)• Driver-Traffic Enforcement Vice Chair

Brad Wagner (Nebraska)• HM Vice Chair • COHMED Chair

Dianne Reuter (Minnesota)• Info Systems Vice Chair

Alan Martin (Ohio)• Program Initiatives Chair

Chris Turner (Kansas)• Program Initiatives Vice Chair

Butch Orbovich (Ohio)• Training Vice Chair

Rocco Domenico (Colorado)• Training Chair

Brian Ausloss (Wisconsin)• Vehicle Vice Chair

Lance Evans (Iowa)• HazMat Chair

All these individuals have accepted their rolesand will represent CVSA in a professionalmanner, Region III is proud to have such a largecontingent on these valuable committees/programs. Region III would like to recognizeDoug Donscheski and Rex Railsback for theirhard work and dedication to various ad-hocs and Committees.

Throughout the coming months, communication,as echoed from President Fuller, will be our maingoal; open dialogue to vent issues through theExecutive Committee is our number one priority.Region III welcomes the opportunity to workwith the Alliance and bring items of discussionto the forefront on the various Committees.

One initiative for the Spring CVSA Workshopand going forward will be to discuss relevantissues that are in need of a vote at theexecutive level. On day two of the Regionmeeting, a lot of time was spent talking aboutall the issues that were discussed in committee,as important as they are, the main issues thatneed addressed are the call for actions that will be brought in front of the ExecutiveCommittee. As the Region President, I want tovote according to what is in the best interest ofthe Region, taking the time to discuss eachaction item in detail will go far, in rendering avote according to the Regions wishes.

I look forward to the opportunities that lieahead for the Alliance and the Region.Commitment to safety is on the forefront of all of our minds. Together, we can accomplish a great deal when it comes to making ourroadways safer for everyone, and that workstarts with all aspects of the alliance. �

An Update from the Region President

REGION III

By Major Lance Evans, Iowa Department of Transportation

The Washington State Patrol and theWashington State Department of Transportationreceived the National Roadway Safety Award bythe Roadway Safety Foundation (RSF) and theFederal Highway Administration (FHWA) fortheir joint project developing an infraredcommercial truck brake screening system.

Operators of commercial vehicles need to check that their brakes are in working orderfrequently, but there are those who do not take the time to do so, jeopardizing their livesas well as those who travel the roadwaysalongside them.

Officers check brakes at weigh stationsthroughout Washington State, but this can betime consuming and expensive. Members of theWashington State Patrol and the WashingtonDepartment of Transportation worked togetherwith new technology software to create theAutomated Infrared Roadside Screening (AIRS).

The AIRS system inspects each and everyvehicle’s brakes as it enters an AIRS-equippedweigh station at ordinary travel speeds, withoutdeterring a vehicle, and without the operator’sawareness. The resulting analysis isimmediately displayed in the weigh station foran enforcement officer in a simple graphicalformat. Those vehicles with a potential faultybrake(s) are emphasized in red.

“The AIRS system is both a timesaver and amoney saver,” said Greg Cohen, ExecutiveDirector of the Roadway Safety Foundation. “This tool allows the state to conduct appropriatesafety checks while still maintaining freightmobility and avoiding a negative effect on thestate’s economy. We hope to see the costeffective AIRS system grow and expandnationwide.”

“We will never compromise safety, but we will always work to be more efficient,” saidWashington State Patrol Chief John R. Batiste. “I could not be more proud of those whodeveloped this terrific use for infraredtechnology.”

National Roadway Safety Award recipients were evaluated on three criteria—innovation,effectiveness and efficient use of resources.Program categories included infrastructureimprovements; operational improvements; and program planning, development andevaluation. �

Washington StateHonored for AutomatedInfrared RoadsideScreening (AIRS)

REGION IV


The California Highway Patrol’s Grapevine Commercial VehicleEnforcement Facility (GCVEF) is located within Kern County. The county has significant agriculture and oil industries, which require a large number of commercial vehicles. Additionally, Kern County is theconnection point of three major highways: State Route 99, State Route58 and Interstate 5. Approximately 16,400 commercial vehicles arerecorded entering or exiting Kern County on a daily basis.

Between May and August 2010, California Highway Patrol (CHP) CommercialOfficers and Commercial Vehicle Inspection Specialists (CVIS) conductednearly 1,000 commercial vehicle inspections in the geographical sphere ofinfluence around the GCVEF during special inspection operations. Thepercentage of vehicles or drivers placed out-of-service for safety relateditems was 33 percent—a third of all trucks inspected in Kern County wereunsafe to be operating on the road. “This was a very high out-of-servicerate,” said GCVEF Commander, Lt. Dave Wymore. The CHP approached theKern County Branch of the California Trucking Association (CTA) and openeda line of communication to address the high out-of-service rate.

Personnel from the GCVEF, along with the CHP’s Central DivisionCommercial Units, implemented an aggressive education, inspection, andenforcement campaign. The California Trucking Association (CTA) agreed to provide access to their membership. Additionally, the CTA assisted withpresenting hands-on demonstrations regarding safe driving practicesaround commercial vehicles to local high school students. The students sawa graphic video depicting the consequences of distracted driving. They gotto speak with officers and a truck driver, as well as sit in a commercialvehicle to experience what the truck drivers observe. GCVEF personnelshares information directly with Kern County CTA, and CTA invites CHPspoke persons to meetings, to safety seminars and to speak directly withdrivers. Many trucking companies have direct contact with the CHP’sCommercial Industry Education Program Liaison, which allows forconcerns, negative trends, and conflicts to be resolved quickly.

