guardian - cvsa · as we close out 2015, our annual nancial audit review process is well underway....

Volume 22, Issue 44th Quarter 2015

GUARDIANA Publication of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance

GUARDIANA Publication of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance

International Roadcheck 2015

Driver and Vehicle Out-of-Service Rates for Level I InspectionsLowest on RecordPlus...

CVSA Transitions to NewLeadership for 2015-2016

Revisiting Enforcement ofShortwood Securement in Crib-Type Vehicles

Wireless Roadside Inspections:Moving the World of CMV Safetyto the Next Level

North Carolina's J.D. BerrongAwarded the Jimmy K. Ammons

Grand Champion Award at 2015 North American

Inspectors Championship

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

Give Me a Brake ....................................................................................3Knowledge Matters

ELD Adoption – Not Happening Overnight ..................................4The SET Project: Sustainable Emission Test

The Largest Emissions Project for In-Use Vehicles Conducted in Europe ......................................................7

2015: The Year of the Exemption......................................................8

n Government NewsThe Legislative & Regulatory Rundown ............................................13NTSB Investigation of 2014 Truck-Motorcoach Collision

and Fire Results in Call for Survivability Enhancements toMotorcoaches and Buses ........................................................................14

FMCSA Takes Steps to Ensure Only Medically Qualified Drivers Operate CMVs........................................................................16

The State of the Commercial Motor Vehicle Industry.....................17FMCSA Recognizes Extraordinary Contributions of State

Partners by Presenting the 2015 MCSAP Leadership Awards.....19Wireless Roadside Inspections: Moving the World of

CMV Safety to the Next Level .........................................................20FMCSA Offers Web-Based Training Course on Detecting

Leaks from Natural Gas and Propane CommercialMotor Vehicles ....................................................................................21

Offsite Safety Audit Rollout Expanded ..............................................21FMCSA Implements New Instructor Certification Program ........22DOT Continues Strong Cross-Border Trucking Safety

Partnership with Mexico ..................................................................22FMCSA Takes Steps to Tackle Moving Fraud ..................................23Transporting Hazardous Materials and Selecting the

Right Route ..........................................................................................24PHMSA Offers Hazardous Materials Inspector/Investigator

(HMI2) Training ....................................................................................25

n CVSA Committee & Program News2015 Annual Conference & Exhibition Round-Up ..........................26The CVSA COHMED Conference: A One-of-a-Kind Educational

and Training Experience for Hazmat Professionals....................28CVSA's 23rd Annual North American Inspectors Championship....30CVSA Joins New Public-Private Coalition to Address

Nationwide Truck Parking Shortage ....................................................32

n Cover StoryInternational Roadcheck 2015: Driver and Vehicle Out-of-Service

Rates for Level I Inspections Lowest on Record............................33

n Inspector’s Corner3 to 5..........................................................................................................36

n Regional NewsPuerto Rico Participates in 2015 Operation Airbrake......................37Atlantic Investigations Hosts Successful Truck Driving/CMV

Mechanic Championship Rodeo ....................................................38National Night Out Program in New Jersey, Aug. 4, 2015 ..........40Kentucky State Police Welcomes New Cadets..................................40Kentucky’s Commercial Vehicle Screening System

Accorded Transportation Research Award....................................41The TIME Task Force – Champions for Quick Clearance of

Metro Atlanta’s Traffic Incidents ....................................................422015 Brake Safety Week/Operation Airbrake in Florida ..............43Outreach Event in St. Augustine, Florida ........................................44Thank you ................................................................................................44Revisiting Enforcement of Shortwood Securement in

Crib-Type Vehicles ..............................................................................45Overweight or Not? Truck-Weight Education Program

Has the Answers ................................................................................49Prince Edward Island Toughens Penalties for

Distracted Driving ..............................................................................50About Region V’s Education Quality Assurance Team..................51

n From the Driver's SeatDon’t Skip the Post-Trip ........................................................................52

n RAD Inspection News2016 Level VI Classes ............................................................................53Roadside Inspections, Level VI (2015 - Fiscal) ................................53Argonne National Labs Provides Unique Training for Level VI

National Instructor Team..................................................................54

GUARDIANFourth Quarter

Volume 22, Issue 4www.cvsa.org

IN THIS ISSUEGUARDIAN

A Publication of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance

GUARDIAN

GUARDIAN6303 Ivy Lane • Suite 310 • Greenbelt, MD 20770-6319Phone: 301-830-6143 • Website: www.cvsa.org

Guardian is published quarterly by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliancewith support from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. CVSAand FMCSA are dedicated to government and industry working together topromote commercial vehicle safety on North American highways.

CVSA Staff: Collin B. Mooney, CAE, Acting Executive Director • Carlisle Smith,Director, Hazardous Materials Programs • Adrienne Gildea, Director, Policy & Government Affairs • William Schaefer, Director, Vehicle Programs • KenAlbrecht, Director, Education & Training Programs • Iris Leonard, Manager,Member & Program Services • Nicole Leandro, Manager, Communications • Claudia McNatt, Manager, Conferences & Exhibits • Courtney Fritzsche,Committee & Program Coordinator • J. Craig Defibaugh, Controller • WanicaForeman, Financial Manager • Amelina Kassa, Administrative Assistant

Copyright 2015, CVSA. All rights reserved. No part of this issue may bereproduced without written permission from the publisher.

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

Commercial VehicleSafety Alliance

@CVSA CVSACommunications

I N S I G H T

FOURTH QUARTER 2015 1

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

My Journey to Becoming CVSA PresidentBy Maj. Jay Thompson, Arkansas Highway Police

It seems like yesterday I was standing in front ofCVSA members asking for their vote whenrunning for CVSA Secretary. Surprisingly, itdoesn’t seem too long ago when I was a newrecruit for the Arkansas Highway Police,

learning the job duties of a highway patrol officer.

The old saying, “time flies when you’re having fun,”must be true.

As I reflect back on the lessons learned andmemories made over the past 25 years in lawenforcement, many stand out, as do the manyfriends, mentors, leaders and supporters I’ve met.

As I mentioned at the CVSA Annual Conference &Exhibition in Boise, Idaho, during my remarks at thegeneral session, I am committed to continuing thework of the Alliance and its past presidents.

I also mentioned training, which is where I feel muchwork must be accomplished. Our Alliance must play abig role in preparing training for the future. In today’sworld, issues like funding, staffing, time managementand the dangers our officers face daily have an impacton training. With uniformity being one of CVSA’s coregoals, we must move forward and begin developingnew ways to train our officers and inspectors, as wellas our commercial motor vehicle drivers across NorthAmerica.

I would like to tell you a story:

A young man went to work for the highway police at theyoung age of 23. He was sent to many schools to learnwhat seemed to be a million laws, regulations, rules andprocedures. After completing all of the academictraining, he started working the highways with a fieldtraining officer. Within the first two weeks of workingthe highways, he called his mom and told her that

whatever she did, when she was driving, she needed tostay away from trucks because they were dangerous.

As the young man continued to work and progressthrough the ranks, he was assigned to the FederalMotor Carrier Safety Administration where he beganconducting compliance reviews. It was this assignmentwhere the young man first realized there were a lot morepieces to the huge puzzle of safety. For the first time, he saw what the transportation industry did to ensurecommercial motor vehicles were safe while traveling onour highways.

He later was sent to CVSA's North American InspectorsChampionship (NAIC) where he saw another picture –the national picture of commercial motor vehicleenforcement and safety. Pride would best describe thefeeling he had after leaving NAIC. He returned homeand went back to work understanding that the job hedid on a daily basis saved lives.

Almost 25 years later and with a lot more stories inbetween, the young man has a different view of thetransportation industry, the responsibilities of roadsideinspectors and the huge puzzle we refer to as safety.

And yes, the young man has since told his mom thatnot all trucks are dangerous. He is also very proud andhonored to be your president of CVSA.

I look forward to working with the manyprofessionals within CVSA to make our nation’shighways a safer place. Zero deaths from trafficaccidents can be a reality.

See you at the CVSA Workshop April 25-28, 2016,in Chicago, Illinois, and thank you ALL for the rolesyou play in ensuring highway safety.

Keep up the good work. n

Our Alliance mustplay a big role inpreparing trainingfor the future. In today’s world,issues like funding,staffing, timemanagement and thedangers our officersface daily have animpact on training.

I N S I G H T

GUARDIAN2

ACTING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

Organizational Development – A Year in ReviewBy Collin B. Mooney, CAE, Acting Executive Director, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance

As we look back and reflect on ouraccomplishments over this pastyear, it is amazing to see how muchwe can achieve as an organizationwithin just a few short months. As

we close out 2015, it has been exciting to seethe Alliance continue to grow and prosper, yearafter year, into such a strong, stable andreliable organization, all in pursuit of ourmission of promoting and enhancingcommercial motor vehicle safety throughoutNorth America.

To kick off fiscal year (FY) 2015, the Alliance,under the executive leadership of Stephen A.Keppler, released its first annual report. The FY 2014 annual report provides a financialsnapshot and highlights a number of ourorganizational activities, initiatives andaccomplishments throughout the year. As weage as an organization, it becomes critical forthe Alliance to document our history and passalong our institutional knowledge. After 31years as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit association, thismilestone accomplishment raises the bar andsets a new reporting standard that will benefitthe Alliance for decades to come. Our nextannual report – Oct. 1, 2014 through Sept. 30,2015 – is under development with an expectedcompletion date of early 2016 to coincide withthe release of the Alliance’s annual financialaudits.

As we close out 2015, our annual financial auditreview process is well underway. In addition toour annual fiscal review, CVSA is also requiredto undergo an A-133 audit. This compliancestandard is an extensive organization-wideaudit mandated by the Office of Managementand Budget (OMB) for any entity that receivesfederal awards (i.e., grants, contracts,cooperative agreements, etc.). Successfulcompliance audits are always dependent uponstrong internal controls, combined with a goodaccounting system with readily accessiblesupporting documentation. I'm pleased toreport that the organization is in a strong andstable financial position with the financialrecords reported fairly with no operationaldeficiencies.

On the legislative front within the United States, we have been very active on Capitol Hill,responding to a number of inquiries fromCongressional offices and working with theSenate Commerce, Science & Transportation and House Transportation & InfrastructureCommittee staffs on a variety of transportationsafety policy initiatives and their associatedimplementation strategies to enhancecommercial motor vehicle safety. The House andSenate have both unveiled their own six-yearsurface transportation reauthorization measures;however, as the negotiations continue over thecoming weeks, CVSA will keep the membershipappraised of all significant developments as theHouse and Senate seek to find common groundas they are currently divided on how to fund along-term bill.

Within the regulatory arena, the transportationsafety regulations within Canada, Mexico andthe United States provide the foundation to asuccessful standardized and uniform roadsideinspection program throughout North America.As a result, whether you are representingindustry, government or enforcement, theregulations provide the regulatory authority tosuccessfully perform your jobs each and everyday. Therefore, the CVSA committee structurecontinues to provide a forum for memberjurisdictions and industry stakeholders to raiseconcerns and work toward resolving regulatorysafety compliance issues by activelyparticipating in the rulemaking process. Thiscan be accomplished in a variety of ways, suchas petitioning the agency/department ofjurisdiction, commenting on a variety ofproposed regulatory safety enhancements,development of operational policy, or updatingthe North American Standard Out-of-ServiceCriteria, all with the goal of improvingcommercial motor vehicle safety on our NorthAmerican highways. This collaborativeenvironment continues to be the cornerstoneto our organizational success.

Another key development over the past fewmonths has been the development of a newand enhanced strategic plan. The last

comprehensive CVSA Strategic Plan wasdeveloped in 2004, with a few minor updatesin 2010. In late 2014, the Alliance entered intoa consulting agreement with SherconAssociates, Inc. and a work plan was approvedshortly thereafter, in January 2015. In the weeksand months that followed, we entered into theenvironmental scanning phase, which involveda document review, membership survey, andinterviews with government and industrystakeholders. Once completed, the ExecutiveCommittee participated in a full-day strategydevelopment session during our 2015 CVSAWorkshop in Jacksonville, Florida, and adiscussion paper was distributed to themembership for input.

During our 2015 CVSA Annual Conference &Exhibition in Boise, Idaho, the ExecutiveCommittee, in collaboration with ourcommittee and program leadership, revised theplan based on the input received during themembership consultation. Since the strategicplanning process to review the organization’smission, identify future directions and establishpriorities is nearing completion, we areentering the implementation process.

Currently, the anticipated rollout of a new andrefined strategic plan will occur at either ourupcoming 2016 CVSA Workshop in Chicago,Illinois, in April or our 2016 CVSA AnnualConference & Exhibition in Little Rock,Arkansas, in September. Stay tuned for moredetails and developments.

As we move into 2016, the Alliance willcontinue to closely monitor, evaluate andidentify potentially unsafe transportationprocesses and procedures to help facilitate andimplement best practices for enhancing safetyon our highways. Commercial motor vehiclesafety continues to be a challenge and we needthe involvement of all affected parties to helpus better understand these issues and put intoplace practical solutions. n

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

IN S I GH T


Give Me a BrakeBy JW Watlington, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement, Arizona Department of Public Safety

Over the past year or so, as the2014 NAIC Grand Champion, Ihave written about differenttopics in the “Inspectors Corner”section of this magazine. Most of

it was random ramblings and brain drool, as I’msure you’re aware, if you read any of it. Thistime, as the awesome J.D. Berrong (anotherprotégé of Sgt. Benjamin Gates) of the NorthCarolina Highway Patrol takes over as the newNAIC Grand Champion (see pages 30-31), I’d liketo speak about a safety issue that concerns me.

Lately, I’ve been alone with my thoughts,reading the Heavy and Overweight Vehicle BrakeTesting: Combination Five-Axle Tractor-FlatbedFinal Report. See, all these smart folks andengineer types got together and figured out a way to measure effective braking of acommercial motor vehicle under different loadsand differing mechanical defects to see how itaffected stopping distances. In my opinion,these folks did some good work and the datacollected was eye opening, even to a simplerattlesnake fisherman like me.

First and foremost, when looking at thestopping distances of a commercial vehicletraveling at 60 mph, with gross vehicle weight(GVW) between 60,000 and 116,000 pounds,and with a fully functioning brake system, I wasimpressed. Although you nearly double theweight, the difference on the high end wasmerely 40 feet. I reckon the increased weightand downforce on the tires helps increase thecoefficient of friction or some such. But nomatter what, the increased weight/stoppingdistance ratio is pretty much a statistical wash.Again though, this involved a fully functioningbrake system.

Now to simplify my article, I kept things simple. I looked at between 60,000 to 80,000balanced and 80,000 unbalanced loads,stopping at 60 mph with the air pressureunimpeded. With all the brakes functioning, the average stopping distances were withinapproximately 2 feet, respectively. However,when you look at the difference betweendisabling front drive vs. rear trailer brakes, the same does not hold true.

When the trailer brakes were disabled, anincrease in stopping distance was observed in

the ballpark of 24 to 34 feet, as one wouldexpect. But, when the front drive axles weredisabled, the increase is betweenapproximately 80 to 100 feet!

Now remember, I’m only talking about thevehicles that had good air pressure. I’m surethis has something to do with physics, inertia orsomething like that; all the weight shifting ontothe power unit during stopping. If we allow theregular operation of the commercial vehicle inreverse, I’m sure the trailer brakes will play amore significant role, but I digress. One neverfinds air leaks, crimped air lines, cut air lines, badtreadle valves, ruptured diaphragms or othernefarious brake defects on commercial vehicles…right? When you look at the variable airpressures, some of the stopping distancedifferences are staggering, to say the least.

So what’s my point? Simply this: if the CVSA out-of-service criteria is going to give out-of-serviceguidance for those defects which represent animminent hazard, at what point are we going tosay brake defects on a power unit represent asignificant imminent hazard? At least moresignificant than those same defects when foundon a trailer. Defective brakes on a tractor shouldput the tractor out, irrespective of the 20 percentcriteria. That’s my opinion.

Now, some will take issue and say we can’tjustify holding the power units to a higherstandard when coupled in a complete brakecombination. I say, that’s bull. We already holdpower units to higher standards, i.e., front steeraxle brakes, front steer tires. And I have yet tosee a trailer placed out of service for adefective drive shaft or excessive steeringwheel lash.

Take this example: A NAS Level I Inspection iscompleted on a 5-axle truck tractor/semi-trailercombination. Both brakes on axle two are outof adjustment, but only half a defect. Onebrake on axle four is out of adjustment, butonly half a defect. So each unit gets anadditional violation for automatic slackadjusters not compensating for wear, and let’sthrow in an air leak at a proper connection orunknown location. Six total brake defects and ifthe tractor passes the air loss rate test, it’s“Vaya con dios, amigo!” This is bad, and wehave the data to show it.

This is the place to have this discussion. We knowit literally takes an act of Congress to change theregulations, but the CVSA Vehicle Committeedoes not fall under such bureaucratic oppression.Changes can be made in this forum, this is wherethe discussion can occur, and it’s a discussionthat should be held. Think about it. Two yearsago, we had nothing related to drivelines/driveshafts, but discussions were held and“Voila,” change happened.

I encourage all of you to get a copy of the Heavyand Overweight Vehicle Brake Testing: CombinationFive-Axle Tractor-Flatbed Final Report published bythe Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Print thecharts and peruse the data. It will be well worthyour time and may even open your eyes.

Now, on another note, I want again to expressmy sincere gratitude to you all for making mylife exponentially better. Seriously, beingnamed the 2014 NAIC Grand Champion was thehighlight of my professional career. All youfolks associated with CVSA are among thefinest folks I’ve ever met, and it is a true honorto be considered as one of your peers. I hopewe can remain friends and colleagues, even asmy quarterly columns come to an end.

One more thing: The second paragraph of thisarticle discusses rattlesnake fishing. Here goes:Get yourself a cane pole, 3 to 4 feet of fishingline, a few weights, a midsized treble hook and aheating torch. As we all know, rattlesnakes areattracted to heat. In the spring, when mean “Mr. No Shoulders” comes out of hibernation and starts slithering around in the sun, take yourfishing tackle and hit the road for adventure.Take your torch and heat up that treble hook.Once you get the rattlesnake coiled up andhissing, dangle that hot treble hook in front ofhim swaying it back and forth and wait for him totake the bait. Hours of inexpensive fun for theentire family.

Good luck and thanks for the memories. n

JW Watlington is not responsible for any injuriesincurred during participation in the activity knownas rattlesnake fishing.

I N S I G H T

GUARDIAN4

ELD Adoption – Not Happening OvernightBy Stuart Wood, Content Marketing, Big Road Trucking

Keeping accurate hours-of-service(HOS) records is very useful forvehicle operators, carriers and lawenforcement. For drivers, they are a means to keep track of the hours

they can legally work. For carriers, HOS recordsare used as part of their safety and complianceprograms, including regular internal and externalaudits. For law enforcement, they are used todetermine and manage driver fatigue and HOScompliance for both carriers and drivers.

When logs are completed correctly, they canexpedite a roadside inspection, saving time forboth the officer and the driver. When logs arenot completed correctly, they impact business,resulting in hefty fines and out-of-service (OOS)violations.

With this in mind, it’s worth taking a look at thevarious ways commercial motor vehicle (CMV)operators are keeping records of duty status(RODS), what differences they possess and howthat impacts front-line inspectors.

Paper LogbooksDespite advances in technology in our everydaylives, we are far from a paper-free society. Most industries have already adoptedautomated digital processes to help reducepaperwork, but transportation has beennotoriously slow in this regard. Manycompanies still rely on time-intensive paper-based processes to conduct their business.Paper logs are a perfect example of one suchprocess.

Driver logbooks have been around, in some form,since the earliest days of transportation, and withthem required as a backup to an ELD, they won’tbe going away any time soon.

Their main strength is familiarity. Everyoneknows what that information-rich sheet with thegrid graph looks like, even if they haven’t learnedhow to use it properly. Where paper logs oftenfall flat is through the sheer amount ofinformation that needs to be recorded on them.Each sheet requires a minimum of 11 separatebits of information to be filled out by hand and

that manual effort doesn’t even include keepingthe graph current. That's a lot of information tokeep track of, and the singular reason form andmanner errors are so prevalent with paper logs.

This information overload isn’t the only problem. Users are also required to performmental arithmetic to keep track of their hours.They have to total their hours for the day,calculate when to take a 30-minute break andtrack when they need to take time off to resettheir duty cycle. This strategy is likely to robthem of some of their available time during theday, as they round their time up and down tomake it all fit in the grid graph.