In 2011, the vehicle and driver out-of-service rate dropped to 25 percent.In 2012, the out-of-service rate decreased to 18 percent. In 2013, during afocused operations enforcement period, 820 commercial motor vehicleinspections were completed. The inspections resulted in 533 variousviolations, 250 citations and 39 verbal warnings. Additionally, 53commercial drivers were cited for failing to stop and submit toinspection. However; only 16 percent of the vehicles or drivers wereplaced out of service for unsafe operation.

The decrease in unsafe vehicles from 33 percent to 16 percent is a directresult of increased enforcement, as well as the partnership between CHPand CTA. The relationship built between CHP and CTA is an excellentexample of how a government entity and the private sector can worktogether in addressing issues that have an impact on both groups. �

CHP Enforcement and Outreach Helps Reduce OOS Rate

REGION IV

The California Trucking Association helped demonstrate safe driving practices to teensfrom Taft High.

Events like this help to build rapport and camaraderie between enforcement and drivers.


To recognize the professional commercial drivers and companies, CHP hosted anappreciation day presented by CTA. It was an opportunity to say thank you to thedrivers and carriers who make safety part of their daily routine.


GUARDIAN28

Following the tragic events of last July in Lac-Mégantic, the transportation of hazardousmaterials has become a subject of muchdiscussion and concern among Quebecers,especially considering that 70 percent of thetransportation of hazardous materials is carriedout by trucks.

The transportation of hazardous materials is subject to a complex set of regulations that require carriers to meet more stringentrequirements than the rest of thetransportation industry. Carrier enforcementofficers receive training on regulationsgoverning the transportation of hazardousmaterials, including provisions of the HighwaySafety Code in this regard. Thus, they arequalified to intervene on the road in compliancewith all provincial and federal statutes.

From September 23 to 27, 2013, Contrôle routierQuébec joined a Canada-wide hazardousmaterials verification campaign coordinated byTransport Canada. The purpose of the campaignwas to ensure the safety of truck transportationof these types of goods.

During this operation, carrier enforcementofficers conducted over 515 inspections in which 77 offences statements were issued inconnection with hazardous materials. Theseinspections were carried out on our roads, atinspection stations or during facility audits. �

REGION V

Verification Exercise for the Transportation ofHazardous Materials

Out-of-Service Snapshotsfrom the Yukon Territory

REGION V

Motorcoach Inspectionsin Alberta

REGION V

This example of “cargo securement” was found byOfficer Carol Bates at the Whitehorse Weigh Station,Yukon Territory.

Officer Carol Bates also captured this image of deflatedair bags (suspension) on a trailer at the WhitehorseWeigh Station, Yukon Territory.

Sgt. Wes Roth of the Alberta Justice & Solicitor Generalshared this photo of Motorcoach Level I Inspections onthe brake tester at gondola lift parking in Banff, Albertain late September.



LOCAL ENFORCEMENT

Operation Safe Driver Event a Big Success

After months of conference calls and planning,we held our kick-off event for Operation SafeDriver Week on October 16, 2013, at DubiskiCareer High School in Grand Prairie Texas.More than 100 students participated in themedia conference and events that followed.The students signed a “no text and drive”pledge which was taken to Washington D.C.after the event. The media conference wasmoderated by CVSA Local Member VicePresident Officer Wes Bement of the GrandPrairie Police Department and began withopening comments from the student bodypresident, Priscilla Ipina. Grand Prairie PoliceChief Steve Dye spoke about the new textingordinance in Grand Prairie and the dangers oftexting and driving by all vehicle drivers. Otherspeakers included Major David Palmer of theTexas Department of Public Safety and pastCVSA President; David Bishop, former chairmanof TXTA and CEO of Refrigerated Transport Inc.;and Officer Robert Mills of the Fort WorthPolice Department and current CVSA LocalMember President. In addition, the AmericanTrucking Associations’ 2013 National Driver ofthe Year and TXTA Driver of the Year, GaryBabbitt, spoke to the students about what he

sees on a daily basis while driving a truck. Gary has logged more than five million milesaccident-free, and, in my opinion, that’samazing. Michael Irwin from CVSA was alsopresent during the event and was atremendous help putting this together.

After the press conference, media beganconducting interviews of enforcement members,trucking industry representatives and thestudents. The students were very positive aboutthe events of the day and interacted with all ofthe officers and industry personnel. Displaytables offered hundreds of free items for all ofthe students, including backpacks, pens, pencils,tablets, highlighters and buttons featuring safetymessages to remind the students about thedangers on our roadways. Truck and buscompanies, as well as a no-zone demonstration,were set up in the parking lot. Kids were able tosit in the driver’s seat of the trucks and see first-hand what drivers see and don’t see in themirrors. Students couldn’t resist sitting in andplaying with all of the devices in the policeTahoes that were on site. There is just somethingabout a siren button that kids can’t keep theirfinger off of.

The Tarrant County MCSAP agencies that werepresent at the event also would participate inthe Operation Safe Driver mobilization thefollowing week. Those departments includeFort Worth, Grand Prairie, Arlington, Mansfieldand Hurst. Some of the enforcement effortsincluded ticketing aggressive cars and trucks(TACT), roadside inspections, seat beltenforcement and some officers will even beriding with local truck drivers to watch foraggressive driving around these large vehicles.Other officers, placed strategically around thecity, will then ticket those passenger carsdriving aggressively.

A special thanks to the following organizationsfor their help in making this event a success:Texas Trucking Association (TXTA); CVSA; HELP,Inc.; FedEx; Texas Department of Public Safety;Grand Prairie and Fort Worth PoliceDepartments; Grand Prairie IndependentSchool District; Refrigerated Transport, Inc.;Texas Moving Co., Inc.; Gotta Go Trailways; andlocal law enforcement agencies thatparticipated…and a special thank you toDubiski Career High School. All of you involvedare truly partners and are saving lives. �

By Robert Mills, Officer, Fort Worth Police Department and Wes Bement, Officer, Grand Prairie Police Department


GUARDIAN30

REGIONAL RAP

RECOGNITIONSJason Wing, manager of safety compliance and training for ABF FreightSystem, Inc. received the National Safety Professional Award ofExcellence from the American Trucking Associations. The National SafetyProfessional Award of Excellence recognizes "those dedicated andaccomplished safety professionals who contribute greatly to the successof their motor carriers' safety programs and experience, but who do nothold the highest safety title within their company," said Susan Chandler,executive director of the ATA Safety Management Council. "It's time tohonor—on a national, industry-wide scale—these significantcontributions to safety."

To be eligible for the award, a candidate must have responsibility forsafety program implementation, monitoring and/or training with aminimum of five years of experience. The candidate also must be anactive member in his or her state trucking association's safety council,the ATA and the ATA Safety Management Council.

Dave Huneryager, president and CEO of the Tennessee TruckingAssociation, was named the winner of the American TruckingAssociations (ATA) President's Trucking Association Executives Council(TAEC) Leadership Award during the group's annual ManagementConference & Exhibition. The President’s TAEC Leadership Award wascreated by ATA and sponsored by J.J. Keller in 2002 to honor outstandingstate trucking association leaders and to create an enduring legacyfor that leader and for the industry. The award comes with a $10,000grant for a non-profit 501(c)(3) trucking education or researchorganization of each honoree’s choosing.

Dave currently serves on HELP’s executive committee and was selectedto co-chair the organization’s newly established Corporate Governance & Ethics Task Force. �

RETIREMENTSCapt. Owen Bruce Bugg retired from theGeorgia Department of Motor Vehicle Safety(DMVS) on September 1. He had been involvedwith commercial vehicle safety and hazardousmaterials since 1987. In 1993, he headed up thehazardous materials planning group for the1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta. The group’s role took on an added dimension in 1995 when a sarin nerve gas attack waslaunched on the Tokyo subway. Their efforts

led to some of the first “weapons of mass destruction” respondertraining for non-military responders in the U.S.

After 9/11, Bruce worked on multiple issues around the safe and securetransportation of hazardous materials, particularly radioactive materials.Bruce coordinated efforts with the U.S Nuclear Regulatory Commission, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Transportation, and U.S.Department of Homeland Security on a variety of issues.

Bruce pioneered the effort to bring mobile data into the DMVS vehicles andsupported the deployment of and training in computers and data “air card”use for inspections. He also worked on refining and clarifying Georgia’scommercial vehicle crash data, and developed a model for risk-basedplanning and scoring of crash data.

Bruce was a hazardous materials instructor, both in Georgia and for the U.S.DOT National Training Center. He served as the chair of both the CVSAHazardous Materials Committee and COHMED Program. He received theCVSA President’s Award in 2006, was elected to the Regional Presidency ofCVSA Region II in 2008, and was awarded the inaugural COHMEDExcellence in Law Enforcement Leadership Award in 2012.

Bruce served as co-chair of the Heavy Vehicle Task Team for the Governor’sOffice of Highway Safety. In addition, he had been the Governor’s designeefor the notification of radioactive materials shipments into and throughGeorgia since 1992. Bruce now serves as regional manager–safety andsecurity for a large national transportation company. He lives in DeKalbCounty with his wife Cynthia, and their daughter, Victoria. �

Volume 20, Issue 4

4th Quarter 2013

GUARDIANA Publication of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance

enhancing CMVsafetyuniformity

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technologyMAP

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www.cvsa.org/safetyexchangewww.cvsa.org/guardian

It’s easy to share the links with your colleagues so they, too, can stay up to date on the latest CVSA and industry news.

F R OM T H E D R I V E R ’ S S E AT


FROM THE DRIVER’S SEAT

Safety, Courtesy and PrideBy John Lex, America's Road Team Captain, Walmart Transportation professional truck driver

These simple three words—Safety, Courtesy andPride—I feel best describe a professional truckdriver; three words I try to always remember when I am behind the wheel of my truck.

SafetyKnowing the ultimate goal is to get from point A to point B as safely as possible. As professionaltruck drivers, we know to expect the unexpectedwhile we are moving America’s goods. Not only arewe looking out for our safety, but the safety ofeveryone else. Many of our highway users, whetherteens, moms or dads, motorcycle riders, RV and busdrivers, and even senior citizens, do not know thelimitations of a large truck. They don’t know, forinstance, that it takes over the length of a footballfield and both end zones to come to a complete stopin a fully loaded rig. They don’t know that followinga tractor-trailer without a safety cushion is a deathtrap. They don’t know that if they are going to pass a truck, they should pass on the left and definitelynot the right. And, even though they should know,they don’t realize the safety dangers of distracteddriving. That’s why as a professional truck driver, you always have to be focused behind the wheel. A professional truck driver is always conscious ofhis/her following distance and obeying all trafficlaws. There is no telling how many lives are savedeach year by professional truck drivers, but we knowthis each and everyday day we are out on the road.