Drivers also have to keep their logs current —updating their log at every change of dutystatus. It’s a lot to keep track of when trying tostay compliant. In an effort to keep up, it’s notuncommon for some drivers to fill out theirlogs all in one go at the end of the day.

But, to err is human. From an inspectionstandpoint, going over paper logs can often be time consuming. Dealing with sloppyhandwriting and messy error corrections,regardless of the reasons why, only exacerbatesthe readability problems and will likely notimpress the inspecting officer, either.

Not only do calculations have to be doublechecked and alleged distances traveledcompared, but also there exists the sevenprevious days’ logs to go through as well.

When logs are completedcorrectly, they canexpedite a roadsideinspection, savingtime for both theofficer and thedriver.

KNOWLEDGE MATTERS

Paper logbook.

This slows down the whole inspection processthat, in turn, causes more lost time not just forthe driver and carrier but for the officer as well.

With diligence, paper logs can be fine for keepingtrack of a driver's HOS. But, as part of a largersafety and compliance commitment, they are apoor choice when it comes to auditing purposes.Paper requires a lot of space to store, and it’s atime-intensive process combing through boxes of paper to make sure records are in order.Absolutely, room for improvement exists and thisis where electronic records come into play.

Electronic LogbooksAs popular alternatives to paper logs, electroniclogbooks offer much the same experience aspaper logs while removing the grind ofmanually filling out reams of paperwork.

While electronic aids to logging have beenaround since the 1980s, it wasn’t until the lastfew years that their popularity soared. Theirsuccess has been partly due to the rise of thebring-your-own-device (BYOD) culture that hashit every industry in the business world. In thepast, hardware solutions might have beenconsidered prohibitively expensive for a lot ofsmall carriers. Following FMCSA’s clarificationon the legality of electronic logbooks onsmartphones and tablets in July 2014, appshave become a more affordable method to staycompliant with HOS for both drivers and fleets.

Working as an assistant to HOS recordkeeping by tracking and calculating available hours andautomatically making the necessary calculations,electronic logbooks provide much more accurateRODS with minimal effort on the part of theoperator. Being able to track HOS in real-timewhile providing visual cues gives drivers a betteroverall sense of their available hours.

Using an electronic logbook can greatly reduceor eliminate form and manner issues caused bythe simple clerical errors that can happen on adaily basis. Calculations are automated andalways accurate, allowing the user the freedomof not having to worry about their HOS.

Electronic logbooks demonstrate the first steptoward HOS compliance for many vehicleoperators and carriers. They help promotebetter habits, as drivers tend to drive less hardwhen they are more aware of the actual timethey have remaining in their shift. Often,drivers realize they have more available timethan they thought. As logs are in real-time, they can also stop worrying about makingeverything fit in 15-minute increments.

With this technology in place, inspecting logson a handheld device couldn’t be simpler. With modes specifically designed for inspectionpurposes, electronic logbooks offer instantaccess to all the required information alongwith the previous seven days' logs. Logs areclear, concise and easy to read. While printinghas long been the method of delivery,electronic logbooks also offer the ability toemail and fax logs — making life for theinspector much easier. As long as the deviceoffers electronic signature, the driver does notneed to carry a printout of their previous sevendays' RODS.

Cutting out the paperwork saves a lot of timeduring inspections and has the bonus of beingbetter for the environment. Not only does lawenforcement benefit from the time savings butcompliant drivers and carriers also enjoy theability to get back on the road as quickly aspossible.

Automatic On-board RecordingDevices (AOBRD)AOBRDs offer automatic recording of drivingtime without any driver interaction. Prior toELDs, this was the only legally compliant loggingdevice connected to a vehicle’s engine. AnAOBRD must be capable of recording — at thevery least — the date, time, engine use, distancedriven and speed driven by the vehicle.

Adding another level of automation to logs,AOBRDs make HOS compliance even easier for the operator. Having the driving timeautomatically recorded leaves no doubt whathours the operator has available. Further, thisautomation reduces the time needed tocomplete the typical clerical tasks seen withpaper-based logs.

I N S I G H T


Automatic On-board Recording Device (AOBRD).

Electronic logbook.

Continued on next page

I N S I G H T

GUARDIAN6

Continued from page 5

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.

2016 Deadlines for Article Submissions:Q1 2016 — Dec. 11, 2015Q2 2016 — March 11, 2016Q3 2016 — June 10, 2016Q4 2016 — Sept. 9, 2016

Questions?Please contact CVSA at 301-830-6152 [email protected].

CALL FOR GUARDIANSUBMISSIONS

Eliminating form and manner issues and beingable to keep the driver’s log always current,AOBRDs allow for stricter adherence to HOSregulations. Less input from the driver isrequired, further reducing the chance of human error and making the life of theinspecting officer much easier.

AOBRDs can also offer a level of protection tothe carrier and driver. The data they capturefrom being connected to the engine can beused as hard evidence in court cases and otherlegal proceedings. Electronic records can bestored indefinitely, and the data trail theycreate provides critical information andaccurate records of a vehicle’s location, thespeed of a vehicle, time spent driving and howlong the engine has been running.

Due to the limited amount of manual inputrequired from the driver, less is brought intoquestion regarding their HOS, making it a loteasier for law enforcement. As noted earlier,there is no need to print logs with an AOBRDduring a roadside inspection as long as thedevice has a screen and can clearly display the following:

• Driver’s total hours of driving that day

• Total hours on duty that day

• Total miles driving that day

• Total hours on duty for the consecutiveseven-day period, including that day

• Total hours on duty for the priorconsecutive eight-day period, including the present day

• Sequential changes in duty status and thetimes the changes occurred for each driverusing the device

Logs can be sent electronically and on-demandto law enforcement. However, if an officer doesrequire any additional information from thedriver’s log, that can be sent by email or faxwithin 48 hours after the roadside inspection.

While this collection of logging methods iscurrently being employed to document driverRODS on the road today, the landscape is quicklychanging. While many companies are swiftlymaking the switch to ELDs, many are slow toadopt and will wait until the last minute beforecomplying with the mandate ruling.

So why are they waiting? Every driver or carrierhas their reasons. One big reason they’ll waituntil the deadline is because they believe theycan’t run legal without a little “wiggle-room” inlogs. But, we have learned about the upsides toAOBRD functionality for drivers – from realizingthey have more hours than they thought, toautomation of clerical tasks, to running clean andlegal inspection logs while effortlessly adheringto HOS. At the end of the day, it will be theseamless inspection experience that will help winthem over to ELD. n

I N S I G H T


Vehicle manufacturers and suppliersare making big efforts to producecleaner vehicles, both to give ananswer to the requirements ofsociety and to fulfill approval

standards. In the interest of environmental and health protection as well as faircompetition, it is important to ensure vehicleson European roads are maintained to a highdegree of technical roadworthiness, taking intoaccount the standards the vehicle was designedto meet, the latest developments in vehicle andmeasurement technology, and the need foreconomically viable solutions.

For modern-technology vehicles and engineswith on-board diagnostics (OBD), and after-treatment systems, such as exhaust gasrecirculation (EGR), diesel particulate filters(DPFs), selective catalytic reduction (SCR), etc.,there is a need to review the regulations whichapply to the periodic technical inspection (PTI).In order to ensure the negative impact on theenvironment and health is as low as possibleand to improve air quality sustainably, it iscrucial to keep the benefit of the new vehicles’design during their whole life. This means thatmalfunctions of the emission system have to bedetected during the periodic emission test andeliminated immediately.

CITA has undertaken the Sustainable EmissionTest (SET) Project with the aim of assessingavailable approaches of in-use vehicle testingand to adapt vehicle inspection techniques tonew and stricter pollutant emission thresholds.

Six countries were involved (Belgium, France,Germany, The Netherlands, Spain and Sweden)and more than 3,000 vehicles have been testedon the field over one year.

The data retrieved have been analysed to:

• Compare OBD read out (fault codes, RCstatus, status information) versus the tailpipeemission test (CO, k values for PM).

• Define suitable thresholds for PM-measurement devices (m-1;mg/m3) for dieselvehicles, taking into account accuracy ofmeasurement devices as well as the level ofgross pollutants today.

• Define new thresholds for CO measurement,taking into account accuracy ofmeasurement devices as well as level ofgross pollutants today.

• Compile a precise recommendation,including a cost-benefit analysis.

The main conclusions CITA has drawn from thisstudy are:

• OBD and tailpipe emission testing arecomplementary.

• Periodical inspection may be enhanced withmore adequate limits for newer and cleanervehicles (Euro V and Euro VI vehicles).

• Enhancing the periodical inspection ofpollutant emissions in Europe as defined inthe project has a benefit between seven and12 times higher than the cost.

The SET Project was presented to the EuropeanCommission, stakeholders and industries onSept. 22, 2015, in Brussels.

For more information about the SET Project, visit www.cita-vehicleinspection.org.

CITA is an international not-for-profit association,based in Brussels, Belgium. It represents all typesof organizations and stakeholders (government,private sector, dedicated inspection centers,garage-based test centers and test equipmentmanufacturers) who share a common interestin exchanging information and developing bestpractices and drafting international standardsin the field of road vehicle inspection. Its workfocuses on improving transport sustainabilitywith particular emphasis on road safety andenvironmental protection. n

KNOWLEDGE MATTERS

The SET Project: Sustainable Emmision TestThe Largest Emissions Project for In-Use Vehicles Conducted in EuropeBy Daniele D’Onofrio, Communications Officer, International Motor Vehicle Inspection Committee, CITA Secretariat

CITA has undertakenthe SET Project withthe aim of assessingavailable approachesof in-use vehicletesting and to adaptvehicle inspectiontechniques to newand stricter pollutantemission thresholds.

Over the years, hundreds ofindividual drivers, motor carriers,manufacturers and associationshave asked the Federal MotorCarrier Safety Administration

(FMCSA) for special treatment under theagency’s safety rules. In many cases, regulatorshave agreed, granting temporary exemptionsfrom a variety of federal mandates. The result isthat not everyone has to play by the same rules.

The issue is a growing concern, because no yearin FMCSA’s 15-year history has seen quite somany exemptions as 2015. In just the first eightmonths of the year, the agency granted 14 broadexemptions applicable to hundreds of thousandsof drivers and vehicles. That’s half of the 28exemptions currently in force related to hours ofservice, vehicle equipment, driver licensing andcargo securement. And that doesn’t include thehundreds of other exemptions that currentlyexist for individual drivers, such as thoseexempted from medical or licensing standards.Just keeping track of them all is a daunting task.

A Level of SafetyUnder federal law, FMCSA has authority to grantexemptions from its rules for up to two years, aslong as it first determines that public safety willnot be harmed. Or as stated in 49 CFR Sec.381.305, the exemption must “maintain a level ofsafety equivalent to, or greater than, the levelachieved without the exemption.”

Such temporary exemptions are quite differentthan the more permanent exemptions found inthe regulations themselves — see Secs. 390.3(f)and 395.1, for example. Temporary exemptionsare limited in time and scope, must be renewedperiodically, and are subject to immediatewithdrawal if safety problems arise. A driver whois exempt today, may not be tomorrow.Nevertheless, most exemptions are renewed,

very few are granted for less than two years andeven fewer are rescinded due to safety concerns.

Some argue that exemptions are unfair orunsafe, or that they call the regulationsthemselves into question. While their effects canbe debated, there is no doubt that exemptionsmake enforcement difficult. Those granted anexemption can operate commercial vehicles ina way that would not otherwise be allowed. But in many cases, they don’t need to carry any evidence that they’re legitimately exempt. This leaves it up to enforcement personnel todecipher the facts and make sure that:

• A driver claiming an exemption is actuallyeligible for it.

• The exemption is still in effect.

• The driver is using the exemption properly.

All of this puts roadside enforcement officials in a difficult position — having to tell who’sexempt and who isn’t, at any given point intime. To that end, the following is a snapshot of the multi-driver/multi-vehicle exemptionsthat were in effect as of September 2015. All exemptions are published in the FederalRegister, where complete details can be found.

Exemptions are here to stay and they can servea legitimate purpose, both in providing relief tothose who suffer hardship under the rules andin fostering new approaches to safety. Butgiven the difficulties they pose at the roadside,it’s incumbent upon enforcement officials tostay well-informed of the growing list of activeexemptions, and make sure drivers and motorcarriers are using them properly.

On the following three pages, you'll find chartsdetailing FMCSA exemptions for hours ofservice, video recorders/cameras/sensors, otherequipment/securement and CDL licensing. n

I N S I G H T

GUARDIAN8

KNOWLEDGE MATTERS

2015: The Year of the ExemptionBy Daren Hansen, Senior Editor, Transportation Safety, J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.

“To every rule, there is an exception,” the old proverb goes, and that certainly holdstrue for Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.

CVSA OFFERSExEMPTIONS TRACkERFOR ITS MEMBERS

CVSA helps you keep track of regulatoryexemptions by offering a listing of all activeexemptions in your CVSA online memberaccount. The Exemptions Tracker listsexemptions for hours of service (HOS),parts and accessories necessary for safeoperation, qualification of drivers, andqualification of driver’s license standards.

Visit www.cvsa.org and click on“Member Login” at the top of thewebpage to go to your online CVSAaccount. Once you're logged in, click onthe "Exemptions Tracker" at the top of the page to see a listing of exemptions.

Hours of Service

I N S I G H T



APPLICABILITY

*Drivers transporting security-sensitive hazmat loadsrequiring placarding, or non-placarded select agentsand toxins, and who have filed security plansrequiring constant hazmat attendance under172.800-172.804

*All ready-mixed concrete truck drivers

*Drivers of specialized oversize/overweight loadsmoving in interstate commerce that require agovernment-issued permit

All drivers transporting livestock

*Interstate bee transporters

*Team drivers for Mckee Foods Corp., based in Collegedale, TN

*Drivers engaged in interstate logging transportationoriginating in Oregon forestlands subject to an ORDept. of Forestry (ODF)-imposed Industrial FirePrecaution Level 3

Drivers transporting security-sensitive materials forthe U.S. Dept. of Defense’s Military SurfaceDeployment and Distribution Command

Dept. of Energy contract drivers transporting security-sensitive radioactive materials

All regular-route, for-hire passenger carriers

Certain member-carriers of the American PyrotechnicsAssociation who transport fireworks during June 28-July 8, 2016

RockTenn paper mill drivers on a specific 275-footroute on Compress St. in Chattanooga, TN

DETAILS

May log 30-minute breaks as “on duty,” the same asdrivers transporting explosives. Drivers must carry acopy of the exemption. (395.3(a)(3)(ii))

May use 30 minutes of waiting (attendance) timelogged as “on duty” to satisfy the break requirement.Drivers must carry a copy of the exemption.(395.3(a)(3)(ii))

Exempt from 30-minute breaks. Drivers must carry acopy of the exemption. (395.3(a)(3)(ii))

Exempt from 30-minute breaks while transportinglivestock (no longer applies once unloaded).(395.3(a)(3)(ii))

Exempt from 30-minute breaks while transporting bees(no longer applies once unloaded). (395.3(a)(3)(ii))

May take the equivalent of 10 consecutive hours offduty by splitting sleeper-berth time into two periodstotaling 10 hours, provided neither is less than 3 hours.Drivers will use electronic logging devices and musthave at least 26 hours off duty, at home, from Fridaynight to Saturday night, and be limited to 10 hours ofdriving following 10 hours off (or the equivalent).(395.1(g)(1)(ii)(A))

Exempt from 30-minute breaks. Must be released fromduty within 12 consecutive hours after 10 hours off andremain within a 100 air-mile radius. Must carry a copyof the ODF order reflecting the fire alert level.(395.3(a)(3)(ii))

May log 30-minute breaks as “on duty,” the same asdrivers transporting explosives. Drivers must carry acopy of the exemption. (395.3(a)(3)(ii))

May log 30-minute breaks as “on duty,” the same asdrivers transporting explosives. (395.3(a)(3)(ii))

May log short stops of 10 minutes or less as “driving”instead of “on duty/not driving.” (395.8)

May exclude off-duty and sleeper-berth time of anylength from calculation of the 14-hour limit. Driversmust carry a copy of the exemption. (395.3(a)(2))

May work/drive for up to 16 consecutive hours with 8hours off. (395.3)

ESTIMATEDELIGIBILITY**

Unknown

3,400 interstatedrivers

Unknown

<135,000 drivers

>1,600 drivers

650 drivers

Unknown

3,000 drivers

53 drivers

Unknown

51 specific motorcarriers

1 tractor, multipledrivers

ExPIRES

8/21/2017

4/3/2017

6/8/2017

6/12/2017

6/19/2017

3/27/2016

3/20/2017

10/21/2015

6/30/2017

5/31/2017

7/8/2016

4/16/2016

*Indicates new exemption issued in 2015.**Based on estimates provided to FMCSA by exemption applicant.

I N S I G H T

GUARDIAN10


KNOWLEDGE MATTERS

Video Recorders/Cameras/SensorsThe following devices may be mounted in the area swept by the windshield wipers but must remain outside the driver’s sight lines to the road andhighway signs and signals. (393.60(e)(1))

APPLICABILITY

Greyhound and BoltBus drivers with video event recorders

Drivers with video event recorders fromDriveCam/Lytx

Drivers using any lane departure warningsystem, from any manufacturer, measuring 2" x 3.5" or smaller (the same size as Takata and Bendix sensors)

*Drivers operating Volvo/Prevost buses withlane departure warning systems

*Drivers using MobileEye camera-based collisionavoidance systems

*Seven motor carriers participating in a VirginiaTech Transportation Institute (VTTI) study forNHTSA and equipped with a camera-baseddata acquisition system

*Carriers using a HELP Inc. transponder system

DETAILS

Recorder/camera must be mounted no morethan 50 mm (2") below the upper edge of thewiper-swept area.



System must be mounted no more than 7" abovethe lower edge of the wiper-swept area.

Sensor must be mounted no more than 100 mm(4") below the upper or lower edge of the wiper-swept area.

System must be mounted within 3" of the bottomof the driver-side, wiper-swept area.

Device must be mounted 2" to the right of thecenter of the windshield and 2-3" above thedashboard. If that's not in the swept area, then itmay be mounted to the right of the windshieldcenter and as low as possible in the swept area.


Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

>100,000vehicles

(projected)

150 vehicles

Up to 430,000vehicles

(projected)

ExPIRES

3/20/2017

4/16/2017

11/25/2015

3/13/2017

3/20/2017

5/20/2017

6/22/2017


I N S I G H T


Other Equipment/Securement

APPLICABILITY

*All drivers engaged in towaway services

Drivers using trailers fitted with electric brakecontrollers, commonly including small rentaltrailers

Coach USA/Megabus double-deck motorcoacheswith sleeper berths

*MY2015 Ford Transit-based gas bus models (of all GVWRs), vans over 10,000 lbs. GVWR, andcorresponding future Transit-based models of thesame design produced on or after Aug. 12, 2015

Drivers transporting metal coils grouped in rowswith eyes crosswise and the coils in contactwith each other in the longitudinal direction

DETAILS

May use ultra-high-molecular-weightpolyethylene support blocks in lieu of hardwoodblocks to build up the height of the front end oftowed vehicles in driveaway-towawayoperations. (393.71(k)(4))

Must meet the hydraulic surge brakerequirements of §§393.48(d) and 393.49(c),substituting “trailer-mounted electric brakecontroller” for “surge brake.” (393.48-393.49)

Sleeper-berth entry/exit opening may be smallerthan currently required. (393.76(c)(1))

These vehicles do not need to meet the exhaustsystem location requirements. (393.83)

Coils do not need to be in raised bunks off thedeck. Front/rear coils must be secured with 4x4"or larger timbers that are at least three-fourths aslong as the width of the coil/row, tightly placedagainst the row and restrained in place. First/lastcoils in row must be secured with tiedown(s) toprevent forward/rearward motion, respectively.Each additional coil in row must be secured totrailer using tiedown assembly. (393.120)


Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

<50,000vehiclesannually

Unknown

ExPIRES

2/13/2017

2/13/2017

10/10/2016

8/14/2017

4/13/2017

CDL Licensing

APPLICABILITY

*Employees of driveaway-towaway companiesand RV manufacturers and dealers transportingRVs with a GVW up to 26,000 pounds betweenthe manufacturing site and dealer location andfor movements prior to first retail sale.