CourtesyAs a professional truck driver, we have a unique job where we have to share our work space witheveryone else on the road. I like to say that cab ofmy truck is my office. That is where I make the bestdecisions of the day—behind the wheel—hopefullysaving lives. We are always courteous to othermotorists. Moving over to the left lane (when safe to do so) to allow room for a motorist to enter thehighway, being able to give directions when needed,and helping stranded motorists. These are a fewthings we do because they are the right things to do.I treat everyone on the highway as if they were myfamily. These simple courtesies we hope would tellthe real stories of the professional truck driver andimprove an image of the trucking industry that in thepast few decades has been tarnished over the yearsby Hollywood and the media.

PrideProfessional truck drivers show their pride, by notonly being safe and courteous, but by the way theydress, the way they conduct themselves, and by theway they take care of their equipment. Being able to help in times of need, such as devastating events,we deliver life's essentials with such pride. Knowingthat what we do makes a difference. We deliver thegoods, whether it is food, much needed medicine, or even a new skateboard, that make life possible for everyone. Most importantly, is the fact that wedeliver it all safely!

In closing, I feel for me to call myself a professionaltruck driver I have a moral obligation to do the right thing out on the highway. We are allambassadors out there and need to look out for and protect everyone. �

“Many of ourhighway users...do not know thelimitations of alarge truck. They don’t knowthat following atractor-trailerwithout a safetycushion is a death trap.”

It’s easy to share the links with yourcolleagues so they, too, can stayup to date on the latest CVSA andindustry news.

S A F E T Y I N N O VAT O R S

GUARDIAN32

SAFETY INNOVATORS

August 18, 2013, marked the start of a 96-hourmulti-agency emphasis conducted throughoutWashington State, Idaho, Oregon and BritishColumbia. The operation was planned andorganized by Washington State Patrol (WSP)Trooper Andy Stoeckle and was the secondenforcement phase of a two-year agency safetyproject targeting fatigued commercial vehicledrivers. Commercial vehicle troopers, officersand inspectors from the WSP, OregonDepartment of Transportation, Idaho StatePolice, and British Columbia participated in theoperation. The Public Oriented Public Safety(POPS) project was initiated with several goalsin mind. The primary goal was to reduce thenumber of fatigued commercial vehicle driverson our roads, but a second objective was todemonstrate the effectiveness of sharinginformation and data between stakeholders tohelp confirm drivers’ hours-of-service (HOS)records presented during inspection.

The enforcement emphasis began with thesimultaneous opening of fixed scales throughoutthe participating states and province. Officers

targeted fatigue drivers by close examination of drivers’ logbooks. Drivers found to beoperating in excess of allowable HOS or inpossession of a falsified logbook were placed out-of-service for an average of 10 hours.Washington State Department of Transportationshared information from Washington’sautomated license plate readers with Oregon,Idaho and British Columbia. Additionally, Oregon, Idaho and British Columbia shared scale crossing records and information with allparticipating agencies. Other tools utilized byofficers to validate HOS included real time datafrom the FMCSA Portal site and Aspen records.The information exchange between thejurisdictions and advancements in technologyproved to be extremely valuable for officers indetecting and confirming HOS violations.

Results from the emphasis revealed just howeffective partnerships and information sharingare in promoting commercial motor vehiclesafety. The outputs from the participatingjurisdictions are listed to the right. �

Total Number of CommercialVehicle Safety AllianceInspections CompletedWashington: 1,075

Oregon: 812

Idaho: 359

British Columbia: 372

Total: 2,618

Drivers Placed Out-of-Service:Washington: 125 (12%)

Oregon: 254 (31%)

Idaho: 28 ( 8%)

British Columbia: 25 ( 7%)

Total: 432 (16%)

Driver Out-of-Service Violations Broken DownFalse reporting of driver’s duty status: 207

Driving over the hours of service rules: 125

Other Logbook Violations: 32

Disqualified driver: 45

Other Driver Violations: 19

Drugs/Alcohol: 3

Total: 432

Technology and Information Sharing Aid in Detecting Fatigued CMV DriversBy Sergeant David Bangart, Washington State Police, Commercial Vehicle Division

WSP Trooper Andy Stoeckle screens a driver for HOS compliance during the enforcement emphasis.

S A F E T Y I N N O VAT O R S


Roadcheck 2013 results for vehicle out-of-service shows very little improvement overprevious years with brakes remaining numberone. Brake adjustment OOS was 19.5% andbrake systems OOS was 30.1% for a total of49.6%. Lights OOS followed at 12.6%.

Stephen Keppler, CVSA Executive Director hascommented that most OOS violations found onthe road were present upon beginning the tripand should have been detected prior todeparture.

Technology & Maintenance Council hasexpended a great deal of effort in creatingRecommended Practices for trailer inspectionand maintenance. Sadly, we don’t see them inpractice. The typical shop has homemadedevices to test the trailer systems without anyclue of the power or air being used and lackingany diagnostics. The process is completelyunder the technician’s control and dependentupon his experience and skill. Consequently,trailer testing is haphazard at best.

Trailer maintenance is the abandoned step-child of the fleet and has not changed in years.Budgets do not include advanced diagnostictools even though the costs of extensive labor(TMC says 18% for diagnostics), wasted

components in trial and error, plus, theassociated cost of downtime will pay for thesetools in a very short time. Then, include theexpensive road costs and violations with issuesthat should have been detected and the costsbecome very significant.

The “missing link” with trailer maintenance isthe lack of reliable data for meaningful reports.Tools are available to automatically read theelectrical, air and ABS. Combine the trailersystem data with a meaningful trailer visualinspection including slack measurements andtire conditions on a tablet by the technicianthat is transmitted to the office for animmediate update. This process eliminatesseveral steps with accurate information for an indispensable fleet report.

The “challenge” is to reduce the cost of traileroperations by 20% by using current technologywith established testing principles. Imagine asignificant improvement in shop diagnostics(labor), reducing component waste and,consequently, reducing trailer downtime. These actions result in enhanced trailerutilization (less trailers needed). Emergencyroad costs are much less because the issues are repaired at home. And the CSA scoreswould also improve. A BIG WIN! �

Trailer Inspection and MaintenanceBy Bob Blair, CEO, LITE-CHECK LLC

CVSA is always looking forinteresting, relevant content forits quarterly magazine. We would behappy to consider your news, ideas,insights and articles on the issuesfacing the commercial vehicle safetycommunity for upcoming editionsof Guardian!

Deadline for First Quarter 2014 issue:January 8, 2014

Questions?Please contact Lisa Claydon at [email protected] or 301-830-6152.

CALL FOR GUARDIANSUBMISSIONS

GUARDIAN34

RAD INSPECTION NEWS

On September 16, Canada began holdinghearings on the environmental assessment forthe low- and intermediate-level waste deepgeologic repository (DGR) that Ontario PowerGeneration (OPG) wants to build in Kincardine,Ontario, less than a mile from Lake Huron.Complicating OPG’s project are the proposedfacility’s proximity to one of the Great Lakes(source of drinking water for 30 to 40 millionpeople) and the fact that the Canadian NuclearWaste Management Organisation is in the middleof its own process to site a DGR for spent fuel.

OPG has pledged that it won’t build the facilityunless the Saugeen Ojibway Nations (SON) areon board with the plan. In May, the MichiganSenate unanimously passed a resolutionexpressing concern about the project, and thebinational Great Lakes and St. Lawrence CitiesInitiative, a coalition of mayors from around the region, testified in opposition on Tuesday,September 17. Two Michigan state legislatorstestified at the hearing in opposition to the DGRon September 30. On October 21, U.S. SenatorsCarl Levin and Debbie Stabenow, both fromMichigan, wrote to Secretary of State John Kerryto ask him to involve the International JointCommission in urging Canada to reconsider thelocation of the DGR.

The hearings continued through October 11 andresumed on October 28 to address unresolvedissues. All hearings are webcast live, with videoand transcripts available the following day. OPG'stimeline estimates 2018 as the earliest operatingdate for the repository, if it is licensed. Therepository would receive an estimated 200,000cubic meters of waste—90 percent of it low-levelwaste—over its projected operating lifetime from2018 through 2052. �

Additional Resources:Kincardine nuclear waste site debate heats up,an article about the start of the hearings:http://preview.tinyurl.com/k8nzrf9

Toronto Star article covering the testimony of theSON: http://preview.tinyurl.com/km34eaf

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agencywebpage with all the projectdocumentation: http://www.ceaa.gc.ca/050/details-eng.cfm?evaluation=17520

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commissionwebpage containing links to live webcasts,archives, and transcripts:http://nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/commission/joint_review_panel/webcast/index.cfm. �

Environmental Assessment for a Low- andIntermediate-level Waste Deep Geologic Repositoryin Kincardine, Ontario About RAD

Inspection NewsRAD Inspection News features newsand other stories pertaining tothe North American Standard Level VIInspection Program for TransuranicWaste and Highway Route ControlledQuantities (HRCQ) of RadioactiveMaterial. This inspection is for selectradiological shipments that includeenhancements to the North AmericanStandard Level I Inspection Programand the North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria with addedradiological requirements fortransuranic waste and highway routecontrolled quantities (HRCQ) ofradioactive material. Learn more atwww.cvsa.org/levelVI.

RAD Inspection News is made possible under a cooperative agreement withthe U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).Since January 2007, it has run as asection inside CVSA's Guardian. �

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

By Lisa Janairo, Council of State Governments Midwestern Radioactive Waste Transportation Committee

DECEMBER 4-5Council of State GovernmentsMidwestern Radioactive MaterialsTransportation Committee Fall 2013 MeetingKansas City, KS

DECEMBER 10-11Southern States Energy BoardCharleston, SC

DECEMBER 11-12Western Governors’ Association Winter MeetingLas Vegas, NV

JANUARY 15, 2014Semiannual meeting of the Northeast High Level Radioactive WasteTransportation Task ForceNew York, NY

Here are upcoming meetings and conferences of interest for the radioactive transportationcommunity:

Meetings and Conferences of Interest



Fifteen officers from the Kentucky State Police Motor Carrier Divisionalong with one member of the Indiana State Police, an investigator fromthe Puerto Rico Public Service Commission, and one investigator fromPHMSA, participated in the 137 Level VI Certification Class, July 22- 252013, in Frankfort, Kentucky. The class took place at the Kentucky StatePolice Academy training center, which is on the site of a formercorrectional facility. On the second day of the training the classroom’s air conditioning broke and the class was moved to the former prisonchapel, causing the instructors to note that this was the first time theyhad taught the class behind the pulpit! National Level VI Instructors RionStann, Rob Rohr and J.R. Leuis provided the instruction for a verysuccessful class.