*Commercial learner’s permit (CLP) holdersworking for C.R. England, based in Salt LakeCity, UT

Virginia-licensed, interstate drivers who need aSkill Performance Evaluation (SPE) certificatedue to loss or impairment of limb(s)

DETAILS

Driver is exempt from CDL licensing. May be acombination of RV trailer/tow vehicle if thegross weight of the towed unit does not exceed10,000 pounds and the gross combined weightdoes not exceed 26,000 pounds. (383.91(a))

A CLP driver who has passed a CDL skills test maydrive without being accompanied by a CDL holderin the front seat. (383.25(a)(1))

May use SPE certificate issued by a Virginialicensing agency in lieu of a federal SPEcertificate. Must carry SPE certificate whiledriving. (391.49)


About 12,500annual RV trips

Severalthousand per year

Unknown

ExPIRES

4/6/2017

6/12/2017

7/8/2016


I N S I G H T

GUARDIAN12

KNOWLEDGE MATTERS

TSA's Exercise Information System Guides Users through Exercise Planning and Evaluation By David Cooper, Industry Engagement Manager – Highway, Office of Security Policy and Industry Engagement, Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

EXIS is an onlineexercise tool thatguides TSA leadershipand users through theexercise planningprocess and providesresources to design,document and evaluateexercises for alltransportation modes.

The Transportation SecurityAdministration's (TSA) ExerciseInformation System (EXIS) is an online exercise tool that guidesgovernment and industry users

through the exercise planning process andprovides resources to design, document andevaluate exercises for all transportation modes.

As the only TSA tool specifically tailored to the transportation industry, EXIS allows TSAleadership and users to share critical lessonslearned in robust exercise schedules.

EXIS offers a step-by-step approach as it guidesusers of all levels of expertise through exerciseplanning and evaluation. The tool directs usersthrough the considerations to develop anexercise-planning schedule and exercise scope. It enables users to select specific objectives andscenario elements, simplifying planningmeetings and review processes.

EXIS creates products such as participanthandouts and evaluation plans, alleviating someof the administrative burden from exerciseplanning teams and allowing organizations toimprove security preparedness by leveragingshared best practices and lessons learned.

TSA will launch an upgraded version of EXIS inJanuary 2016. Upgraded features will include:

• Key exercise planning components with auser-friendly interface

• Guided user interface for users of allexperience levels to develop both discussion-based and operations-based exercises

• Comprehensive scenarios specific to eachtransportation mode

• More robust document development for useat every step of the exercise process (i.e.invitations, planning meeting documents,exercise briefings, after action reports)

• A means for information dissemination with users sharing best practices and lessons learned

• A connection between users and the largertransportation community to foster growingrelationships

TSA provides access to EXIS at no cost as anintegral part of the Intermodal Security Trainingand Exercise Program (I-STEP).

To become an ExIS user, visithttp://exis.tsa.dhs.gov and click on the“Register” tab to complete the registrationform. Once TSA approves your application,you will receive email updates advising you of your status. n


House Approves Highway Bill;Next StepsOn Nov. 5, 2015, the U.S. House ofRepresentatives passed the SurfaceTransportation Reauthorization & Reform(STRR) Act of 2015. The Senate passed theirown bill, the Developing a Reliable andInnovative Vision for the Economy (DRIVE) Actof 2015, on July 30, 2015. Now that bothchambers have completed a bill, the legislationcan advance to the conference committeestage. Both the House and Senate will namemembers to participate in the conferencecommittee. The House named their confereesimmediately following passage of the STRR Act.The Senate will wait to name conferees untilafter officially receiving the House bill, whichwill take a few days as the House clerk willneed to incorporate amendments accepted onthe House floor. Once conferees are named,members of the conference committee willmeet to reconcile the House and Senateversions of the bill, working to find acompromise proposal that will be able to passboth the House and Senate.

Current highway program authority expires Nov. 20, 2015, giving Congress just two weeks toreach agreement and pass a bill before leavingfor the Thanksgiving recess. While the House andSenate bills have a lot of similarities, there arealso significant differences that will need to beresolved. Most prominent, perhaps, is thefunding issue, as the House and Senate use adifferent set of pay-fors to fund their respectivebills. Further complicating matters is the fact thatthe House bill provides funding for a full six-yearbill, while the Senate bill includes funding for thefirst three years only.

STRR HighlightsThe House bill was considered on the floor overthe course of a couple of days. A number ofamendments to the bill were approved duringthis process. While the House and Senatemotor carrier titles are very similar, there are ahandful of major differences, along with anumber of minor differences as well.

• Grants Reorganization: House lawmakersleft a number of provisions out of theirversion of the Motor Carrier SafetyAssistance Program (MCSAP) grantsreorganization, including the authority forFMCSA to re-obligate and flex unspent

grant funds within and between grantaccounts. Both the House and Senate billsmake changes to states’ authority toinspect passenger-carrying commercialmotor vehicles en route, but the House billspecifically excludes weigh stations as aneligible location. The House bill also setsfunding for MCSAP grants at a slightlylower level than the Senate bill.

• Regulatory Reform: The House section onregulatory reform is very similar tolanguage in the DRIVE Act; however, theHouse bill has a separate section directlyaddressing regulatory review (a CVSApriority), which was not included as astandalone item in the Senate bill.

• Exemptions: Both the House and Senatebills contain a number of industryexemptions.

• CDL Age: Both the House and Senate billsseek to address lowering the current CDLage; however, the chambers disagree overwhat age to begin issuing CDLs. The Housebill also calls for the formation of a workinggroup to consider creating a graduated CDLprogram, while the Senate bill goes straightto setting up a pilot program for youngerdrivers.

• CSA: Both bills call for a study of theCompliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA)program, the establishment of a “BeyondCompliance” program, and the removal ofSMS scores from public view until issueswith the program can be addressed.

• Violation Self-Reporting: The House billalso includes a provision directing FMCSAto investigate the feasibility of setting up aself-reporting system for drivers andcarriers to report defects found en route.No such provision was included in theSenate bill.

Full summaries of both bills, as well as asection-by-section comparison can be foundunder the Legislative Updates page of the CVSAwebsite (www.cvsa.org/news/2015_legislative).

Appropriations UpdateCongress has also made progress on addressingfunding for fiscal year (FY) 2016. The presidentand Congress came to agreement in Novemberon an overall budget deal that allows Congress toset spending levels for FY 2016. In early

November, members of the House and SenateAppropriations Committees were working tofinalize an omnibus appropriations bill that bothchambers can support. Their deadline forreaching agreement is Dec. 11, 2015, when thelatest continuing resolution expires. Earlier thisyear, both the House and Senate proposedspending bills for FY 2016. Both proposals keepMCSAP funding consistent with FY 2015 levels. Inaddition, both bills also contain a number ofpolicy provisions and miscellaneous exemptions.Discussion on which of these to include will bepart of the omnibus negotiations.

ELD, SFD Rules Delayed Despite an Oct. 30, 2015 publication deadline inthe October version of FMCSA’s monthly Reporton Significant Rulemakings, the ElectronicLogging Devices Final Rule was still under reviewat the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)as of mid-November. The agency’s Safety FitnessDetermination Notice of Proposed Rulemaking(NPRM) was similarly delayed by OMB, missing aNov. 4, 2015 publication deadline. The new Entry-Level Driver Training NPRM has also beendelayed, and the agency now expects to publishthe NPRM on Dec.11, 2015.

FMCSA Responds to CVSAPetitionsOn Oct. 7, 2015, FMCSA issued an NPRMaddressing a number of outstanding CVSApetitions, as well as requests from theAmerican Trucking Associations and theNational Transportation Safety Board. TheNPRM proposed a series of changes andtechnical corrections to Parts 393, 396 andAppendix G. Additional details can be found onthe Regulatory Updates page of the CVSAwebsite (www.cvsa.org/news/2015_regulatory).

CVSA Petitions FMCSA, PHMSAFollowing the 2015 CVSA Annual Conference & Exhibition, CVSA submitted two petitions toU.S. DOT. First, CVSA petitioned FMCSA toremove the 30-minute rest break requirementfrom regulation, citing difficulty in enforceabilityand the number of exemptions granted from therequirement. CVSA also petitioned the Pipelineand Hazardous Materials Safety Administration(PHMSA) to correct the § 172.336 of theHazardous Materials Regulations, reinstating twosections inadvertently removed from regulationas part of a 2013 rulemaking. n

THE LEGISLATIVE & REGULATORY RUNDOWN By Adrienne Gildea, Director, Policy & Government Affairs, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance

GO V E R NME N T N E W S


GUARDIAN14

On April 10, 2014, a 2007 Volvotruck-tractor pulling two 28-foottrailers, operated by FedEx FreightInc., was traveling southbound onInterstate 5 in Orland, California,

when the driver failed to maintain control of hisvehicle and traversed the 58-foot center medianinto northbound traffic. There the combinationvehicle struck a 2013 Nissan Altima four-doorpassenger car and crashed nearly head-on into a2014 Setra motorcoach.

The motorcoach, operated by Silverado Stages,Inc., was carrying 42 high-school students andthree adult chaperones for a weekend visit toHumboldt State University. Five students, thechaperones, bus driver, and truck driver died asa result of the crash and the fire. Thirty-sevenmotorcoach passengers and the two passengercar occupants suffered injuries of varyingdegrees.

The National Transportation Safety Board(NTSB), a federal agency created to determinethe causes of crashes such as this one, workeddiligently to discover what went wrong inOrland that evening last April. The NTSB

mission includes issuing recommendations,which, if acted on, will help prevent futurerecurrences of such tragedies. The Orlandinvestigation highlights important lessonsabout post-crash commercial passenger vehiclesurvivability.

The NTSB first called for improved emergencyegress and fire safety standards formotorcoaches over four decades ago. In thepast 45 years, we have investigated crash aftercrash and fire after fire, where improvedoccupant protection could have preventedfatalities and injuries. These critical safetyrecommendations, addressed again in theOrland report, focus on motorcoach and busfire safety, emergency egress and pre-tripsafety briefings for passengers.

Although motorcoach travel is extremely safeand fires are rare, we hope that by discussingour findings from the recent Orland post-crashfire, along with continuing to advocate forimplementation of our recommendations, wecan collectively address post-crash survivabilityin commercial passenger vehicles and preventadditional loss of life.

Beyond Impact: OccupantProtection Through Improved Fire Performance StandardsThe NTSB investigation revealed inadequaciesin the National Highway Traffic SafetyAdministration (NHTSA) fire performancestandards for commercial passenger vehicleinteriors. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard(FMVSS) 302 specifies the burn resistancerequirements for materials used in the occupantcompartments of passenger vehicles, trucks andbuses; it is intended to reduce deaths andinjuries caused by vehicle fires.

However, FMVSS 302 flammability testinginvolves a small-scale fire source as a testmethod to represent fire originating in thepassenger compartment from sources such asmatches or cigarettes. This outdated fire sourcediffers drastically from the common causes oftoday’s bus fires, such as in-service ignition(engine fires, wheel well fires) or post-crashfuel-fed fires.

The NTSB found this standard to be lessstringent than the flammability standards

NTSB Investigation of 2014 Truck-Motorcoach Collision and Fire Results in Call for Survivability Enhancements to Motorcoaches and Buses

By Michele Beckjord, Senior Survival Factors Investigator and Project Manager, Office of Highway Safety, National Transportation Safety Board



applied for interior materials in the passengercompartments in other modes of transportationunder U.S. Department of Transportation safetyoversight, such as aviation, rail and transit buses. As a result of this finding, we issued arecommendation to NHTSA calling for anupgrade to testing protocols for flammabilityand smoke emission characteristics.

Evacuating a Burning MotorcoachOn that early April evening, dozens of high-school students struggled to exit a burningmotorcoach after surviving the nearly head-onimpact. To make matters worse, the motorcoachinterior materials were not designed to resistsuch a major fire. Even with the approaching fire,many passengers hesitated to jump from theemergency windows⎯which were more than 7feet above ground. This distance is higher thanthe wings of some airplanes, which are requiredto have escape slides.

Passengers reported being panicked and notknowing how to evacuate the bus because ofthe inoperable front loading door, the quicklyspreading fire and the intense heat. Their visionwas impaired by thick, black smoke and noemergency exit lighting guided them. The heavy emergency exit windows were a challenge to locate and did not have amechanism to keep them open while allowingpassengers to escape.

The NTSB determined that at least twopassengers died because they could not exitthe motorcoach before succumbing toasphyxiation due to inhaling smoke. Ourinvestigation revealed that neither of the twomotorcoach drivers (the one who began thetrip and the accident driver) had played thepre-recorded safety briefing provided bySilverado Stages. The NTSB strongly supportspassenger safety education in all modes oftransportation. Emergency instructions can becrucial to a safe and expedient evacuation inthe event of a crash or fire. In the Orland crash,these instructions likely could have saved livesand mitigated injuries.

Even though motorcoaches are one of thesafest modes of transportation, “It isunacceptable for anyone who survives a crashto perish in a post-crash fire because the exitswere too hard to find or too difficult to use,”said NTSB Chairman Christopher A. Hart.

Solutions for Safety: Doors and DemonstrationsIf these students had been passengers on anairline, the interior of their plane would havebeen built with materials capable of resisting a major fire. They would have been given arequired safety briefing and would have hadaccess to mandatory printed safety instructions.They would also have been guided byindependently powered emergency exit lighting(floor lighting below the smoke) and emergencyexit signage to additional door and window exitswith slides if the jump exceeded 6 feet to theground. None of these safety protections arerequired for motorcoach passengers.

Motorcoaches and buses must be designed toaccommodate the rapid egress of all persons inan emergency situation. After the Orland crash,the NTSB reiterated several long-standingrecommendations for standards that wouldrequire independently powered lightingfixtures, use of photoluminescent material tomark emergency exits and windows thatremain open during emergency evacuations.

Although federal safety standards permit asecond door that can be used as an emergencyexit, they do not require such. The NTSB foundthat having a secondary door for use as anemergency exit would expedite evacuations and

reduce the potential for injuries caused byjumping from window exits. We recommendedthat NHTSA require a secondary door in newlybuilt motorcoaches and buses. Finally, the NTSBrecommended that the Federal Motor CarrierSafety Administration require safety briefings andprinted evacuation instructions for passengers.

Saving Lives: Advocating forMore than “Safe Enough”We cannot undo the terrible toll of the crashthat occurred in Orland on April 10, 2014. Wecan, however, repeat our urgent message toregulators and the motorcoach and tourindustry to take appropriate action to givemotorcoach passengers a better chance ofescaping from post-crash fires and other fires.The NTSB recommendations, if acted upon, willgive motorcoach passengers a level of safetyprotection in the event of a fire or evacuationcomparable to that available to passengerstraveling by rail and air.

The NTSB has reiterated its recommendations,testified before Congress, and advocated forvoluntary safety improvements within theindustry. The Orland crash was a tragedy, but it can also be a turning point. Now it is up toregulators to implement these safetyrecommendations to prevent such post-crashtragedies in the future. n

Robert Accetta, Investigator-In-Charge, National Transportation Safety Board.


GUARDIAN16

Ensuring all commercial motor vehicledrivers on our roads are fit to operatelarge trucks and buses is a primaryfocus of the Federal Motor CarrierSafety Administration (FMCSA). Part of

that requires our Agency to safeguard againstfraud and verify that only medically qualifieddrivers are operating commercial vehicles.

The National RegistryIn April 2015, FMCSA published the NationalRegistry 2 (NR2) Final Rule to speed up thesubmission of medical information aboutcommercial motor vehicle (CMV) driver physicalsto FMCSA for transmission to the state licensingagencies. The final rule requires medicalexaminers to use an updated Medical ExaminerReport form and gives them a one-day deadlineto report results of driver physicals.

This new rule is the next significant step inensuring only medically qualified drivers are on the roads. The purpose of the medicalexaminer’s certification (MEC) integration in theFederal Register (Docket No. FMCSA-2012-0178)(NR2) is to facilitate the electronic transmissionof the MEC to the state driver licensing agency(SDLA), and ultimately the Commercial Driver'sLicense Information System (CDLIS) driverrecord starting in 2018.

Implementation of the final rule will greatlyreduce MEC fraud by negating the need for papercopies of the MEC, while transmitting the resultsof the exam directly to the SDLA for immediateposting to the CDLIS record.

The same rule requires FMCSA to electronicallytransmit medical variance information for allcommercial driver's license (CDL) holders to theSDLAs and ultimately to the CDLIS driver record.Transmission of the most recent MEC will allowauthorized state and federal enforcementofficials to view the most current and accurateinformation regarding medical status.

As of July 8, 2015, commercial license permit(CLP) holders must meet all medicalcertification requirements. The electronictransmission of MEC and variance informationto the SDLAs will begin in 2018. This final ruledoes not change the medical exam or therequirements to use a FMCSA-certified medicalexaminer.

Medical Card Effective Jan. 30, 2012, FMCSA regulations (49CFR §383.71(h)) require CDL holders to supplyrequired medical information to their SDLA andthat medical certification must be posted to theCDLIS driver record within 10 days (49 CFR§383.73(o)(1)(iii)). Effective Jan. 30, 2015, CDLholders are only required to carry the papercopy of the MEC for 15 days after issuance toensure the SDLA has posted the certificateinformation.

On April 16, 2015, CVSA issued an InspectionBulletin (2015-04) to roadside enforcementpersonnel extending the time period foracceptance of drivers' medical cards as evidenceof medical qualification in cases when theelectronic CDLIS record shows no medicalinformation is on file with the state. The CVSAInspection Bulletin indicated that drivers mayuse their medical cards to demonstrate medicalqualification during roadside inspections for upto 60 days from date of issuance. FMCSA hasreceived numerous questions about the lack offull medical certification information on somedriver information, specifically informationpertaining to the medical examiner.

It should be noted that when a CDL holder’scommercial driver status is queried on eitherCDLIS or National Law EnforcementTelecommunication System (NLETS) and theCDL holder’s status is noted as licensed orvalid, the medical exam should be consideredvalid as well. States have a responsibility toimmediately downgrade a CDL holder’scommercial driver status to "not qualified"when the MEC expires and the medical statuschanges. According to a recent survey of SDLAs,all states are now meeting the 10-day reportingrequirements.

Motor Vehicle RecordFederal regulations (49 CFR 391.25) requireemployers check and obtain a copy of each oftheir drivers’ motor vehicle records (MVR) atleast once every 12 months to verify the driver’sstatus, and consider violations to determinewhether the driver meets the minimumrequirements for safe driving or has beendisqualified. These records must be checked inevery state in which a driver may have held aCDL in the past 12 months and a copy of theserecords must be maintained in the driver’s file.In addition, an employer is required to obtain acopy of the MVR when the CDL holder is issued anew MEC.

Some employers have indicated concern that the full driver file, including medicalcertification, is not available to the employers.FMCSA has verified that every SDLA provides acomplete listing of all required data; however,not all states provide the information in the same format. Some SDLAs provide the full MVRinformation on one form; other states providethe required information on more than one form.It is important that the carrier clarify with theappropriate SDLA the specific MVR data needs.

In addition, carriers and their agents areconcerned about the lack of availability to obtainthe MVR electronically, especially when a carrieremploys many drivers licensed in more than onestate. There is no federal requirement for an SDLAto provide the MVR electronically. Some statesoffer the service; others provide only paper copies.Questions pertaining to data on an MVR and theformat in which the MVR is provided should bedirected to the driver’s home state of record. n

FMCSA Takes Steps to Ensure Only Medically Qualified Drivers Operate CMVs

By Selden J. Fritschner, Chief, Commercial Driver's License Division, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation



The State of the Commercial Motor Vehicle IndustryBy Dr. kelly Regal, Associate Administrator, Research and Information Technology, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation

Large trucks and interstate passengerservice are an integral part of the U.S.economy. The commercial truckingindustry employs 5.7 million driversand hundreds of thousands of office

and support personnel.1

By the end of 2015, large trucks will havemoved more than 13.8 billion tons of freight –nearly 70 percent of the total weight of freightshipped throughout this country.2 Interstatemotorcoaches and buses annually provide morethan 605 million passenger trips in the UnitedStates and Canada.3 The U.S. passenger carrierindustry, which employed more than 654,000drivers in 2012, is expected to continue to growand require an additional 60,000 drivers by2022.4

Registered Vehicles and VehicleMiles TraveledIn 2013, nearly 10.6 million large trucks (not allof them FMCSA-regulated commercial vehicles)were registered in the United States,accounting for some 4 percent of all registeredvehicles in the country.5 These large truckstraveled an estimated 275 billion miles in 2013,or 9.2 percent of the total vehicle miles traveled(VMT) by all registered vehicles nationwide.6

Nearly 865,000 motorcoaches/buses wereregistered in the United States in 2013,traveling a record 15.2 billion vehicle miles.7

Active Motor Carriers and theUnified Registration SystemAccording to FMCSA’s Motor CarrierManagement Information System (MCMIS), asof December 2014, about 532,000 interstateand intrastate hazardous materials (HM) motorcarriers operated in the United States –approximately 7,300 fewer than the yearbefore.8 This decrease could be due to businessstart-ups and closures, compliance issues orother factors – such as FMCSA’s outreach andeducation efforts related to the UnifiedRegistration System (URS) final rule.

The URS final rule requires FMCSA-regulatedentities to update their registration informationwith the Agency every 24 months. FMCSA hasbeen sending more than 30,000 notificationletters per month to carriers that have notupdated their records in more than 12 monthssince their scheduled update month/year.These notification letters contain identificationnumbers and instructions on how to update the required information online. As part of this initiative, FMCSA began deactivating theUSDOT numbers of non-responsive carriers and intermodal equipment providers in March2014. As of July 24, 2015, the Agency hasdeactivated more than 244,000 USDOTnumbers. Based on roadside inspection andcrash data, it is clear that the majority of thesecarriers are out of business. This process isimproving FMCSA’s safety data, allowing theAgency to assess safety risk for active carriersmore accurately.

1 Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS), data

snapshot as of Dec. 19, 2014.

2 Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Freight Analysis Framework (FAF), Version 3.5, available at http://faf.ornl.gov as of

Aug. 2015.

3 Motorcoach Census 2014: A Study of the Size and Activity of the Motorcoach Industry in the United States and Canada in

2013. Prepared for the American Bus Association by John Dunham & Associates. Available at www.buses.org, March 27, 2015.

4 Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition, Bus Drivers. Available

at www.bls.gov/ooh/transportation-and-material-moving/bus-drivers.htm, Aug. 30, 2015.

5 FHWA, Highway Statistics 2013. Available at https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics/2013/, Sept. 2, 2015.

6 FHWA, Highway Statistics 2013.

7 FHWA, Highway Statistics 2013.

8 FMCSA, MCMIS, data snapshots as of Dec. 27, 2013 and Dec. 19, 2014.


In 2014, state andfederal safetyinspectors conductednearly 3.4 millionroadside inspections.About 166,000 driversand 473,000 vehicleswere placed out ofservice.


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Crashes and FatalitiesOut of the estimated 5,687,000 crashes thatoccurred nationwide in 2013, approximately389,000 involved large trucks andmotorcoaches/buses.9 While the majority (anestimated 299,000) of large truck andmotorcoach/bus crashes were limited toproperty damage,10 a significant portionresulted in injuries (approximately 86,000)11

and 3,806 were fatal (12.7 percent of all fatalcrashes nationally).12 In 2013, a total of 4,251people died in crashes that involved at least onelarge commercial motor vehicle.13

While the national large truck and bus fatalityrate per 100 million total VMT has held steadyat 0.14, certain states reported an increase intheir individual fatality rates from 2012 to 2013.For example, oil/gas extraction from NorthDakota’s Bakken shale increased sharply. Thishas contributed to North Dakota’s increasedfatality rate, which rose from 0.48 to 0.62fatalities per 100 million VMT over the period of2012 to 2013. Conversely, Nebraska’s fatalityrate decreased from 0.23 to 0.16 fatalities per100 million VMT.15

The estimated cost of crashes also continues torise. In 2013, the estimated cost of fatal crasheswas around $42 billion, while injury crashescost about $39 billion, and property-damage-only crashes cost $22 billion.16

Enforcement ActivityFMCSA and its state partners use a number ofenforcement tools. These include roadsideinspections, traffic enforcement and carrierreviews. In 2014, state and federal safetyinspectors conducted nearly 3.4 millionroadside inspections. Of these, about 367,000were traffic enforcement inspections, whichresulted in almost 413,000 violations beingrecorded on inspection reports. As a result of allinspections conducted in 2014, about 166,000drivers and 473,000 vehicles were placed out ofservice.18

What’s Next?The volume of freight movements by truck is projected to grow over the coming years. The American economy cannot function withoutlarge commercial trucks and interstate passengerservice. FMCSA, in partnership with itsstakeholders, will remain dedicated to themission of reducing the number and severity ofcrashes involving large commercial motorvehicles. n


9 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS)

(available at www.nhtsa.gov/FARS, Sept. 2, 2015) and General Estimates System (GES)

(available at www.nhtsa.gov/Data/National+Automotive+Sampling+System+(NASS)/NASS+General+Estimates+System, Sept. 2,

2015).

10 NHTSA, GES.

11 NHTSA, GES.

12 NHTSA, FARS.

13 NHTSA, FARS.

14 NHTSA, FARS.

15 VMT – FHWA, Highway Statistics 2013; Fatalities – NHTSA, FARS.

16 T. Miller, E. Zaloshnja, and R. Spicer, Revised Cost of Large Truck and Bus Involved Crashes (2002), adjusted to 2013 dollars

and 2014 value of a statistical life (VSL), and updated to reflect new guidance on valuing injuries from the Office of the

Secretary of Transportation.

17 T. Miller et al., 2002.

18 FMCSA, MCMIS, data snapshot as of Jan. 23, 2015.

Large Truck and Bus Fatal Crashes, 2003–2013.14

2,500

3,125

3,750

4,375

5,000

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

4,609,4,734 4,805

4,6434,472

3,994

3,193

3,512 3,5933,726 3,806

Estimated Costs of Large Truck and Bus Crashes, 2010-2013 (2013 Dollars)17

YEAR FATALCRASHES

INJURYCRASHES

PROPERTY-DAMAGE-ONLY(PDO) CRASHES

ALL LARGE TRUCkAND BUS CRASHES

2010 $39 Billion $30 Billion $18 Billion $87 Billion






Every year, the Federal Motor CarrierSafety Administration (FMCSA)recognizes the extraordinary efforts of its Motor Carrier Safety AssistanceProgram (MCSAP) state partners

through the national MCSAP Leadership Awards.As an organization dedicated to transportationsafety, FMCSA deeply appreciates the continuedpartnership with its MCSAP agencies, and honorsthe critical contributions of these entities inreducing the incidents of fatalities and crashesinvolving commercial motor vehicles.

To emphasize the critical components of MCSAPand commercial vehicle safety, the LeadershipAwards are divided into four primary categories.Within each award category, states are eligible to win either a Leadership Award or anImprovement Honorable Mention. LeadershipAwards are issued to the jurisdictions that haveshown the most productive and effectiveinterventions within that category. HonorableMentions are given in recognition of the greatestimprovement in that area from the previous year.

For fiscal year (FY) 2014, FMCSA recognizedjurisdictions that demonstrated exemplaryachievements and significant improvements inthe areas of safety enforcement, investigation,data quality and commercial motor vehiclefatality rate. In order to account for geographicand population factors, states were groupedaccording to the level of their MCSAP basicfunding allocation for FY 2014. A winner wasthen selected from within each allocationgrouping based on an analysis of the followinggeneral criteria:

• Safety Enforcement – Presented to thestates with the most productive and focused safety enforcement programs interms of cost efficiency, traffic enforcementand data quality.

• Investigation – Presented to the states with the most thorough and effectiveinvestigation programs resulting indiscovery of serious violations andimprovement in on-road safetyperformance among carriers.

• Data Quality – Given to states with thehighest composite data quality score,calculated as an average of eight statesafety data quality measures (timeliness of inspection reporting; timeliness of crashreporting; accuracy of inspection reporting;accuracy of crash reporting; crash recorddata element completeness; fatal crashrecord completeness; inspection recordcompleteness and VIN accuracy).

• Commercial Motor Vehicle Fatality Rate –Recognizes the states with the lowestcommercial motor vehicle fatality rate incalendar years (CY) 2011 through 2013.

FMCSA was pleased to present the awards at the 2015 CVSA Annual Conference &Exhibition in Boise, Idaho. This year, theAdministration issued 13 Leadership Awards and 16 Honorable Mentions to various stateagencies. These numbers highlight thededication to highway safety shown by our MCSAP partners and renew our jointcommitment to reducing crashes and fatalitiesinvolving large trucks and busses.

FMCSA would once again like to honor thisyear’s winners, and thank all of our statepartners as we work together to improve thesafety of our nation’s roadways. n

FMCSA Recognizes Extraordinary Contributions of State Partners by Presenting the 2015 MCSAP Leadership Awards

Pictured left to right: Tyler Utterback, Indiana StatePolice; Deputy Chief Jimmy Glascock, New MexicoState Police; Chief David Lorenzen, Iowa Departmentof Transportation; Bill Quade, FMCSA.

Pictured left to right: Lt. Donald Bridge, ConnecticutDepartment of Motor Vehicles and Bill Quade,Associate Administrator for Enforcement and ProgramDelivery, FMCSA.

Pictured left to right: Capt. Norman "Bill" Dofflemeyer,Maryland State Police; John Rotz, Maryland Departmentof Transportation, State Highway Administration; Lt.Adrian Kelleher, Louisiana Department of Public Safety,Office of State Police; Capt. Greg Graphia, LouisianaDepartment of Public Safety, Office of State Police;Steve Goodrich, Utah Department of Transportation; Bill Quade, FMCSA.

Pictured left to right: Capt. Jonathan Olsen,Minnesota State Patrol; Dianne Reutter, MinnesotaState Patrol; Dennis Hult, Montana Department ofTransportation Motor Carrier Services; Mike Wilson,Indiana State Police; Bill Quade, FMCSA.Pictured left to right: Lt. Dan Doggett, Nebraska State

Patrol; Doug Donscheski, Nebraska State Patrol; JohnSmoot, Kentucky State Police; Bill Quade, FMCSA.

Pictured left to right: Capt. Eldon Mehrer, North DakotaHighway Patrol; Capt. Tim Horn, Idaho State Police;Steve Goodrich, Utah Department of Transportation; Bill Quade, FMCSA.

Pictured left to right: Cpl. Mark Perotti, Rhode IslandState Police; Sgt. John ( Jay) Furtado, Rhode Island StatePolice; Inspector Randy Coplin, Michigan State Police; Lt. John Holder, Michigan State Police; Ofc. AlanOosterbaan, Michigan State Police; Bill Quade, FMCSA.


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The Federal Motor Carrier SafetyAdministration (FMCSA) beganresearching the concept of usingwireless roadside inspections (WRI) oncommercial motor vehicles (CMVs) as

they approach an inspection site nearly a decadeago. The Agency saw potential in this concept fortwo main reasons: WRI can be a force multiplierby providing uninterrupted movement ofcommerce along our nation’s roadways and WRIcan be an efficient and reliable method to ensuresafety compliance.

From the motor carrier perspective, WRI has the potential to accurately assess carriers'compliance without requiring them to stop oreven reduce their speed. It also responds tocarrier requests to receive credit on their SafetyMeasurement System (SMS) percentiles formaintaining compliance and creates theframework to provide carriers with real-timeinspection reports on their CMV.

From the enforcement perspective, WRItechnology offers the potential to significantlyincrease the number of vehicles inspected.Federal and state inspectors perform manualsafety inspections on over three million CMVsper year; however, this is a small fraction of thetotal volume of trucks operating on thehighways each year. With state and federalCMV enforcement resources remainingrelatively constant over the past decade,utilizing existing technologies to enhance the inspection process is critical to increasingthe number of inspections and improvingsafety on our nation’s busiest roadways.

Currently, WRI is in the third year of a five-yearfield operational test (FOT). The testing focuseson verification of Level III Inspectioncomponents, such as the commercial driver’slicense status and hours-of-service compliance.Specifically, it will determine whethercredentialing and safety information can beaccurately and reliably collected from a CMV athighway speeds upstream from an inspectionarea, assessed by state and federal databases and used to generate a wireless inspectionreport. Compliant carriers will be allowed tobypass the station, whereas noncompliant driversand carriers would be required to enter.Eventually, such technology may be used toevaluate vehicle component performance,although additional research is required beforethis would be implementable.

Research was initiated in 2006 and two of thethree phases have been completed during thattime: proof-of-concept testing and pilot testing ofpotential communications technologies to

support the concept. Technologies explored inthe pilot tests included: dedicated short-rangecommunications (DSRC), an internet-basedsystem that relies on radio frequencyidentification/license plate readers and CMRS(cellular/satellite-based) systems.

Although FMCSA chose to use cellular technologyin the FOT, this would not preclude othercommunications technologies from meeting thefunctional requirements when and if the systemis eventually deployed. Additionally, since mostcarriers use commercial mobile radio services(CMRS) technology, technology investmentswould be minimal.

Upon completion of the FOT, if successful,funding from the Agency’s Commercial VehicleInformation Systems and Networks (CVISN)Program could be made available to interestedstates to:

• Integrate the state’s Commercial VehicleInformation Exchange Window (CVIEW) with the WRI processing system.

• Purchase interfaces for inspection stations.

• Build upon e-screening systems andintegrate with them. In fact, with theupgrade from e-screening to WRI, statescould engage their existing system providersto deploy WRI as a service for them.

To meet these goals, FMCSA will continue towork with stakeholders to ensure the success of the research and, upon completion of the FOT in September 2017, will begin thetransparent, public process to develop therelevant communication, technical andregulatory requirements for the program andreflect accurate and reliable wireless compliancedata in the SMS.

I applaud CVSA for establishing an ad hoccommittee to investigate the value and feasibilityof creating a new electronic inspection level tothe North American Standard Inspection Programbased on the electronic exchange of data. Thisdovetails with our own WRI efforts and alignswith any future criteria CVSA may establish forwireless inspections. By establishing standardsfor this process, a WRI program will move theworld of CMV safety enforcement from screeningcapability to actual inspections.

For additional information on the WRIresearch project and other FMCSA researchactivities, please visitwww.fmcsa.dot.gov/research-and-analysis/technology/wireless-roadside-inspection-wri-research-project. n

Wireless Roadside Inspections: Moving the World of CMV Safety to the Next Level

By Jack Van Steenburg, Assistant Administrator and Chief Safety Officer, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation

With state and federalCMV enforcementresources remainingrelatively constant overthe past decade, utilizingexisting technologies toenhance the inspectionprocess is critical toincreasing the numberof inspections andimproving safety on our nation’s busiestroadways.



The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) offersan online training course on leak detection in commercialmotor vehicles (CMVs) fueled by natural gas (compressed orliquefied) and propane (also known as liquefied petroleum gas).While this course was designed for CMV inspectors, it may be

useful to owners or operators of natural gas and propane CMVs, orothers who may be exposed to these types of vehicles.

The fuel system is one of 14 safety-critical systems of a CMV. A defect ina safety-critical system, such as a leak in the fuel system, can be groundsfor placing a vehicle out of service. Unlike a conventional diesel fuelleak, a natural gas leak may not be detected by the human senses. Thus,a combustible gas detector or bubble leak test is necessary to confirm aleak of natural gas or propane.

The course helps inspectors:

• Identify vehicles powered by natural gas or propane.

• Become familiar with the unique characteristics and leak properties of these fuels.

• Identify the major components of each type of fuel system, including those most likely to leak.

• Detect fuel leaks.

• Know what to do if a vehicle has a fuel leak.

The last training objective addresses how to use a combustible gasdetector to confirm a fuel leak.

The course is available athttp://infosys.fmcsa.dot.gov/Leak_Detection/story_html5.html.

The course is approximately two hours in length and includes twomodules with content, graphic displays and a video demonstration ofselected detectors. There are knowledge checks throughout the training.A text-only manuscript of the training is available for download in the“Related Documents” section. This training application functionsoptimally when viewed in Google Chrome or Safari. Certain functionalitiesrelated to the interactive knowledge checks and post-quiz review may belimited in Internet Explorer or Firefox.

For additional information, contact Quon kwan, Technology Division,FMCSA, at [email protected]. n

FMCSA Offers Web-Based TrainingCourse on Detecting Leaks fromNatural Gas and Propane CommercialMotor Vehicles

In an effort to conduct audits more cost effectively and efficientlywithout compromising safety, the New Entrant Offsite Safety AuditProgram expanded to an additional 12 states, plus Washington, D.C.,this past summer. This kick-started the phased nationwide rollout ofthe offsite safety audit. The Offsite Safety Audit Program provides

states with another way to conduct safety audits for carriers that do nothave known safety issues and do not transport passengers or hazardousmaterials.

Currently, 78 percent of new entrants pass an onsite safety audit, but thesame resources are used for those carriers as for carriers that needadditional attention. Offsite safety audits allow agencies to moreefficiently audit carriers whose performance indicates an understandingof and compliance with regulations.

The offsite safety audit, developed by a joint working group of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) personnel and statepartners, enables auditors to remotely evaluate a new entrant motorcarrier’s basic safety management controls. Carriers submit documentselectronically or via fax or email, which are then reviewed by auditors. Six states (Alaska, California, Florida, Illinois, Montana and New York)participated in the test program between July 2013 and December 2014, and found that it saved both time and money by reducing travel. Offsitesafety audits reduced travel costs by 58 precent in test states withoutnegatively affecting safety.

In Vermont, for example, offsite safety audits allow auditors and carriersto save time and money when conducting audits on Canadian motorcarriers. If carriers are eligible for an offsite safety audit, they don’t haveto take a day off for a scheduled onsite audit. They can submit theirdocuments without having to lose any time behind the wheel.

Beginning June 2015, more than 150 auditors and managers fromWashington D.C., Georgia, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi,North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota,Vermont and Wyoming were trained on the offsite safety audit process.The hands-on training occurred over two and a half days in an on-sitecourse that provided real-life scenarios to help auditors and managersbetter understand the policies governing the offsite safety audit process.In addition, the training reviewed the new IT system used to manage allaudit assignments, review carrier documentation submissions andconduct offsite safety audits.

In July 2015, following the offsite safety audit training, the New EntrantMentoring Program was launched to provide a support system for auditorsand managers who were conducting 0ffsite safety audits for the first time.Managers from the new entrant offsite safety audit test states serve asmentors, sharing best practices and answering questions as needed.

The Offsite Safety Audit Program will continue to add states over the nextthree years. Additional states are planned to begin implementing the offsitesafety audit in winter 2016. n

Offsite Safety Audit Rollout Expanded

By Joe Bennett, Transportation Specialist, Federal Motor Carrier SafetyAdministration, U.S. Department of Transportation


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The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) NationalTraining Center (NTC) is introducing a new comprehensiveinstructor certification program that will further develop qualityNTC instructors, strengthen the capabilities of FMCSA and itspartners, and ultimately make our roadways safer.

Beyond the development of high-quality coursework, instructors are thekey to ensuring instruction for NTC courses are done accurately andconsistently. NTC utilizes over 200 instructors to deliver courses to morethan 8,200 students per year (FY 2014). It’s not only imperative forinstructors to effectively deliver coursework, it’s important that NTC has a standardized process for selecting, developing and monitoring theirperformance.

NTC instructor certifications are valid for two calendar years. During thatperiod, each instructor must meet annual and biennial requirements toextend their certification for a subsequent two-year period. The specificrequirements may vary across certification roles, but their purpose is toensure incumbent knowledge, skills and competencies continue todevelop over time.

NTC coursework is categorized into three tiers (i.e., Outreach andEducation, Safety Program Certification, and NTC Certification) that drivethe level (role) at which participants are required to be certified (i.e.,presenter, instructor or master instructor). NTC has created detaileddescriptions that not only define the scope of each role’s tasks andresponsibilities, but also the knowledge, skills and competencies requiredfor successful performance. Those role-specific requirements are thefoundation for the selection, development and evaluation of individualsresponsible for administering NTC coursework.

The NTC Instructor Certification Program is open to individuals currentlyemployed by FMCSA or a participating state program. Current employeescertified under the previous NTC instructor program were notified viaemail that they were grandfathered into the new program. Any qualifiedindividuals interested in developing or honing their skills as an instructorare encouraged to apply.