On August 12-15, 2013, 12 officers from the Tennessee Highway Patrolwere joined by a New Jersey State Trooper and Justin Domouchel, specialoperations manager of Cassidy’s Transfer and Storage Ltd., and a HRCQCobalt 60 carrier. Class 138 was held at the Tennessee EmergencyOperation’s center and was held simultaneously with a Department ofEnergy Oak Ridge National Lab’s exercise. Level VI National InstructorsRichard Swedberg from FMCSA and Rob Rohr from Ohio provided theinstruction to another successful class. �

Two Level VI Certification Classes Take Place

Idaho Site Taps Old World Process to Treat Nuclear Waste

Level VI National Instructor JR Leuis provides instruction during the vehicleinspection practical exercise for class 137.

The Environmental Management (EM) programat the Idaho site is using an age-old process totreat transuranic (TRU) waste left over fromnuclear reactor experiments.

Developed in the first century and perfected bymoonshiners in the 19th century, distillationwill be used at the Idaho Nuclear Technologyand Engineering Complex (INTEC).

A process for distilling sodium metal fromnuclear material was developed by the Idaho

National Laboratory. The Lab uses this processto remove sodium from experimental fuel forresearch purposes.

In the EM program, the method of separatingmixtures with heat has been adapted to isolateabout 100 pounds of sodium from metal anddebris designated as remote-handled TRU waste.Due to its reactivity with air and water, sodiummust be removed before the waste can beshipped to EM’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant(WIPP) in New Mexico for permanent disposal.The waste is primarily a product of experimentsfrom the Experimental Breeder Reactor-II andother fast reactor tests. TRU waste containselements that have atomic numbers greater thanuranium.

“The distillation of the sodium from highlyradioactive waste using remote waste handlingcapabilities will provide our workers a very safeenvironment while facilitating the continuedshipment of waste out of Idaho,” DOE IdahoOperations Office EM Deputy Manager JimCooper said.

EM and its cleanup contractor, CH2M-WG Idaho(CWI), will treat the sodium-contaminated debrisin a hot cell, where the waste will be sorted andsegregated before it is loaded into baskets thatare lowered into the distillation unit. Thematerial will be heated, and vapors will be drawn

from the debris. That sodium vapor will becondensed into a metal solid, collected and sentoffsite as mixed low-level waste for treatmentand disposal. The treated debris will berepackaged and sent to WIPP for disposal.

Premier Technology, CWI’s small-businesspartner, fabricated the distillation componentsat its Blackfoot facility, where testing is underway. Following successful testing, theequipment will be transported to INTEC andassembled beneath the hot cell.

The plan is to begin repackaging the sodium-contaminated TRU waste and preparing it fortreatment in October. Startup of the distillationsystem is scheduled for next summer.

CWI Vice President Tammy Hobbes applaudedemployees for resolving the technicalchallenge. “Our engineers came together to usetheir past experience with sodium andinnovative thinking to implement the relativelysimple technology of distillation to treat anotherwise challenging waste form,” she said.

Distillation is currently used commercially toseparate crude oil, isolate specific elementsfrom air and create alcohol for industrial usesand for beverages. �


GUARDIAN36

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) hasestablished an elaborate and robust system forsafely transporting defense-generatedtransuranic, or TRU, radioactive waste fromgenerator sites to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant(WIPP) for permanent disposal. A key componentof the WIPP Transportation System is the NuclearRegulatory Commission (NRC) approvedTRUPACT-II and HalfPACT Type B packagings.

Earlier this year, the NRC approved Revision 23 tothe TRUPACT-II and Revision 6 to the HalfPACTSafety Analysis Reports (SAR) through itsissuance of Certificate of Compliance 71-9218,Revision 21, for the TRUPACT-II and Certificate ofCompliance 71-9279, Revision 7, for the HalfPACT.

The primary purpose of these revisions was toadd a new authorized payload container(Criticality Control Overpack [CCO]) that holds agreater quantity of fissile material. By allowingmore content per container, the CCO increasesoverall TRU waste shipping efficiency by reducingthe number of shipments required to transportthe waste. The CCO is only used as a payload

container within the TRUPACT-II or HalfPACTand cannot be used alone as a transportationpackage.

The SAR revision also changed the designation of the TRUPACT-II and HalfPACT from a doublecontainment vessel to an inner singlecontainment vessel and an outer confinementvessel. The TRUPACT-II and HalfPACT packagingsare comprised of an inner containment vessel(ICV) that provides the primary containmentboundary and an outer confinement assembly(OCA) that provides a secondary confinementboundary when their optional O-ring seals areutilized. The designation change is in fullcompliance with federal requirements for Type Bpackagings designed to ship plutoniumcontaminated waste in excess of 20 curies.

It is important to note the SAR revisions do notimpact the ability of these Type B packagings toprotect human health or the environment.Additionally, these revisions continue to meet allthe requirements for an NRC approved Type Bpackaging as required for use at WIPP. �

NRC Approves Changes to TRUPACT-II and HalfPACT

John “Andy” Walker has been the Department ofEnergy/Carlsbad Field Office Transportation LogisticsManager since August 2008. In that position, Andy isresponsible for the oversight of the Transportation Carriercontracts, Mobile Loading Unit (MLU) contract and the WIPPManagement and Operating Contractors TransportationDepartment. The duties involved with these responsibilitiesinclude the coordination of the WIPP transportation scheduleand interaction with the many WIPP transportationstakeholders. Additionally, Andy has been temporarilyassigned the duties as the Technical Project Officer for theCommercial Vehicle Safety Alliance Cooperative Agreement.The Department of Energy will announce a permanentTechnical Project Officer at a later date.