For more information on the NTC Instructor Certification Program,including the specific procedures and requirements for certification,please visit www.fmcsa.dot.gov/ntc or contact [email protected]. n

FMCSA Implements New InstructorCertification Program

On Jan. 15, 2015, the Federal Motor Carrier SafetyAdministration (FMCSA) announced that Mexico-domiciledproperty carriers could apply for long-haul authority tooperate beyond the southern border commercial zonesinto the United States (80 FR 2179). This announcement

came on the heels of a three-year pilot program that was made possibleby the strong support and cooperation of Mexico’s Secretaria deComunicaciones y Transportes (SCT). The successful completion of thepilot program, which culminated in a report to Congress attesting to thesafety of Mexican motor carriers, was a significant milestone inimplementing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Recently, the DOT’s Assistant Secretary for Aviation and InternationalAffairs Susan Kurland and FMCSA Acting Administrator Scott Darlinghosted a meeting of distinguished guests from Mexico to mark the endof the pilot program and to forge a path forward on mutual cross-bordercommercial vehicle safety goals. The guests included, among others,Ambassador Alejandro Estivill from the Mexican Embassy and Adrian delMazo Maza, the SCT’s director general of Federal Motor CarrierTransportation.

During the meeting, the parties agreed to continue moving forward onseveral high-level, cross-border safety goals including revalidating theDOT and SCT commercial driver’s license reciprocity agreement, mutualrecognition of our countries’ annual commercial vehicle inspectionstandards and training Mexican government inspection staff to becomecertified to issue CVSA decals in Mexico.

These steps will increase economic opportunities between the two countrieswhile maintaining safety standards, and marks a milestone in implementationof NAFTA. Opening the door to a safe cross-border trucking system withMexico is an important step toward significantly strengthening the U.S.-Mexico bilateral relationship and allows the U.S. to meet its obligationsunder NAFTA.

Stay tuned for future updates on these important endeavors. n

DOT Continues Strong Cross-BorderTrucking Safety Partnership with Mexico

By Bryan Price, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation

By Don Nott, Testing Program Coordinator, National Training Center, FederalMotor Carrier Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation

From left to right: Debra Straus; Fernando Tonone; Terry Wolf; Nicole Baker;Salvador Monroy; Antonio Ortiz-Mena; Francisco Sandoval; Adrian Del Mazo;Peter Plocki; Scott Darling; Larry Minor; Ambassador Alejandro Estivill; Herb Ford;Daphne Jefferson; Bryan Price; Bill Quade; Tom Keane; John Nangle; MarceloPerez; Elim Luviano.



Download at InfoSys portal:

Software Now Updated

More than 36 million Americansmove each year. While mostmovers are legitimatecompanies that do quality work,complaints against interstate

movers remain of concern. Many of thecomplaints received by the Federal Motor CarrierSafety Administration (FMCSA) are lodgedagainst a small segment of movers known asrogue carriers. The small number of roguecarriers is a blight on the larger industry and theirpractices significantly damage the reputation ofthe industry in general.

At present, there are approximately 4,700household goods (HHG) moving companiesregistered with FMCSA. More than 3,000 HHGcomplaints are made to FMCSA annually.Approximately 2 percent of the registered HHGcarriers account for approximately 10 percentof hostage load complaints recorded in FMCSA’sNational Consumer Complaint Database(NCCDB).

The term “hostage load” refers to when theconsumer has paid for 100 percent of a bindingHHG moving estimate or 110 percent of a non-binding estimate, and the HHG carrier stillrefuses to deliver or release property until moremoney is received. Additionally, rogue carriersappear to be involved in other deceptive businesspractices, such as requiring consumers to signblank estimates and failing to address loss anddamage claims. Often times, rogue carriers donot have the appropriate authority to operate ininterstate commerce and function undetecteduntil a complaint is made to FMCSA.

To deal with this problem, FMCSA created a taskforce to address moving fraud issues, and putinto action strategies to combat moving fraud atCongress’s urging (in 49 U.S.C § 14710(c)). TheMoving Fraud Task Force (MFTF) is comprised offederal, state and local regulatory and lawenforcement agencies that share informationneeded for successful enforcement actions andcriminal prosecutions.

The MFTF’s objectives are simple:

• Target the worst rogue movers.

• Use the enhanced HHG authoritiesCongress provided in MAP-21.

• Share enforcement information betweenfederal and state/local governments.

• Encourage criminal prosecutions of moving fraud.

• Prevent rogue carriers from operating.

To date, FMCSA has conducted three MFTFinvestigations. Those investigations resulted in documented hostage load and deceptivebusiness practice violations, unsatisfactorysafety ratings, enforcement actions and severalsuspensions of operating authority.

To find out more about MFTF, contact kennethRodgers at [email protected] or 202-366-0073. n

FMCSA Takes Steps to Tackle Moving Fraud

By Michael Evans, Transportation Specialist, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation


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The Federal Motor Carrier SafetyAdministration (FMCSA) has workedhard for more than a year to completethe first update and reformatting of theRoute Registry in 15 years. We want

hazardous materials (HM) carriers to have thepeace of mind to know that they are transportingtheir HM cargo along safe, verified routes.

The entire list of routes has been verified and“route-ordered” for easier identification.Hundreds more were deleted or amended.Agencies and contacts were verified.

Route-order maps are available atwww.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/hazardous-materials/national-hazardous-materials-route-registry.

On April 29, 2015, FMCSA published in theFederal Register (80 FR 23860) the NationalHazardous Materials Route Registry (NHMRR).It provides all designated and restricted roadand highway routes for transportation ofplacarded hazardous materials by highway,including highway route controlled quantities(HRCQ) of Class 7 (radioactive) materials, (RAM)(HRCQ/RAM). This listing, as reported to FMCSAby state and tribal government routing officials,includes current route limitations andallowances, and information on routing agencycontacts and supersedes the NHMRR publishedon July 14, 2014.

The NHMRR presents HM route information bystate, divided into three tables for each state, as applicable, listing:

• Restricted Routes – prohibited routes for specified classes of HM shipments

• Designated HRCQ/RAM Routes –permissible routes for transporting HRCQquantities of Class 7 (radioactive) HMshipments

• Designated NRHM Routes – permissibleroutes for transporting specified classes of non-radioactive HM shipments

Please note that the following 14 states have nodesignated or restricted HM routes: Connecticut,Hawaii, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri,Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North

Carolina, North Dakota, South Carolina, Vermontand Wisconsin.

Also, the NHMRR does not include HM routedesignations and restrictions applicable to areasunder the jurisdiction of federal entities, suchas the Department of Defense military bases,except for National Park Service (NPS) lands inMontana and South Dakota.

For each state-designated HM route table, theroute description, city, county and the materialspermitted to be transported using the route arelisted in each separate row. For each state-restricted HM route table, the route description,city, county and the materials restricted frombeing transported using the route are listed ineach separate row. Each state’s table is sortedby the “Route Order” column to help companiesand drivers navigate designated routes andmore easily avoid restricted routes. See theroute ordering example pictured right.

The route order character for HM routes beginsat the first order level, with a capital letteridentifier (A, B, C, etc.), for a single roadsegment or each distinct HM route, that doesnot connect with any other HM route. A“continuous route” is a sequence of distinct HMroutes that connect. The individual HM routeswill have the same first order level capital letter(A), with a second order level number added foreach new connecting HM route (A1), and a thirdorder level letter at an intersection of the A1route (A2A). If the HM route, A2A, junctions asecond time, then a fourth order level (A3A-1.0)is used, and so on and so forth. The NRHMroutes in Columbus, Ohio, shown in the imageon the right demonstrate the route order levels.

States are required to submit updated routinginformation to FMCSA every two years or within 60 days of making a routing change,whichever is sooner. FMCSA is then required to publish the national routing list update in the Federal Register for the route changes to bein effect.

Please contact your state agency point ofcontact for additional information on routes in a particular state or contact the FMCSA HM Division at 202-385-2400. n

Transporting Hazardous Materials and Selecting the Right Route

By Roxane Oliver, Transportation Specialist, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation

Figure 1: Route Ordering Example

SELECT DESIGNATED NRHM ROUTES IN COLUMBUS, OHIO



Over the last two years, theCertification and Standards Branch(CSB) of the U.S. Department ofTransportation’s (DOT) Pipelineand Hazardous Materials Safety

Administration (PHMSA) has provided hazardousmaterials inspector/investigator (HMI2) trainingto a number of federal and state partners. TheCSB is the training division for all PHMSA fieldinvestigators across the country.

During the past couple of years, the CSB hasheld HMI2 training classes in Sacramento,California; Tucson, Arizona; Seattle,Washington; Columbia, South Carolina;Augusta, Maine; Columbus, Ohio; Detroit,Michigan; and Albuquerque, New Mexico. The federal and state partners who received the training include state highway patrols; local police; emergency responders; statedepartments of transportation, departments of environmental protection; departments offish and wildlife service; U.S. Coast Guard;Federal Aviation Administration; Federal MotorCarrier Safety Administration; and the U.S.Department of Veterans Affairs.

The one-day training sessions typically focus on three types of hazardous materials packagesand articles: fireworks/explosives, cylinders andintermediate bulk containers (IBCs).

Attendees are trained on how to use theavailable resources on the PHMSA website to recognize and determine the unsafetransportation of unapproved fireworks andexplosives. They are able to see how a fireworksshell is assembled and learn the requiredmarkings and labeling for authorized fireworks.Shipping papers are reviewed and the correctinformation is articulated and discussed so thatemergency first responders have the necessaryinformation in case of an incident.

Methods to re-qualify high-pressure and low-pressure cylinders are covered in the training.Participants are instructed about the potentialenergy contained in a DOT specification cylinderand how to recognize the use of unauthorizedcylinders in transportation. Cutaway sections ofcylinders are available for attendees to view sothey can understand the location of propermarkings. Videos of cylinder explosions,including propane cylinder failures, are shownto highlight the importance of maintainingcylinder integrity.

The last part of the class focuses on IBCs, whichhave gained wider acceptance in lieu of 55-gallondrums for transporting hazardous materials. The proper markings and labeling of IBCs,including UN package markings, are reviewed soeach attendee understands the purpose of eachcertification marking.

Over the past two years, the CSB team has workedwith dedicated individuals in the law enforcementcommunity and provided information and tools topromote the safe transportation of hazardousmaterials. The importance of this training washighlighted recently when the CSB team receivedpersonal thanks and support from the governor ofMaine during a class in Augusta, Maine.

The CSB team is considering adding more topics to future presentations, including thetransportation of lithium batteries, crude oil,flammable gases and anhydrous ammonia. CSBremains willing, capable and eager to offertraining on these or other topics of interest to the enforcement community.

If you would like additional information aboutthe CBS training or to schedule a trainingsession, contact PHMSA Hazardous MaterialsField Services Support Executive AssistantFatma Ahmed at 202-366-4700. n

PHMSA Offers Hazardous MaterialsInspector/Investigator (HMI2) Training

By Richard Raksnis, Director, Hazardous Materials Field Services Support, Pipeline and HazardousMaterials Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation

Find the

tools you need to

Get Road Smart.

DECEMBER 2015 | FMC-CSA-15-011

The newly redesigned enforcement pages on the Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) Website now provide:

Streamlined content

CSA outreach materials

FMCSA updates

Training webinars

Downloadable job aids

Feedback submission form

Get Road Smart. We can’t do it without you.

Login at:

http://csa.fmcsa.gov

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

GUARDIAN26

On Sept. 13-17, CVSA held its 2015Annual Conference & Exhibitionin Boise, Idaho. Approximately600 government officials,enforcement and industry

members attended the Annual Conference inan effort to affect meaningful changes intransportation safety.

“CVSA prides itself on the fact that it providesyear-round opportunities for our members towork together through program and committeeconference calls, webinars, and in-person andonline meetings,” said CVSA Acting ExecutiveDirector Collin B. Mooney, CAE. “However, theCVSA Annual Conference & Exhibition providesan effective and efficient way for keystakeholders to get together in-person to discuss,debate, cooperate and make tremendous stridesin furthering CVSA’s mission.”

The general session, which kicked off theAnnual Conference, included regulatory updatesfrom the Canadian Council of Motor TransportAdministrators/Compliance & Regulatory AffairsCommittee (CCMTA/CRA), the Secretaria deComunicaciones y Transportes (SCT) and the

U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration(FMCSA). The general session also included adetailed presentation on the State of theAlliance. Award winners were acknowledged forthe North American Inspectors Championship(NAIC), CVSA Academic Scholarships andFMCSA’s Motor Carrier Safety AssistanceProgram (MCSAP).

The International Driver Excellence Award(IDEA) winner, Ross Reynolds of Con-wayFreight, was presented with a crystal trophyand monetary award – thanks to the generoussponsorship of HELP Inc. This was the first yearCVSA offered this award, which recognizes oneindividual each year who goes above andbeyond his/her duties as a commercial vehicledriver, distinguishing themselves conspicuouslyand beyond the normal call of duty through theachievement of safe operation and compliancecarried out with evident distinction for anextended period of time.

There was also a full-day IntelligentTransportation Systems (ITS) Technology Forumheld during the Conference. The forum consistedof presentations, panel sessions and an

interactive exchange on cutting-edge technologydevelopments in the industry.

For the first time, as part of CVSA’s OperationAirbrake Program, an Advanced Infrared/ThermalWheel End Screening Users Forum was offered atthe Conference. Members who use thermal imagescreening shared and discussed their experiences.Thermal image screening indicates infrared heatsignatures of wheel-end components to helplocate possible violations, such as flat tires,bearing failure or inoperative brakes.

As one of his last duties as CVSA president, Maj.Bill Reese of the Idaho State Police gave thecoveted CVSA President’s Award to four worthyrecipients: Pat Crahan who recently retired fromU-Haul; Donna McLean of Transport Canada;former CVSA Executive Director Stephen A.Keppler; and Doug Donscheski who will soonretire from the Nebraska State Patrol CarrierEnforcement Division.

The 2016 CVSA Annual Conference & Exhibitionwill take place on Sept. 18-22, 2016, at theStatehouse Convention Center in Little Rock,Arkansas. n

2015 ANNUAL CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION ROUND-UP

The general session included regulatory updates from Acting Administrator Scott Darling, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, U.S. Department ofTransportation (photo left); Vice Chair Reg Wightman, Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators, Compliance and Regulatory Affairs Committee (middlephoto); and Deputy General Director of Supervision Francisco Quintero, Federal Motor Carrier Transportation, Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Transportes (photo right).

Approximately 600 government officials, enforcementand industry members attended the 2015 CVSAAnnual Conference & Exhibition in Boise, Idaho.

Maj. Bill Reese gave the coveted CVSA President’s Award to Pat Crahan (left photo) who recently retiredfrom U-Haul and Doug Donscheski (right photo) who will soon retire from the Nebraska State Patrol CarrierEnforcement Division.



CVSA’s first International Driver Excellence Awardwinner, Ross Reynolds of Con-way Freight, graciouslyaccepted his awards.

Maj. Bill Reese, along with CVSA Leadership,presented former CVSA Executive Director StephenKeppler with the President’s Award. Pictured left toright: Maj. David Palmer, Texas Department of PublicSafety; Lt. Col. Mark Savage, Colorado State Patrol;Maj. Jay Thompson, Arkansas Highway Police; SteveKeppler; Maj. Bill Reese, Idaho State Police; JuliusDebuschewitz, Yukon Highways and Public Works;and Sgt. Tom Fuller, New York State Police.

CVSA transitioned to its new leadership teamfor the 2015-2016 term on Sept. 18, 2015, atthe Alliance’s 2015 Annual Conference &Exhibition in Boise, Idaho.

Maj. Jay Thompson of the Arkansas HighwayPolice is the new president of the Alliance.Julius Debuschewitz of Yukon Highways andPublic Works is CVSA’s vice president. Capt.Christopher Turner of the Kansas HighwayPatrol was elected by the membership to theposition of secretary. Maj. Bill Reese, fromthe Idaho State Police, is now the Alliance’simmediate past-president.

“I am honored to represent CVSA as thepresident. I will work diligently to continuethe Alliance’s mission of improvingcommercial vehicle safety across NorthAmerica,” said CVSA President Maj. JayThompson. “My goals for my term aspresident are to provide more diversified,flexible and cost effective tools to helproadside inspectors and commercial motorvehicle drivers maintain and improve theirskills. I also plan to continue the workstarted by previous CVSA presidents.”

CVSA President Maj. Jay Thompson has been a law enforcement officer in Arkansasfor 24 years. His first CVSA experience wasin 2003 in Columbus, Ohio, when hecompeted in the North American InspectorsChampionship (NAIC) and was awarded theJohn Youngblood Award of Excellence. Maj.Thompson has also served as Region II chairfor the Cooperative Hazardous MaterialsEnforcement Development (COHMED)Program, Region II president, and the Sizeand Weight Committee chair.

CVSA Vice President Julius Debuschewitz is manager of National Safety Code,Transport Services, Highways and PublicWorks, Government of Yukon, Canada.Debuschewitz has been in the transportationfield for 37 years and has worked incommercial vehicle compliance for theTransport Services Branch of YukonHighways and Public Works for the past 21 years. He is a CVSA North American Standard Level I Part A and B instructor and a passenger vehicle (motorcoach)instructor and serves on the CanadianEducation Quality Assurance Team (EQAT),

of which he is a founding member.Debuschewitz was also the vice chair ofNAIC.

CVSA Secretary Capt. Christopher Turnermanages the Kansas Highway Patrol’s MotorCarrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP),motor carrier inspectors (weightenforcement), fixed/mobile teams andreconstruction teams. He has served in lawenforcement nearly 18 years. Turner hasserved as an active member of the ProgramsInitiatives Committee, serving as the vicechair; as well as the vice chair of theAdjudicated Citations Committee Ad Hoc.Capt. Turner has also moderated severaltechnology forums for CVSA, such asconnected vehicles.

Other Leadership ChangesSgt. John Samis of the Delaware State Police is the new Region I president, and Sgt. ScottDorrler of the New Jersey State Police waselected as Region I vice president. M/Sgt. Todd Armstrong of the Illinois State Police isthe new Region III president, and Capt. JohnBroers of the South Dakota Highway Patrolwas elected as Region III vice president.Region IV elected a new vice president, Sgt.Joshua Clements of the California HighwayPatrol. Kerri Wirachowsky of the OntarioMinistry of Transportation was elected as thenew Region V vice president. Associates havea new vice president, Dr. David Guess withUsher Transport.

Pictured left to right: CVSA Vice President JuliusDebuschewitz of Yukon Highways and Public Works;CVSA President Maj. Jay Thompson of the ArkansasHighway Police; CVSA Secretary Capt. ChristopherTurner of the Kansas Highway Patrol; Immediate PastPresident Maj. Bill Reese of the Idaho State Police.

CVSA Transitions to New Leadership for 2015-2016

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This January, the 2016 COHMEDConference will take place in SanAntonio, Texas. In 2010, I attendedCOHMED for the first time in thisbeautiful city. It was an enriching

experience and I participated in many trainingsessions that I normally would not have theopportunity to take due to cost and availability.I look forward to returning to San Antonio andattending another successful conference.

Why should you attend COHMED? Hazmatprofessionals come to the COHMED Conferenceto learn more about trends and best practicesand to improve their knowledge of regulatoryrequirements. Professionals who attend theCOHMED Conference have one common goal: ensuring the safe transportation of dangerousgoods/hazardous materials.

The COHMED Conference is designed topromote learning and networking. It is a greatopportunity to meet with representatives fromindustry and enforcement, as well as theregulators. There is a wide variety of trainingsessions offered and they are delivered byinstructors representing industry, enforcementand regulators. You will learn just as much fromthe sessions you attend as you will from thecontacts you will make.

In 2010, I also joined the COHMED LeadershipCommittee. I have thoroughly enjoyed being part of this committee and working with agreat group of people to ensure you have agreat experience at the COHMED Conference.The agenda for the 2016 conference has beencompleted and we encourage you check it outat www.cvsa.org/events/cohmed/2016.

We use feedback provided from participants’evaluation forms to determine what topicsshould be covered for the training sessions.Here’s a sneak peak at the sessions you canexpect in San Antonio:

• Hands-on training session on medical andindustrial cylinders

• Explosives used during fracking processes

• Transportation and inspection requirementsfor Ebola

If you have any topics you would like to seecovered at a future COHMED Conference, pleaselet us know. Suggestions are always welcome.

I would like to encourage my fellow Canadiansto attend this conference. There is no otherconference like COHMED in North America.

To learn more about the COHMED Program,visit www.cvsa.org/programs/cohmed or contact me at [email protected].

To learn more about the COHMED LeadershipCommittee or if you would like to play a keyrole in designing the COHMED conferences,please contact any COHMED leadershipmember. We are looking for eager individualsto join the committee. A listing of COHMEDleadership can be found online atwww.cvsa.org/programs/cohmed_leadership.

As past COHMED Chair Sgt. Tom Fuller with the New York State Police once said, “If hazmatis in your job description, COHMED is the placeto be.”

Come and join us in San Antonio. n

The CVSA COHMED Conference: A One-of-a-kind Educational and TrainingExperience for Hazmat Professionals

By Donna McLean, Chief Inspector, Education & Public Awareness, Transport Dangerous Goods Directorate

Webinars for theHazmat IndustryThe COHMED Leadership Committee istrying to further COHMED’s reach. Werealize that not everyone can make it tothe conference every year. Following thefeedback we received from participantsduring COHMED 2015 and in order toprovide training to those of you thatcannot attend, we have started offeringwebinars.

The training class on MC331 Cargo Tanksoffered by Tpr. Scott Maguire with theMassachusetts State Police was deliveredas a webinar and was a real success withnearly 400 attendees. We receivedpositive feedback from participants and,as a result, more webinars will be offeredin the future.

To suggest a topic for a webinar or if youare interested in presenting a webinar,contact CVSA Director of Education andTraining Programs ken Albrecht [email protected].



The COHMED Conference offers in-depth technical sessions and advanced-level training. The conferenceprovides a one-of-a-kind opportunity for individuals involved in the hazmat/dangerous goods industry topresent concerns and share perspectives about enforcement of the regulations. The COHMED Conferenceis an unparalleled opportunity to network, build better working relationships and provide input into futurechanges and regulations.

2016 COHMEDCONFERENCEJanuary 25-29, 2016 | San Antonio, Texas

Presented by the Cooperative HazardousMaterials Enforcement Development(COHMED) Program, the COHMEDConference fosters coordination,cooperation and communication betweenthe regulatory and enforcement agenciesresponsible for safe transportation ofhazardous materials and the industry theyregulate.

The information-sharing and problem-solving that takes place, combined with the in-depth education that’s presented, iscritical to building cooperation amongstakeholders.

If you are involved in hazmat regulation,enforcement or safety, the COHMEDConference is one event you cannot affordto miss.

Visit www.cvsa.org/events/cohmed/2016 to learn more and to register for the 2016COHMED Conference.


GUARDIAN30

Fifty one roadside inspectorsrepresenting jurisdictions acrossNorth America gathered in St. Louis,Missouri, on Aug. 10-14, 2015, tocompete in CVSA’s North American

Inspectors Championship (NAIC).

Each year, CVSA recognizes the best of the bestby inviting member jurisdictions throughoutNorth America to participate in NAIC, the onlyevent dedicated to recognizing and awardingcommercial vehicle inspector excellence.

The Jimmy K. Ammons Grand Champion Award isthe highest NAIC honor for roadside inspectors.This year, the Grand Champion Award wasawarded to J.D. Berrong with the NorthCarolina State Highway Patrol for hiscombined performance in six competitionelements:

1. North American Standard Level I Inspection

2. North American Standard Level I InspectionProcedure

3. North American Standard Hazmat/Transportation of Dangerous Goods Inspection

4. North American Standard Cargo Tank/OtherBulk Packagings Inspection

5. North American Standard Level V PassengerVehicle (Motorcoach) Inspection

6. North American Standard Out-of-ServiceCriteria Exam

The John Youngblood Award of Excellence is aspecial award NAIC contestants bestow on afellow NAIC inspector who exemplifies the highstandards and unwavering dedication to theprofession. This year, NAIC contestants votedto present the John Youngblood Award to BradMitchell with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

The following awards were presented during thisyear’s NAIC:

High Points: United States J.D. Berrong, North Carolina State Highway Patrol

High Points: Canada Darren Kennedy, British Columbia Ministry ofTransportation and Infrastructure

North American Standard Level I Inspection:First Place – Steve McPherson, Ontario Ministryof Transportation; Second Place – AndrewStapleton, South Dakota Highway Patrol; Third Place – Carlos Rojas, Alaska Departmentof Public Safety

North American Standard HazardousMaterials/Transportation of Dangerous Goodsand Cargo Tank/Bulk Packagings Inspection:First Place – Reagan Droddy, Texas Departmentof Public Safety; Second Place – Nicholas Wright,Kansas Highway Patrol; Third Place – CharlesShaver, Tennessee Highway Patrol

North American Standard Level V PassengerVehicle (Motorcoach) Inspection:First Place – Erick McGuire, Florida HighwayPatrol; Second Place – James Hamrick, ArkansasHighway Police; Third Place – Mike Watts,Alberta Justice & Solicitor General

Team Award – Orange Team:Jason Harris, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency;Daniel Voelker, Arizona Department of PublicSafety; Rhonda Wood, Kentucky State Police;Mike Miller, New Jersey State Police; J.D. Berrong,North Carolina State Highway Patrol; SteveMcPherson, Ontario Ministry of Transportation;Charles Shaver, Tennessee Highway Patrol;Scott Parsons, Virginia State Police.

“NAIC contestants are not only tested in thecompetition, they also learn about the latestCMV safety trends, technologies, standards andinspection procedures,” said 2014-2015 CVSAPresident Maj. Bill Reese of the Idaho StatePolice. “The North American InspectorsChampionship tests and educates inspectors,providing a well-rounded educationalopportunity along with the healthy competitivespirit that has guided and made this competitionsuccessful and a goal for top aspiring inspectorsfor the past 23 years.”

Roadside inspectors are highly trainedprofessionals who save lives every day bykeeping unsafe commercial vehicles and driversoff our roads. The work of a commercial vehicleinspector is not easy, but it is vital in ensuringpublic safety on North American roadways. TheNorth American Inspectors Championship wascreated to recognize inspectors and officers – thebackbone of the commercial vehicle safetyprogram in North America – and to promoteuniformity of inspections through education.

NAIC is sponsored by CVSA and many of itsvalued associate members. For the past 23 years,the championship event has been held inpartnership with the American TruckingAssociations’ (ATA) National Truck DrivingChampionships (NTDC). NAIC has beenrecognized by the American Society ofAssociation Executives (ASAE) as an event that"Advances America."

For more information about NAIC, to view photos from NAIC 2015 and to view results from previous years, visitwww.cvsa.org/programs/naic_program_overview.php. n

CVSA's 23rd Annual North American Inspectors Championship

Fifty one inspectors competed in this year’s North American Inspectors Championship.



The Team Award went to the Orange Team: Team leader:Scott Christian, St. Louis Metropolitan PoliceDepartment; Jason Harris, Alabama Law EnforcementAgency; Daniel Voelker, Arizona Department of PublicSafety; Rhonda Wood, Kentucky State Police; Mike Miller,New Jersey State Police; J.D. Berrong, North CarolinaState Highway Patrol; Steve McPherson, Ontario Ministryof Transportation; Charles Shaver, Tennessee HighwayPatrol; and Scott Parsons, Virginia State Police.

In the North American Standard Level I Inspectioncategory, Steve McPherson of the Ontario Ministry of Transportation placed first; second place went toAndrew Stapleton of the South Dakota HighwayPatrol; and third place went to Carlos Rojas of theAlaska Department of Public Safety.

For the North American Standard Level V PassengerVehicle (Motorcoach) Inspection Award, FloridaHighway Patrol’s Erick McGuire came in first; JamesHamrick of the Arkansas Highway Police came insecond; and Mike Watts of the Alberta Justice &Solicitor General placed third.

For the North American Standard HazardousMaterials/Transportation of Dangerous Goods andCargo Tank/Bulk Packagings Inspection Awards, firstplace went to Reagan Droddy, Texas Department ofPublic Safety; Nicholas Wright of the Kansas HighwayPatrol was awarded second place; and the third placeaward went to Charles Shaver of the TennesseeHighway Patrol.

This year, NAICcontestantsvoted to presentthe JohnYoungbloodAward to BradMitchell with the OklahomaHighway Patrol.

The Jimmy K. Ammons Grand Champion Award wasawarded to J.D. Berrong with the North Carolina StateHighway Patrol for his combined performance in sixcompetition elements.

J.D. Berrong (right) of the North Carolina StateHighway Patrol was awarded High Points for UnitedStates. Darren Kennedy (left) of the British ColumbiaMinistry of Transportation and Infrastructure earnedthe High Points award for Canada.

In addition to the competitive events at NAIC,each inspector received training on the latestsafety standards and inspection procedures whilesharing experiences with other inspectors.


GUARDIAN32

CVSA Joins New Public-Private Coalition to AddressNationwide Truck Parking Shortage

CVSA Acting Executive Director Collin B. Mooneysigns the Jason's Law Proclamation.

On Aug. 21, 2015, members of the National Coalitionon Truck Parking participated in a press conference atthe U.S. Department of Transportation’s Washington,D.C., headquarters to officially launch the formationof the coalition.

Order Vehicle Decals

for 2016CVSA IS TAkING NEW DECAL

ORDERS FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2016

n The decals will be produced as 8.5” x 11” sheets, instead of booksor pads. Each sheet contains 12decals, which are individuallyperforated.

n We have incorporated a barcodefeature that is a PDF 417 standard. The barcode will be on eachindividual decal, as well as on eachsheet of 12. On each decal, thebarcode includes the serial number ofthat individual decal. The barcode onthe sheet contains all the individualdecal serial numbers on each sheet.

n We adjusted the ordering process topermit orders by quarter or for theentire year.

NOTE: Only decal contacts asassigned by the lead agency contactare authorized to order decals.

To order decals, visit www.cvsa.org, thenclick on “Member Login” located at thetop of the website. As the decal contact,once you are logged in, click on “OnlineStore,” then select “Decals” from theright-hand navigation column to placeyour order.

NEW FOR 2016:

The U.S. Department of Transportation’sFederal Highway Administration(FHWA) released survey results on thelack of truck parking information andcapacity across the nation and called

for a national coalition to address the problemand help find targeted solutions. Answering thatcall for action, CVSA joined other transportationsafety organizations to form a new public-private coalition to find solutions to the truckparking shortage.

FHWA’s findings in the “Jason’s Law TruckParking Survey Results and ComparativeAnalysis” show most states reported havingtruck parking shortages occurring at all times ofthe day on every day of the week. The analysisincludes the factors that can influence truckparking and offers ways to improve themeasurement of the truck parking problem,including the collection of data on supply anddemand, congestion and safety.

The “Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21stCentury” Act (MAP-21) required the U.S.Department of Transportation (USDOT) toconduct the survey to determine if adequateparking is available for truck drivers based on the

level of commercial traffic in the state. Along withstate departments of transportation, the USDOTsurveyed safety officials, truckers, truck stopoperators and other trucking industrystakeholders.

Members of the National Coalition on TruckParking include CVSA, FHWA, the Federal MotorCarrier Safety Administration, the AmericanAssociation of State Highway and TransportationOfficials, the American Trucking Associations, theOwner Operator Independent Drivers Associationand the National Association of Truck StopOperators.

Over the coming months, as part of the NationalCoalition on Truck Parking, CVSA will engage in adialogue with state and local governments, lawenforcement, and the trucking and businesscommunities to work together to advance truckparking solutions to meet the needs of thenation’s truck drivers.

To learn more about Jason’s Law and theJason’s Law Truck Parking Survey, visitwww.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/infrastructure/truck_parking. n

CO V E R S T O R Y


International Roadcheck 2015 Driver and Vehicle Out-of-ServiceRates for Level I InspectionsLowest on Record

On June 2-4, 2015, commercialmotor vehicle inspectors acrossNorth America completed 69,472truck and bus inspections duringInternational Roadcheck 2015,

an annual 72-hour enforcement and safetyoutreach event.

Of the 69,472 total inspections, 44,989 wereNorth American Standard Level I Inspections,which is the most thorough roadside inspection.Of Level I Inspections, inspectors found 1,623 (or3.6 percent) of drivers and 9,732 (or 21.6 percent)of vehicles with out-of-service (OOS) violations,historically the lowest rates for which CVSA hasdata, back to 1991. Of all inspections, 777 seatbeltviolations were issued.

Level I Inspections include a 37-step procedurethat involves examination of both the driver’srecord of duty status and the safety of thevehicle. Drivers are required to provide itemssuch as their license, endorsements, medical cardand hours-of-service documentation, and arechecked for seat belt usage and the use ofalcohol and/or drugs. The vehicle inspectionincludes checking items such as the braking

system, cargo securement, coupling devices,exhaust system, frame, fuel system, lights, safeloading, steering mechanism, suspension, tires,van and open-top trailer bodies, wheels and rims,windshield wipers, and emergency exits,electrical cables and systems in engine andbattery compartments, and loose or temporaryseating on buses. Other inspections conductedincluded Level II walk-around, Level III driver-onlyand Level V vehicle-only inspections.

Each year, International Roadcheck places specialemphasis on a category of violations. The specialemphasis for International Roadcheck 2015 wascargo securement. While checking forcompliance with safe loading regulations isalways part of roadside inspections, CVSAhighlighted cargo safety as a reminder to driversand carriers.

The proper loading and securing of cargo onvehicles is a matter of public safety. For manytypes of loads, particularly those that are notsealed or are otherwise inaccessible to the driver,regulations require the driver to stop within thefirst several miles of a trip and recheck the tiedowns and other load-securing equipment.

During International Roadcheck 2015, inspectorsissued 2,439 violations for load securement. Theleading load securement violations, by number ofviolations issued, were: (1) failure to preventshifting/loss of load; (2) failure to secure truckequipment (tarps, dunnage, doors, tailgates,spare tires); (3) damaged tie downs (typicallyunacceptable wear on chain or cuts and tears onweb straps); (4) insufficient tie downs; and (5)loose tie downs. Load securement enforcement isa normal part of Level I Inspections. Securingcargo and equipment are vital to safe operations.

“CVSA’s International Roadcheck is the largesttargeted enforcement program on commercialmotor vehicles in the world, with nearly 17 trucksor buses inspected, on average, every minute,over three days,” said CVSA Acting ExecutiveDirector Collin B. Mooney, CAE. “However, wemust remember that the work done over that 72-period represents only a fraction of what’saccomplished every day by approximately 13,000CVSA-certified local, state, provincial, territorialand federal inspectors at hundreds of inspectionlocations across North America.”


CO V E R S T O R Y

GUARDIAN34

“Commercial vehicle inspectors are highlytrained, dedicated professionals whose sole focusis protecting the safety of everyone traveling onour highways and roads,” said FMCSA ActingAdministrator Scott Darling. “The annualRoadcheck event is just one example of acontinuing strong partnership among local, stateand federal safety enforcement personnel. It alsoserves as a valuable reminder that when it comesto commercial vehicle safety, everyone has animportant role to play. We must give large trucksand buses extra space to maneuver, avoidlingering in blinds spots where you can't be seen,never allow ourselves to become distracteddrivers, and never drink and drive.”

Since its inception in 1988, InternationalRoadcheck inspections have numbered morethan 1.4 million, resulting in an estimated 334lives saved and 6,134 injuries avoided.

International Roadcheck is sponsored by CVSA,North America’s leading commercial vehiclesafety-enforcement organization, withparticipation by the Federal Motor Carrier SafetyAdministration, Canadian Council of MotorTransport Administrators and the Secretariat ofCommunications and Transportation in Mexico.

Visit www.cvsa.org/programs/int_roadcheck tolearn more about International Roadcheck. n


CVSA Holds kickoffEvent for InternationalRoadcheck atWashington, IdahoState Border

On June 2, 2015, CVSA held a newsconference and safety inspections –conducted by Idaho State Police andWashington State Patrol – to kick off the 2015 International Roadcheckweeklong enforcement campaign.

The event was held in Washington at theIdaho border, demonstrating the fact thatthis enforcement effort is a partnership,one that spans all the states, territoriesand provinces of North America.

The kickoff event included speakers fromCVSA, the Federal Motor Carrier SafetyAdministration (FMCSA), Idaho StatePolice, Washington State Patrol, FloridaHighway Patrol and Washington TruckingAssociations.

Pictured left to right: Jack Van Steenburg, ChiefSafety Officer, Federal Motor Carrier SafetyAdministration, U.S. Department of Transportation;Capt. Derek Barrs, Florida Highway Patrol andInternational Roadcheck Program Committee Chair;Maj. Bill Reese, Idaho State Police and 2014-2015CVSA President; Capt. Mike Dahl, Washington StatePatrol; and Jeff Bosma of Fastway Freight System Inc.and President of Washington Trucking Associations.

Top OOS Violation Categories For: Percent of Driver OOS Violations

VEHICLES 2015 2014 2013

Brake Adjustment 15.5% 16.7% 19.5%

Brake System 27.5% 29.5% 30.1%

Tires/Wheels 13.9% 13.8.% 10.1%

Lights 12.7% 13.5% 12.6%

Safe Loading 15.3% 11.5% 11.7%

Steering 2.0% 2.4% 2.3%

Frame 1.1% 1.3% 1.5%

Suspension 2.1% 5.2% 5.8%

Coupling Devices 0.7% 0.9% 0.8%

Driveline/Driveshaft 0.6% n/a1 n/a1

Fuel System 0.5% 0.4% 0.6%

Exhaust System 0.3% 0.3% 0.4%

DRIVERS 2015 2014 2013

HOS 46.0% 46.5% 50.3%

False Logs 12.6% 13.7% 14.8%

Disqualified 7.6% 12.7% 10.2%

Drugs/Alcohol 2.1% 1.1% 1.5%

Improper Endorsement n/a1 4.3% 4.9%

Age 0.0% 2.1% 0.6%

HAzARDOUS MATERIALS 2015 2014 2013

Shipping Papers 27.5% 21.1% 17.0%

Placards 23.9% 20.8% 17.7%

Bulk Packaging n/a1 6.3% 2.7%

Marking 3.2% 6.6% 13.9%

Loading 27.9% 32.0% 37.4%

Package Integrity 2.3% 11.9% 14.6%

1 Some violation categories for 2015 were not directly comparable to past years due to changes in category assignments. Certainviolations may be reported as “Other Violations” in the dataset.

— International Roadcheck 2015 —

CO V E R S T O R Y


2015 International Roadcheck in Action

Maryland State Police Virginia State Police

Washington State Patrol

Hawaii Department of Transportation

Puerto Rico Public Service Commission

Iowa Department of Transportation

I N S P E C T O R ’ S CO R N E R

GUARDIAN36

INSPECTOR’S CORNER

The whirlwind that was winning the 2015North American Inspectors Championship(NAIC) has slowed down a little. I neverthought I would be so happy to be backenforcing traffic laws and doing truck

inspections. I thought and thought on what I shouldwrite about my first time in Guardian, and I finallydecided on 3 to 5. It is a subject I believe in andsomething I talk about with every new trooper I helptrain.

We all spend so much time training and preparing onsteps 1, 2, and 6 through 37. Sometimes it’s easy toforget steps 3, 4 and 5. I look at the professionalpartnerships we have here in North Carolina with thetrucking industry and the professional drivers andhope it is that way all across North America. I amimpressed more and more with the industry as carriersask for safety talks and help complying with the federalregulations. I am always impressed after giving safetytalks to a large group of professional drivers how manywill come up and ask so many questions about safetyand compliance. Several times, I have spent more timeanswering questions on a one-on-one basis than I didduring the presentation.

As professionals, drivers deserve the respect weourselves expect from them. It is even moreimportant in today’s atmosphere and public opinion

about law enforcement. I have always consideredbeing thanked for my demeanor after an inspectionas one of the biggest honors I can receive roadside. I have also taken a kind of solace in knowing that if I ever needed help on the side of the road, morethan likely, one of these professional drivers wouldassist. There are so many instances, but all onewould have to do is search North Carolina StateTrooper Horniack and James Hill. That is an awesomeexample of the best in trucking and humanity.

That is part of the reason I enjoy NAIC so much. Overthe last four years, I have met so many professionallaw enforcement officers and truck drivers. With NAICbeing held in conjunction with the National TruckDriving Championship (NTDC), competitors have achance to meet each other in the hotels, restaurantsand events. It is great to have conversations with yourprofessional counterparts, on both sides of theinspection process.

I want to ask all my law enforcement and truckingindustry family to stay safe and make it home safelyto whoever is waiting for you. To both, be theprofessional you want to be treated as and treat theother with the respect they deserve. And remember,3 to 5 is just as important as any other step in theprocess. n

I have alwaysconsidered beingthanked for mydemeanor afteran inspection asone of the biggesthonors I canreceive roadside.