Prior to joining the Department of Energy, Andy was employed at WIPP with the Management andOperating Contractor for six years. Andy is a proud veteran of the United States Navy (1988-1992)and holds a BS in Environmental Management from Columbia Southern University. �

WIPP Chooses Andy Walker to Act as TechnicalProject Officer

LEVEL VI CLASS SCHEDULEUnder a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy, CVSAhas scheduled the Level VI Classes for 2013and 2014 to certify inspectors to conductLevel VI inspections on motor carriers andtheir drivers transporting transuranicwaste and Highway Route ControlledQuantities (HRCQ) of radioactive materials.CVSA provides Level VI training toinspectors who meet the prerequisite ofbeing Level I and HazMat certified.

SCHEDULED CLASSES FOR 2014

Meridian, ID—March 24-27

Blythewood, SC—April 27-May 1

Sacramento, CA—May 12-15

Springfield, IL—June 16-19

Anthony, NM—September 1-4

Austin, TX—November 3-6

NEED MORELEVEL VIINFORMATION?The CVSA website is the place for the mostup-to-date information regarding the LevelVI Program. You’ll find the minutes of theLevel VI Program Committee Meetings, Level VI reports, Level VI training and publicoutreach schedules and more. Also, you canask questions concerning the Level VIInspection Program on the Level VI onlineforum (blog).

www.cvsa.org/levelvi

Any jurisdiction that needs inspectorstrained and/or can host a Level VI Class in2014 is asked to contact Carlisle Smith at301-830-6147 or email him [email protected].

John “Andy” Walker

37

Richard Swedberg, a senior Level VI instructor, was hired by U.S.Department of Transportation in September of 1991 as a health physicist to work specifically on the transportation routes and programimplementation of the Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Transportation Shipping Campaign. Working with variousstakeholder groups and the U.S. Department of Energy, Richard was theDOT’s representative on the successful implementation of the WIPP’svery successful transportation rollout.

In the fall of 1997, Richard was asked by then director of the Level VIInspection Program, Jim Daust, to assist in curriculum development of the radiation safety and the science of radioactive material for the Level VI training program. Richard revised and developed the curriculumand was asked to provide instruction of the material to the Level VI classes. He began teaching the radioactive material portion of the Level VIcertification course with Class 14, and he taught his last Certification classthis past October in Golden Colorado, Class 140.

After 9/11, Richard was called to active duty by the Marine Corps, anddeployed to support the war effort. His curriculum was used to train theother Level VI National instructors in the radioactive material portion of thecertification course. This effort was highly successful as the other Level VInational instructors had proficiently carried on where he left off. Richardcame back from serving in the war effort in the fall of 2006, and retired asthe rank of colonel.

Larry Stern, then level VI inspection program director, asked Richard toreturn to actively teaching the Level VI certification course. He providedregulatory updates whenever needed and ensured that the curriculumstayed current. Richard retired from the U.S. DOT at the end of November.His hard work and dedication to the Level VI Program has always beenappreciated and will be greatly missed. �

Richard Swedberg Retires from FMCSA

Site Shipments Loaded Miles

Argonne National Lab 189 324,453

Bettis Atomic Power Lab 5 10,955

GE Vallecitos Nuclear Center 32 44,800

Idaho National Lab 5,752 8,004,000

Los Alamos National Lab 1,296 443,232

Lawrence Livermore National Lab 18 24,804

Nevada Test Site 48 57,312

Oak Ridge National Lab 131 175,933

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

Hanford Site 572 1,034,176

Sandia National Lab 8 2,200

Savannah River Site 1,612 2,422,376

Total to WIPP 11,708 13,990,685

WIPP Shipment & Disposal Information As of November 4, 2013

FOURTH QUARTER 2013


Richard Swedberg (right) received a plaque of appreciation from the Level VIProgram Committee during CVSA’s Denver conference. It was presented by thenchair William “Bill” Reese.

GUARDIAN38

PRESIDENTSgt. Thomas Fuller New York State Police

VICE PRESIDENTCapt. William “Bill” ReeseIdaho State Police

SECRETARYCapt. Jay ThompsonArkansas Highway Police

PAST PRESIDENTSMaj. Mark SavageColorado State Patrol

Maj. David Palmer Texas Department of Public Safety

Asst. Chief Steve Dowling California Highway Patrol

REGION PRESIDENTS

Region ICpl. Rick KoontzPennsylvania State Police

Region IILt. Col. Troy ThompsonFlorida Highway Patrol

Region IIIMaj. Lance EvansIowa Department of Transportation

Region IVCapt. Chris MayrantNew Mexico Department of Public Safety

Region VPierre PratteContrôle Routier Québec

REGION VICE PRESIDENTS (Non-Voting)

Region ISgt. John SamisDelaware State Police

Region IICapt. Timothy PullinAlabama Department of Public Safety

Region IIIM/Sgt. Todd ArmstrongIllinois State Police

Region IVLt. Ken RobertsCalifornia Highway Patrol

Region VJohn LunneyNew Brunswick Department of Public Safety

LOCAL PRESIDENTOfficer Robert MillsFort Worth Police Department

LOCAL VICE PRESIDENT (Non-Voting)Officer Wes BementGrand Prairie Police Department

ASSOCIATE MEMBER PRESIDENT(Non-Voting)Rob AbbottAmerican Trucking Associations

ASSOCIATE MEMBER VICEPRESIDENT (Non-Voting)Jason WingABF Freight System, Inc.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT (Non-Voting)William “Bill” Quade, Federal MotorCarrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)

William “Bill” Arrington,Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

Federico Dominguez, Secretaría deComunicaciones y Transportes (SCT)