3 to 5By M/Tpr. J.D. Berrong II, North Carolina State Highway Patrol, Motor Carrier Enforcement

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

REGIONAL MAP

Puerto Rico’s Public Service Commission under its Motor Carrier Safety AdministrationProgram (MCSAP) Division continues to be active in its mission of guaranteeing the safety ofthe roads and ensuring the compliance of the laws that the agency regulates. The division hasbeen vigorously educating its concessionaries and registering more companies under the

USDOT numbers to follow the state and federal laws, policies and procedures.

At the same time and in accordance with federalrulings, Puerto Rico’s MCSAP has been adopting and preparing new practices that will goaccordingly with the compliance review.

Puerto Rico's MCSAP participated in OperationAirbrake in September 2015, conducting morethan 100 inspections throughout the island,according to Omar Negrón, chairman of Puerto Rico’s Public Service Commission.

“Enforcing full compliance is certainly one of our main goals. It is our duty and obligation to educate and ensure that accidents as aconsequence of the mishandling and breach ofthese policies are reduced,” noted José MirandaRamos, director of MCSAP in Puerto Rico. n

Puerto Rico Participates in 2015 Operation Airbrake

REGION I

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



GUARDIAN38

On July 11, 2015, Atlantic Investigationshosted its first inaugural TruckDriving/CMV MechanicChampionship Rodeo in Hammonton,

New Jersey. The event was a big success.

Nine trucking companies participated and were judged on written tests, driving skills andmechanic skills. The nine competing companieswere: Asphalt Paving Systems, Lee Transport,Safeway Distributors, MJD Trucking, SantelliTrucking, Ocean City Express, Northstar, GoldMedal Environmental and Phase III Trucking.

In attendance were CEOs and companyemployees supporting and cheering on theirfellow employees.

All participating drivers took CVSA's OperationAirbrake driver survey. Once everyone wasdone with the written test, the drivers had todo a pre-trip inspection of their vehicle, whichwas the first phase of the truck rodeo. Once thepre-trip inspections were completed, they wereready to enter the driving course.

One judge was stationed at each obstaclecourse to evaluate each driver on how well theydrove through the course. The driving course

consisted of a left turn, straight line, front stop,alley dock, funky monkey and curb stop.

As the drivers competed in the rodeo, theparticipating technicians took an AirbrakeKnowledge survey test prepared by CVSA. Uponcompletion, the technicians individually went toa decoy truck supplied by Smith and Solomonwith planted defects. The competing technicianshad to discover the defects.

The judges for this event were: Retired SergeantFirst Class Michele McLaughun, Patrolman DavidMcWilliam of the Philadelphia Police DepartmentTruck Enforcement Unit, Retired Lieutenant ofthe New Jersey State Police Lorraine Fritsch,Retired Captain of the New Jersey State PoliceTina Arcaro, Retired Sergeant of the Atlantic CityPolice Robert Clark, Lieutenant LawrenceHiggins, Lieutenant Stephen Albanese, TrooperJason Burger, and Trooper Dan Zelechoski andSergeant First Class Richard Brunett of the NewJersey State Police Traffic Safety Bureau.

At the end of the rodeo, awards were presentedby Robert J. Pinizzotto, Esq.; Mike Kelliney,president of People Against Distracted Driving(PADD); and Greg W. Crescenzo, owner ofAtlantic Investigations.

• Jack Smith from Asphalt Paving Systems was awarded Top Class A Driver.

• Second place went to John O’Rourke from Phase III Trucking.

• John O’Rourke from Phase III Trucking was also awarded Best Truck Appearance.

• Ed “Doc” Lonk from Gold Medal Environment of New Jersey and Pennsylvania was awarded Best Mechanic.

During the event, DJ Anthony from SicilianEntertainment played greatest hits, while TexasRoadhouse supplied food for the participants andtheir families. The MC for the event was retiredprosecutor Robert Pinizzotto.

Special thanks to PADD President Mike Kelliney,all the participating companies, SicilianEntertainment for providing the music andTexas Roadhouse of Sicklerville for providingthe food. Also, special thanks to all the judgeswho helped with the event.

This event raised more than $1,500 for CVSA’sOperation Safe Driver Teens and Trucks Programin the school system. It was an enjoyable time forall participants. n

Atlantic Investigations Hosts Successful Truck Driving/CMV Mechanic Championship Rodeo

REGION I

By Greg Crescenzo, Owner, Atlantic Investigations


GUARDIAN40

REGION II

The Kentucky State Police, Commercial Vehicle EnforcementDivision, began a new class of cadets on July 12, 2015. The class of10 cadets began their commercial vehicle training by completingthe North American Standard Parts A & B and the General

Hazardous Materials courses for their first three weeks of training.

After spending four weeks in the field to complete their initialcertification inspections, the cadets began the Department of CriminalJustice Training (DOCJT) Academy in Richmond, Kentucky. The DOCJTcurriculum consists of general police procedures, patrol procedures,criminal law, firearms, driving and crash investigation; inclusive of 22weeks of police training.

After completing the 22 weeks of DOCJT police training, the cadetsreturned to the Kentucky State Police Academy and completed fiveweeks of additional training, including defensive tactics, driving skills,radar certification, commercial vehicle stops training and additionalfirearms training. The cadets have completed 30 weeks of training.

The agency is excited to welcome the addition of these new employeesinto our ranks. n

National Night Out Program in New Jersey, Aug. 4, 2015

REGION I

By Lt. Col. Curtis O'Bannon, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division,Kentucky State Police

kentucky State Police Welcomes New Cadets

Pictured from left to right: George Pointer, Jon Bledsoe, Kalin Caudill, DwightIsaac, Jerrod Foley, Daniel Woosley, Bradley Calhoun, Michael Flanigan, TylerLynch, Jacob Vanover.



Kentucky’s innovative use of technologyfor screening large commercial trucksthat pass through the Commonwealthwas accorded the 2015 President’s

Award for Research by the American Associationof State Highway and Transportation Officials(AASHTO).

The award-winning program is KATS – KentuckyAutomated Truck Screening. It employs a licenseplate reader, U.S. Department of Transportation(USDOT)/KYU number reader and scene cameratechnology to collect and process identifyinginformation as a commercial vehicle enters aweigh station ramp.

KATS was implemented across the state throughefforts of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet(KYTC) Department of Vehicle Regulation, theKentucky Transportation Center at the Universityof Kentucky and the Commercial VehicleEnforcement Division of Kentucky State Police.

“KATS is an example of the high-quality projects that can come about when groups work toward a common goal,” said Kentucky TransportationSecretary Mike Hancock. “We were proud to be apart of this project and do our part to ensure ourroads and those driving on them are as safe aspossible.”

The goal of KATS was to create a system thatcould more quickly identify commercial vehiclesand pinpoint potential problems on Kentuckyroadways related to safety, credentials andregistration.

In 2013, nearly 3.5 million trucks came throughKentucky’s 14 weigh stations. But due to limitedstaffing and the lengthy time required tocomplete an inspection, only about 1 percent oflarge trucks were inspected. KATS technologydoes not increase the number of inspections thatcan be conducted, but it does improve thechances of detecting violations. The system putsa spotlight on carriers with potential problems,while allowing motor carriers in good standing tocontinue down the road.

As a truck enters a weigh station equipped with KATS, data collection begins immediately. A complete record contains the date and time,vehicle weight, license plate number andjurisdiction, USDOT and KYU numbers, and anoverview image. Data is correlated into a singlerecord and checked against several state andfederal systems. In all, 16 tests are run on everyvehicle. KATS flags vehicles that fail any test, but only those violations specified by enforcementare automatically directed to stop.

Research has shown that inspections initiatedthrough KATS tend to detect more violations. Finding and correcting violations results in saferroadways and a possible increase of revenue forKentucky if KATS also spots tax violations forcommercial vehicles.

Ten KATS systems are operational in the state – eight at weigh stations, one on Interstate 64 inShelbyville and one at a virtual weigh station onthe AA Highway in Grayson. KATS was developedusing federal grant money.

The award was presented Sept. 27, 2015, inChicago at AASHTO’s annual meeting. Acceptingwere Brian Beaven, assistant director of the KYTCDivision of Motor Carriers, and Dr. Joe Crabtree,director of the Kentucky Transportation Center,on behalf of engineer Jerry Kissick.

It was the second prestigious award for KATS, which was also named 2014 Project of the Yearby the Intelligent Transportation Society of theMidwest in December. n

kentucky’s Commercial Vehicle Screening System Accorded TransportationResearch Award‘KATS’ Project Helps Identify Candidates for Large-Truck Inspections

REGION II

By Chuck Wolfe, Office of Public Affairs, Kentucky State Police

The goal of KATS wasto create a systemthat could morequickly identifycommercial vehiclesand pinpoint potentialproblems on Kentuckyroadways related tosafety, credentials and registration.

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GUARDIAN

The TIME Task Force – Champions for Quick Clearance of Metro Atlanta’s Traffic Incidents

REGION II

By Capt. Gwendolyn Fulton, Georgia Department of Public Safety, Motor Carrier Compliance Division; GEMA/DOT Liaison; Training Committee Chair, Metro Atlanta TIME Task Force

Sometimes, it seems that “governmentcooperation” is an oxymoron – conceptsmore often at odds than actuallyoccurring in the real world. To further

complicate matters, just add in disparateagencies, various jurisdictions and a hodgepodgeof private- and public-sector interests. Then thepicture grows grim for the prospect of workingtogether on common goals.

But the leaders and members of the MetroAtlanta Traffic Incident ManagementEnhancement (TIME) Task Force have managedto unify just such an eclectic mix of people,agencies and businesses for more than 13 years.

Traffic incidents account for significant impacts to safety, mobility, environmental concerns,economic viability and overall quality of life. The TIME Task Force mitigates these adverseeffects through training, awareness, and thedevelopment of professional guidelines andpolicies for the quick, safe clearance of incidents.TIME provides the forum for first responders andothers dealing with crashes to share lessonslearned and best practices in traffic incidentmanagement (TIM).

The Federal Highway Administration defines TIM as the “planned and coordinated multi-disciplinary process to detect, respond to andclear traffic incidents so that traffic flow may berestored as safely and quickly as possible.Effective TIM reduces the duration and impactsof traffic incidents and improves the safety ofmotorists, crash victims and emergencyresponders.”

Everything hinges on the TIM timeline. The timeline accounts for all aspects of theincident from its detection to verification,response, roadway clearance, incident clearanceand recovery to normal traffic flow. Anything

that can be done to shorten the duration of any of these phases minimizes congestion andimproves safety.

Metro Atlanta’s infamous traffic situation stemsfrom too much demand and limited roadwaycapacity, or recurring congestion. But more thanhalf of the congestion encountered daily is theresult of non-recurring incidents – crashes,disabled vehicles and debris blocking roadways.

Quick clearance of incidents generatestremendous time-saving and safety-enhancingbenefits. The longer it takes to clear an incident,the greater the chances for secondary crashesoccurring in the back-up. The safety ofresponders is also jeopardized. Longer time on anincident scene equates to greater exposure topotential injury or death.

Surprisingly, more firefighters and police officersare injured or killed each year while workingtraffic incidents than from violent crimes or fires.Tow truck operators are struck and killed far toooften, and Georgia Department ofTransportation’s (GDOT’s) highway emergencyresponse operators (HEROs) have suffered loss inthe line of duty.

It may be taken for granted that everyoneworking an incident is doing so as quickly aspossible. But with many different roles andresponsibilities present, quick clearance may not be at the top of everyone’s list of priorities.These priorities will counteract one anotherwithout good TIM practices in place to ensurequick clearance is part of every responder’s on-scene responsibilities.

More than a decade ago, metro driverscommuted in “The Land before TIME,” a placewhere incidents were handled vastly differentfrom today. Firefighters parked engines to block

TIME’s mission is todevelop and sustain aregion-wide incidentmanagement programto facilitate the safestand fastest clearance of roadway incidents,lessening the impacton emergencyresponders and thetraveling public.



as many lanes as they felt afforded the safestenvironment. Emergency medical personnelwere focused solely on providing advancedcare and transporting the injured. Whenhazmat was involved, roads were shut down atthe slightest whiff of spills and leaks. Lawenforcement held preservation of evidence atthe “crime scene” as their highest objective,and they could not be hurried through theirrequired “CSI”-type activities to open blockedlanes.

All the while, transportation agencies andtraffic managers were focused on getting lanesopen as quickly as possible. Because it was“their road,” they believed they had every rightto make it happen. Towing and recoverypersonnel were an afterthought, not evendispatched until traffic was already gridlocked,often arriving without the proper equipment ortraining. Responders would meet, in mostcases for the first time, at the incident sceneand did the best they could, but often withpoor results. Complex incident scenes involvingmultiple jurisdictions as well as multipleagencies further complicated response andclearance times, and led to turf wars.

Recognizing the challenges facing the region,area leaders convened in 2002 after aparticularly bad traffic incident on I-85 inGwinnett County. They all agreed that it wastime to work together to address the question,“Why does it take so long to clear an incident?”The subsequent multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional meetings created the MetroAtlanta TIME Task Force.

TIME’s mission is to develop and sustain aregion-wide incident management program tofacilitate the safest and fastest clearance ofroadway incidents, lessening the impact onemergency responders and the travelingpublic. Members of TIME include fire andrescue, police, hazmat and towing andrecovery companies, emergency medicalservices, media, transportation and transitagencies.

Since “The Beginning of TIME,” these agencieshave epitomized what can be accomplishedwith coordination, communication andcooperation. How did all these agencies beginworking together, reducing average incidentclearance times by more than 60 percent? They

learned more about each other’s proceduresand priorities, collectively devising ways tofulfill objectives and shave time off the incidenttimeline.

Today, TIME’s members join for quarterlymeetings, annual conferences, trainingsessions, special workshops and after incidentreviews (AIRs). On a smaller scale, jurisdictionshave formed local TIM teams for theiremergency responders to discuss issues anddebrief recent incidents. Several agencies haveendorsed the Georgia Open Roads Policy (ORP)and its 90-minute incident clearance goals. TheTowing and Recovery Incentive Program (TRIP),which provides performance incentives andraises the bar for certified towers to haveadvanced training and specialized heavy dutyrecovery equipment, and the development ofthe Georgia TIM guidelines are two of TIME’snotable successes.

Drivers in the metro area can also take steps to keep traffic flowing safely through anincident scene:

• If a traffic incident does not involve deathor serious injury and if vehicles aredrivable, “Steer It & Clear It” legislationrequires you to move the vehiclecompletely off the roadway.

• Use caution when passing the scene of anincident. Slow down without gawking andrubber-necking.

• Georgia’s Move Over Law says drivers mustmove over whenever possible or slowdown when passing emergency vehiclesare stopped on the side of the highway.

The TIME Task Force has been instrumental inraising awareness about these and othereffective measures by partnering with theGeorgia Department of Driver Services toinclude information in driver training manuals.TIME encourages everyone to support theirlocal agencies and elected officials in advancingTIM practices and institutionalizing safe, quickclearance. Anyone can be a champion for TIME.

For more information on the TIME TaskForce, visit www.timetaskforce.com. n

2015 Brake Safety Week/OperationAirbrake in Florida

REGION II


GUARDIAN44

Outreach Event in St. Augustine, Florida

REGION II REGION III

I’ve written several articles over the pastfour years, all of which dealt with safetyand the commercial motor vehicle industry.This article will focus on the Alliance. It has

been an honor and a privilege to serve theAlliance over the past four years as Region IIIvice president and president. By the time thisarticle goes to print, new leadership willalready be in place, setting a new course for theregion and for the Alliance. The benefit of termlimits allows for new ideas, new thoughts andnew energy – all of which can help the Alliancemove forward.

My time as a member of the CVSA ExecutiveCommittee was an opportunity for me to grownot only as an “executive,” but as a person. Ilearned to not only hear concerns, but to listento them. It taught me how to lead a meetingthat had personnel from 14 differentjurisdictions and various industryrepresentatives I only saw four times a year.But most importantly, it taught me theimportance of building relationships and tospeak on their behalf as a member of theexecutive team.

CVSA is the true definition of an alliance: Analliance is a pact, coalition or friendship betweentwo or more parties, made in order to advancecommon goals and secure common interests.

Over the next several months, the Alliance isgoing to be dealing with a great deal of change:a new executive director, president, vicepresident and secretary, and the ever-changingimpact of technology as we go about our day-to-day lives as enforcement personnel andindustry representatives.

The glass half-full personality in me believesexciting times are ahead if we embrace changeand accept what lies ahead with an open mind.The Alliance is made up of great men andwomen who bring insight, leadership andvarious personalities needed to protect andsafeguard our most valuable resources – themotoring public and our transportation system.

It has been an honor to be part of theleadership team for the Alliance. I look forwardto working with each and every one of you asyour teammate as we move forward toward ourcommon goal of commercial vehicle safety.

Thank you to the personnel of Region III formaking my term enjoyable, thought provokingand rewarding. You are true professionals. n

An outreach event was held during 2015 Brake Safety Week (Sept. 6-12) at the LandstarTransportation Logistics facility in St. Augustine, Florida. During this event, Capt. Derek Barrswith the Florida Highway Patrol gave a presentation on brake safety to a group ofcommercial motor vehicle owner/operators for Landstar. Tprs. Stephen Devine and Robert

Sandberg performed/demonstrated a North American Standard Level I Inspection and discussed the37-step process of the inspection for a better understanding of what a roadside trooper inspects. n

By Maj. Lance Evans, Motor VehicleEnforcement, Iowa Department of Transportation

Thank you



A Historical Look at the Timber IndustryWisconsin has a long and proud history thatincludes logging and the timber industry. As thestate began to grow in the 19th century, thiswork provided a livelihood for thousands ofworkers, and ultimately led to the thriving paperindustry that exists today. Timber was originallyfloated down rivers to mills for processing.However, with railroads making rural areas moreaccessible, lumber camps were able to moveaway from waterways and work inlandthroughout the year. The areas surrounding millsgrew into cities and areas that still heavily rely onthe logging industry.

In the present, Wisconsin forest productsaccount for about $19 billion in shipmentsevery year, making the state number one inpaper production. The industry employs over62,000 persons, mostly in mills andmanufacturing. This accounts for about $3.1billion in wages to the state’s economy andmakes up approximately 14 percent of allmanufacturing jobs in the state. Of course, toget to these mills and manufacturing jobs, theapproximate 330 million cubic feet of timberthat is removed from forests around the statemust be transported. While the horse, and laterthe railroad, were the primary transportationmodes as the industry began to grow, truckingon the state’s roads is now the main method oftransportation.

Current TrendsIn Wisconsin, the bulk of the logs transportedover the highway system are consideredshortwood, which refers to logs that are lessthan 16 feet in length. In most cases, the logsare about 8.5 feet, which is the legal width for avehicle travelling on the road. Log truckconfigurations are generally one of twodifferent styles: logs hauled lengthwise in acrib-type truck or trailer (see image 1) or logshauled crosswise on a frame-style vehicle. Eachvehicle has different load securement methods,and each has its own advantages.

In most cases, the Federal Motor Carrier SafetyRegulations (FMCSRs) do not require any tie-downs on a crib-type configuration, as long asthe stacks of logs are generally level andcontained by side bunks, a front structure and a rear structure. In contrast, logs loadedcrosswise on a frame vehicle require theoperator to secure two chains from the front ofthe load to the rear of the load. Oftentimes,this means that the driver must walk up andover the logs, carrying chains from one end tothe other.

According to a 2005 study of log truckscompleted by the Michigan TechnologicalUniversity, the use of crib-type vehicles shouldbe encouraged by industry leaders for safetyreasons. Bunks containing individual stackshold the logs in place and help to prevent

Revisiting Enforcement of Shortwood Securement in Crib-Type Vehicles

REGION III

By Capt. Brian Ausloos, Lt. karl Mittelstadt and Sgt. Tim Austin, Wisconsin State Patrol Motor Carrier Enforcement Section

Image 2: Wisconsin loggers pose on railroad tracksca. 1896 (Wisconsin Historical Society WHS-1964).

Image 1: A typical crib-type trailer has stakes, front protection and rear protection.



GUARDIAN46

shifting. The study solicited comments fromdrivers who had spilled logs on to the roadway,and found that many operators were supportiveof cribbed vehicles for transportation. Commentsreceived or summarized for the study included:

Driver 1: Very slick roads, I was drivingdownhill and lost control of pup. The use ofenclosed crib is the best way to go.