Ryan Posten, Pipeline & HazardousMaterials Safety Administration (PHMSA)

Darren Christle, Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators(CCMTA), CRA Chair

CVSA LEADERSHIPEXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

COMMITTEE CHAIRSDriver-Traffic EnforcementCommitteeLt. Thomas FitzgeraldMassachusetts State Police

Hazardous Materials CommitteeMaj. Lance Evans Iowa Department of Transportation

Information Systems CommitteeHolly SkaarIdaho State Police

Passenger Carrier CommitteeLt. Donald Bridge, Jr.Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles

Program Initiatives CommitteeAlan R. Martin Public Utilities Commission of Ohio

Size & Weight CommitteeTim LeviOklahoma Highway Patrol

Training CommitteeCapt. Rocco DomenicoColorado State Patrol

Vehicle CommitteeKerri WirachowskyOntario Ministry of Transportation

PROGRAM CHAIRSLevel VI InspectionCapt. Joshua DowningColorado State Patrol

Cooperative Hazardous MaterialsEnforcement Development(COHMED)Sgt. Thomas FullerNew York State Police

International Driver Excellence AwardVacant

Operation Safe Driver (OSD)Brian NealFedEx Ground Corp.

Operation Airbrake (OAB)Sgt. Scott HansonIdaho State Police

Shelley ConklinLandstar Logistics

RoadcheckCapt. Derek D. BarrsFlorida Highway Patrol

North American InspectorsChampionship (NAIC)Tpr. Steven BedardMassachusetts State Police

COMMITTEE AND PROGRAM CHAIRS

2013 CVSA STRATEGIC PARTNERS

PLATINUM

ALLIED

PREMIER

DIAMOND

GOLD


2013 CVSA STRATEGIC PARTNERS

SILVERAustin Powder Company Cargo Transporters, Inc. Colorado Motor Carriers AssociationFoxFury, LLCGreat West Casualty Company

Groendyke Transport, Inc.Intermodal Association of

North AmericaJNJ Express, Inc.Landstar Transportation Logistics

Mercer Transportation CompanyPerceptics, LLCSpecialized Carriers & Rigging Association STEMCO Brake Products Sysco Corporation

BRONZEABF Freight System, Inc. Academy Express, LLC American Bus Association American Pyrotechnics Association Arizona Trucking Association ATCO Electric Bridge Terminal Transport, Inc. Brown Line, LLC Cambridge Systematics, Inc.Coach USA Code Corporation

DATTCO, Inc. DriveCam, Inc. EQT Corporation Frontier TransportGreyhound Canada Transportation Herzig Hauling, LLCHoffman Transportation, LLC J. B. Hunt Transport, Inc. Michels CorporationNATC, Inc. National Tank Truck Carriers

Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. Praxair, Inc. Schneider National, Inc. Swift TransportationUnited Motorcoach Association Usher Transport, Inc. Vogel Safety & Risk, Inc. Wal-Mart Transportation, LLC Warren Transport, Inc. Werner Enterprises, Inc.

FRIENDS OF CVSAAmerican Coatings Association, Inc. Anderson Trucking Services, Inc. Bork Transport of IllinoisBrake Tech ToolsCanadian Association of Oilwell

and Drilling Contractors Canadian Council of Motor Transport

Administrators (CCMTA)Compliance Safety Systems, LLC Currie Associates, Inc.

Dibble Trucking, Inc.Ergon Trucking, Inc. Gateway Distribution, Inc. Greg NeylonGreyhound Lines, Inc.Horizon Freight System, Inc./

Kaplan Trucking Co.J.E.B. Environmental ServicesKinedyne Corporation LabelMaster

Linde North America, Inc.MANCOMM, Inc. Miller Transporters Mississippi Trucking Association Quick Transport Solutions, Inc. Thomas PetroleumTransport CanadaThe Trucking Attorneys Utah Transit Authority

NEW CVSA ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

Abilene Motor Express

Aim Leasing Co.

Bullfrog Trucking

Conex Rentals Corporation

Crossett, Inc.

DATS Trucking Group of Companies

Laser Technology, Inc.

MJS Safety, LLC

National Transportation Consultants, Inc.

SafetyWatch Technologies,Inc.

TransCanada CVS

as of November 18, 2013

GUARDIAN40

April 6-10, 2014Los Angeles, CA

www.cvsa.org/workshop

CVSA WORKSHOPBuilding a Brighter Future: Quality, Uniformity and Consistency inCMV Safety and Enforcement

P L A N N O W T O A T T E N D !

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

View the magazine online atwww.cvsa.org/guardian

CALENDAR OF EVENTS2014 COHMED ConferenceJanuary 27–31, 2014 | Sarasota, FL

Budget Committee MeetingJanuary 27, 2014 | Sarasota, FL

Winter Executive Committee MeetingJanuary 27, 2014 | Sarasota, FL

Budget Committee Meeting April 6, 2014 | Los Angeles, CA

Executive Committee Meeting April 6, 2014 | Los Angeles, CA

Information Systems Users Workshop April 6-7, 2014 | Los Angeles, CA

North American Cargo Securement Harmonization Public ForumApril 7, 2014 | Los Angeles, CA

2014 CVSA WorkshopApril 8-10, 2014 | Los Angeles, CA

Learn more at www.cvsa.org/events

Make Plans Now!www.cvsa.org/cohmed

cvsa guardian 4th quarter 2013

Documents

state data reporting

enforcement professionals

tact enforcement

washington state

new presidents

mn state patrol

marks enforcement eort

cvsa names new ocers