Driver 2: A car pulled out in front of him. He slammed on the brakes and directed thevehicle toward the ditch so he didn’t run intoanyone. He believes that if the truck wasn’tcribbed, people would have been in peril.

Driver 3: The roads were miserable and icy. The vehicle went into the ditch. Driver wouldlike all log trucks to be cribs.

Driver 4: Accident happened while drivingon a sharp turn in a road detour. Road had adrop from the surface to subsurface of 8inches. Chain over wood became loose.Driver would like to see legislation forhauling wood lengthwise (crib-style vehicle).

In spite of recommendations and testimonialssuch as these, many Wisconsin log haulers useframe vehicles with logs loaded crosswise. Tofind out why, the Wisconsin State Patrol spokewith industry at a listening session sponsoredby the Great Lakes Timber ProfessionalsAssociation in the fall of 2013.

Industry ConcernsAt the meeting in Tomahawk, Wisconsin, about250 industry representatives, as well as severalstate lawmakers, were present to express theirconcerns with enforcement of log securementregulations and to explain why they were moreinclined to haul shortwood crosswise. Beyondconcerns that crib-type vehicles weresomewhat more expensive and slightly heavier,the biggest issue those in attendance had wasthe interpretation of the definition for a crib-style vehicle. At the time, enforcement practicegenerally took an “all or nothing” approach inthat if all conditions that define a crib-typevehicle were not met, then every stack wasrequired to have tie-downs. Industry felt thatthe time required for this outweighed thepotential safety benefits.

By definition as found in 49 CFR 393.5, a crib-type vehicle must have stakes to prevent logsfrom moving from side to side and both frontand rear structures to prevent them movingforward or rearward. 49 CFR 393.116(b)(3)indicates that tie-downs are not required whenusing crib-type vehicles as long as thedefinition is met: the logs are contained by the

stakes, structures or other logs, and the centerof the top logs are below the stakes andstructures.

If all of these conditions were not met,enforcement officers were not treating these ascrib-type vehicles and therefore required twotie-downs on end stacks and one tie-down onall internal stacks. In some cases, this led to upto seven tie-downs being required on a singleload. Some carriers had been using modifiedcrib-type vehicles, and felt that enforcementwas unfair. Some of these “modified” crib-stylevehicles included:

• Vehicles missing a front or rear structure:Some owner/operators indicated that theyremoved the rear structure to increase fueleconomy when hauling empty. For theseconfigurations, tie-downs were required onevery stack since the complete definition ofa crib-type vehicle was no longer met.

• Vehicles with a center-mounted crane: Many trailers have been equipped with acenter-mounted crane that is used to loadwood onto the trailer, such as Image 4,pictured on the right. If there was noprotection that would prevent logs onadjacent stacks from sliding forward orrearward, the truck or trailer was notconsidered to be a crib-type vehicle.Therefore, two tie-downs were required onthe inside stacks and a single tie-down wasrequired on the end stacks, even thoughfront and end protection is present.

In response to these concerns, the WisconsinState Patrol agreed to revisit and study theenforcement of tie-down requirements for crib-type vehicles that have been modified ordo not fully meet the definition prescribed by49 CFR 393.5. These vehicles have sometimesbeen referred to as “bunk-type” since they arenot true crib-type vehicles.

Regulations and MemorandumsSpecifically per 49 CFR 393.116(b)(3), tie-downsmust be used in combination with thestabilization provided by bunks, stakes andbolsters to secure the logs, unless the logs aretransported in a crib-type vehicle. It is fromhere that the practice of requiring up to twotie-downs per stack when the crib-type vehicledefinition was not met came from. Theregulation further states that each log not heldin place by contact with other logs or thestakes, bunks or standards must be held inplace by a tie-down. Additional tie-downs mustbe used when the condition of the wood resultsin such low friction that they are likely to slip.This seems to indicate that only one tie-downmay be required if the logs are not fully


Image 3: Log spill in Wisconsin. Logs loaded crosswiseon a frame vehicle are secured with two longitudinaltie-downs.

Image 4: Past enforcement practice would requirethis trailer with a center-mounted crane to have twotie-downs on the center stacks and one tie-down onthe end stacks as drawn because the vehicle does nottechnically meet the specific definition of a crib-typevehicle.



contained by all of the components required ofa crib-type vehicle.

In researching load securement for shortwood,a 2003 memorandum from FMCSA AssistantAdministrator John Hill was located. The memostates the then-current policy that a stackblocked in the front or rear by a front-endstructure, a vehicle end structure or anotherstack of logs, must be secured with one tie-down. If it is not, then two tie-downs arerequired. The memo then discusses a requestfrom industry to allow only a single tie-downon the front-most stack and rear-most stackgiven the containment provided by the bunksand standards. FMCSA’s response appears tosupport this request:

With regard to allowing the use of one tie-downper bunk for shortwood loaded lengthwisebetween the first two standards and the last twostandards, FMCSA believes one tie-down issufficient given the standards used to protectagainst lateral movement.

In reading the regulations and FMCSA memo,the Wisconsin State Patrol felt that the pastpractice of requiring up to two tie-downs forevery stack of logs on trucks and trailers thatdo not fully meet the definition of a crib-typevehicle should be revisited. As a result, stateenforcement officials proposed, internally, thatstacks not immediately contained by anotherstack of logs, the front protection or the rearprotection, would require a minimum of onetie-down. In other words, a vehicle missingonly the rear protection would require only onetie-down on the rearmost stack, as opposed totwo tie-downs on the back and one on each ofthe other stacks. To confirm that this would notdecrease safety, a series of tests were designedand initiated to examine the proposedenforcement change.

Testing of Log SecurementTo test the proposed change in enforcement,the Wisconsin State Patrol partnered with theGreat Lakes Timber Professionals Association,Great Lakes Manufacturing, Inc. and volunteercarriers. The goal was to load a bunk inaccordance with 49 CFR 393.116 and thensubject that load to various g-forces. As abaseline, inspectors looked to 49 CFR 393.102for guidance in acceptable g-forces. Here,regulations indicate that the maximum forcesacting on the tie-downs should not exceed themanufacturer’s working load limit at a 0.435 gdeceleration in the forward direction or under0.5 g acceleration in the rearward direction.Similarly, the regulations state that the forcescannot exceed the breaking strength rating at0.8 g forward direction and 0.5 g in the

rearward direction. A test was then devised tosubject shortwood logs loaded in the crib tothese forces.

With the help of Great Lakes Manufacturing,Inc., a bunk from a crib-type trailer wasbrought to the Monaco landing facility nearRhinelander, Wisconsin. There it was loaded byvolunteers from Scott Schoeneck Trucking andMartin Sauer Trucking. The bunk was thentilted to various angles using a front-end loaderto simulate different prescribed g-forces.Ultimately, the bunk was tilted to the point offailure. Testing was completed with various tie-down methodologies using first low-frictionlogs followed by high-friction samples.

On the afternoon preceding the testing, severalof the low-friction logs were peeled andwatered down. Ambient air temperatures werenot expected to get above zero degreesFahrenheit, thus ensuring the formation of ice.These logs were mixed in the load to simulaterealistic conditions. A total of eight low-frictiontests were run with this configuration, using asingle chain, two straps, a single strap and noload securement at all. Following this, the loadwas replaced with high-friction hardwood thatwas tested using a single chain and with nosecurement.

Setup for the testing included the use of aVBOX 3i data acquisition system provided byFox Valley Technical College in Appleton,Wisconsin. This device was combined with aVideo VBOX owned by the Wisconsin StatePatrol. Together, the units documented thesimulated g-forces experienced by the load asthe bunk was tipped. These were recorded in adigital video file that showed both the bunkbeing tipped and the live g-forces. At varioustimes during the testing, the actual angle of thebunk was physically measured using aprotractor and a level to ensure the accuracy ofthe instrumentation.

The results of the testing brought confidencethat requiring a single tie-down on stacks whenneeded will not compromise safety. For low-friction logs, the average force experiencedbefore the load was lost with a single tie-downwas 0.5 g. For high friction, the average was0.63 g. With no securement whatsoever, thisvalue was only reduced to 0.47 g and 0.55 g,respectively for low-friction and high-frictionlogs. One specific test was conducted todetermine if the load could sustain a force of0.8 g. This was accomplished using two tie-downs on the low-friction logs.

Image 5: Scott Schoeneck loads the test bunk withlow-friction logs.

Image 6: Author Capt. Brian Ausloos prepares low-friction logs with water after peeling.

Image 7: A single strap is secured over a bunkcontaining low-friction logs.


Image 8: Screen capture from the VBOX videoshowing a load of hardwood with a single 5/16”grade 70 transport chain. The current forceexperienced by the load is 0.63 g, which is obtainedat an angle of approximately 39 degrees.


GUARDIAN48

Discussion with IndustryFollowing the testing, the Wisconsin StatePatrol again met with industry represestativesat a large-scale gathering in northernWisconsin. The test results were presented,along with the proposal that a single tie-downwould be required if the stack is not containedby front protection, rear protection or anotherstack of logs. The group was supportive of thechange, with the exception of wanting to keepthe requirement of two tie-downs on a forwardstack without front protection. The State Patrolwas in agreement with this modification; giventhe added safety and testing showing that twotie-downs were able to maintain the stack upto 0.8g.

The Proposal for Wisconsin and MichiganThe Wisconsin State Patrol and the Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association havepetitioned FMCSA for a two-year exemption tothe FMCSRs to allow for enforcement of loadsecurement as outlined below. This is based onthe 2003 FMCSA memorandum, testing andinput from both enforcement and industry. It is anticipated that the proposal will bepublished in the Federal Register by the end of 2015. Interested readers can visithttps://www.federalregister.gov for moreinformation.

With the support of the Michigan State Police,the exemption, if approved, will be valid inboth Wisconsin and Michigan for all carrierstransporting shortwood in bunk-typeconfigurations that do not fully meet thedefinition of a crib-type vehicle.

No Front Structure: Under the proposal, twotie-downs would be required on the front-moststack for bunk-type vehicles that do not have afront structure. No other stacks would requiretie-downs as long as they are reasonably leveland are contained by either another stack or avehicle end structure.

No Rear Structure: One tie-down would berequired for the rear-most stack if there is novehicle end structure. No other stacks wouldrequire tie-downs as long as they arereasonably level and are contained by eitheranother stack or a front structure.

Space Between Stacks: If there is a spacebetween stacks such that a log could slide tothe point where it is not in contact with at leasttwo stakes, one tie-down would be required onthe stacks. No other stacks would require tie-downs as long as they are reasonably level andcontained by another stack, a front structure ora vehicle end structure.

ConclusionAlthough the increased safety associated with crib-type vehicles is recognized, manyWisconsin loggers have intentionally avoidedthis style of truck or trailer. The primary reasonfor this has been the number of tie-downsrequired for bunk vehicles that do not meet theexact definition of “crib-type.”

In some cases, without both a front and rearstructure, as many as seven tie-downs havebeen required. Representatives from the timberindustry have stated that the additional timerequired for this, combined with the addedweight and cost of crib-type vehicles, has beena negative influence on their use.

In addressing the concerns of industry, theWisconsin State Patrol researched past FMCSAguidance and performed testing where a bunkwas subjected to various g-forces. Based on the interpretation of a 2003 FMCSA memo,combined with test results, the Wisconsin State Patrol believes that some degree of relief can be provided in the load securementrequirements. It is for this reason that theagency, in partnership with the Great LakesTimber Professionals Association, has made theexemption request as outlined herein for carriers using bunk-type vehicles in Wisconsinand Michigan. n


Image 11: No rear structure.

Image 9: Industry representatives listen to apresentation given by the Wisconsin State Patrol onthe test results.

Image 10: No front structure.

Image 12: Space between stacks.



Overweight or Not? Truck-Weight Education Program Has the Answers

REGION III

By Pam Snopl, Managing Editor, Minnesota Local Technical Assistance Program, University of Minnesota

In recent years, legislative changes inMinnesota have increased allowable truckweights for some industries and for somevehicle configurations, complicating an

already complicated and technical area of law.The Minnesota Truck-Weight Education Programdeciphers these laws and explains theconfigurations in easy-to-understand language.

The program addresses truck-weight issues fromthe trucking industry and from state, county, cityand township transportation authorities. Freeclasses statewide teach attendees how to haullegal larger weights.

The program is funded by the MinnesotaDepartment of Transportation in cooperation withAlexandria Technical and Community College andthe Minnesota Local Technical Assistance Programat the University of Minnesota.

Greg A. Hayes, a retired Minnesota state patrolregional commercial vehicle supervisor, is thedeveloper and coordinator of the training. Inaddition to his law enforcement experience,Hayes drove trucks in interstate commerce forsix years and knows what it’s like to be on the“inside” of the windshield. He discusses recentlegal changes and shares some programhighlights below.

How have truck-weight lawschanged?Minnesota legislation has increased allowabletruck weight, if trucks are built and configuredcorrectly. For example, legislation in 2008increased allowable weight up to an additional17,000 pounds gross weight for specifiedcommodities, if the trucks are configuredaccording to new regulations.

Currently, some timber and unprocessedagricultural haulers are allowed increasedweights. Industries that are excluded, such asgravel, aggregate and construction, ask: “Howdoes the road know the difference between aload of grain and a load of gravel?” They feel theyshould also have the option of the additionalgross weight if they use the same configurations.

The 2015 legislative session heard several bills toextend increased weights to other commodities.Only one bill – a ‘porta-potty’ weight exemption– passed. The bill allows haulers to service

portable toilets up to 7-ton limits during springload restrictions. I expect we’ll see furtherattempts at truck-weight changes in futurelegislative sessions.

What do the classes cover?The training explains the laws governing grossweights, axle weights, tire weights, road-restriction weights, seasonally increased (winterand harvest) weights, and the differencesbetween the state and local transportationsystems. Classroom projects start with thesimplest truck configurations and graduate tomore complex configurations.

Who attends the training?Attendees come from many types oforganizations, such as trucking companies andtruck manufacturers, township and county roadauthorities, scale operators, aggregate haulersand law enforcement. Some attendees alreadyhave some level of knowledge and attend theclasses as a refresher or to graduate to morecomplicated scenarios. They also use the class asa resource to stay current with legislativechanges. More than 5,000 students haveattended the training since 2001.

A few years ago, officers attending the trainingasked for material to meet their specific needs,so in 2010 we developed an additional version ofthe class formatted for law enforcement. Thatclass focuses on statutes and additional materialto help officers understand and correctly weightrucks. Training includes field demonstrations toshow the correct procedure to weigh a truck onportable scales and how to document results asevidence for a successful prosecution.

Is customized training available?Industries sometimes request customizedtraining for their employees. Through AlexandriaTechnical and Community College, we’ve donethis for scale operators in the aggregate industry,the agricultural industry and the timber industry.Several county engineers have hosted classes fortheir area trucking industries. We’ve also offeredclasses to manufacturing companies so they canproperly configure trucks to comply more easilywith Minnesota laws. At times, manufacturersattend the class with their customers to learnhow to properly configure their trucks to meetspecific needs.


“The Truck WeightCompliance program hasbeen a huge benefit for ushere at GNP Company. We have sent managers,supervisors and thescheduler for the trucks. Weencourage everyone to getthrough the program at leastonce. The first time, you getyour feet wet, and by thetime you go back for thesecond class, you are moreinvolved and can start askingquestions to benefit theorganization that you workfor. It has enabled us to workwith the trailer manufacturerto make sure our equipmenthas the axle spacing for theload we are hauling.”

—GREGG PFLIPSEN, LIVE HAULMANAGER, GOLDEN PLUMP POULTRY


GUARDIAN50


Is permitting covered?The truck-weight class is not a permitting classbut it does cover certain divisible load permitssuch as timber, agricultural and winter loadincrease permits. We work with MinnesotaDepartment of Transportation Permitting andMinnesota State Patrol truck-weightenforcement officials to share permittinginformation from road authorities. Currently,the permitting process varies depending on theroadway authority. For example, the format andfees a trucker negotiates in one county may notbe the same as the next one over.

What other resources does theprogram provide?Attendees are not left without resources whenthey complete the training. Truckers orcompanies can call us to verify the legality oftruck configurations, for example, or ask aboutretrofitting axles or tires. There are alsocomprehensive resources on the web, such asclass materials, sample truck-weightcalculations and a clickable, county-level statemap for finding basic county-level truck-weightinformation.

Our goal is to be a trusted resource for thetrucking industry, lawmakers, road users andbuilders, and law enforcement personnel tohelp us all maintain Minnesota’s roads andcreate the most efficient working environmentpossible for Minnesota’s economy.

How do I register for classes? Minnesota Local Technical Assistance Programhas scheduled 16 free classes betweenSeptember and April 2016. Class sizes arelimited and registration is required. Dates,locations and registration instructions areonline at:

• Truck-Weight Education Program:www.mnltap.umn.edu/training/topic/customized/truck-weight

• Minnesota Truck Weight Education for RoadAuthority and Enforcement Staff:www.mnltap.umn.edu/training/topic/customized/truck-weight/enforcement n

“[The class] has helped usdesign and adjust our trucksfor ultimate payload asnormal and during seasonalrestrictions, thus preventingfines and equipment stress.”

—JOE FOSTER, kNIFE RIVER TRUCkING

“All of our employees cameaway with an understandingof how to calculate weightsto be legal, and we arehappy to say that we havenot had any overweightviolations with our truckssince attending the class.”

—CAMILLE NISIUS AND SHERRI TATRO,TRUCkING DIVISION, R.D. OFFUTTCOMPANY

“The biggest reason tocontinue these classes is toeducate the farmers/truckowners of what they canlegally haul with their truck.It has helped our roads byreducing the number ofextremely overweight truckson them. I would like to seethe class become mandatoryfor those ticketed for morethan one overweight truck ina year.”

—RICH SANDERS, POLk COUNTYENGINEER AND LTAP STEERINGCOMMITTEE MEMBER

REGION V

REGION IV

Recent amendments to the Highway Traffic Actcreate tougher penalties for those caughtdriving while using handheld communicationdevices, says Prince Edward Island Department

of Transportation, Infrastructure and Energy MinisterPaula Biggar.

“It is sad to see collisions on our Island roads that could beprevented if drivers would understand the dangers ofdistracted and impaired driving,” said Minister Biggar.“Distracted driving is just as serious as impaired driving.Using a phone while driving is dangerous and deadly.”

The amended Highway Traffic Act increases the fine foroperating a vehicle while using a handheld communicationdevice from $250-$500 to $500-$1,200. There is also anincrease in demerit points. Violators will now receive fivedemerit points, up from three demerit points.

Changes to the Graduated Driver Licensing Regulationswill mean any new drivers in this program will have theirlicense suspended if convicted of an offence foroperating a handheld communication device whiledriving. There will be a 30-day driver license suspensionfor a first offence, and for any subsequent offence, theywill lose their license for 90 days.

“Doctors see first-hand the results of distracted drivingwith collision victims in our emergency departments andlegislation is yet another incentive to stay focused whiledriving,” noted Dr. Jill Cunniffe, president of the MedicalSociety of Prince Edward Island. “Drivers need toremember to keep their eyes on the road or risk life-altering consequences.”

The increased penalties went into effect on Aug. 8, 2015.

To learn more about the penalties for distracted orimpaired driving, visit www.gov.pe.ca/highwaysafety. n

Prince Edward IslandToughens Penalties forDistracted Driving

Inspection Photo

Cracked on the left front steering axle. Note the circumferentialcrack across the flanges for the hub piloted wheel. Photo byPhilip Zeman, Transportation Inspector. Anthony Port Of Entry, I-10 Westbound, New Mexico.

About Region V’s Education QualityAssurance Team

REGION V

Region V’s Education Quality Assurance Team (EQAT) meetsevery year in a different Canadian city to review, update andmaintain the NASI Part A, B and D (motorcoach) ProgramMaterial. This year’s meeting was held in beautiful, historic

Quebec City, Quebec, in October 2015.

Representatives from each province and territory spend five days peryear meeting in person, scrutinizing course material to strive for accuracyand consistency in delivering our training program. These individuals arepassionate about the program – dedicating their attention and time tothe maintenance, accuracy and delivery of the material.

Course change requests are received from each jurisdiction throughoutthe year, as courses are delivered. These are reviewed by the committeeand either accepted or rejected. New material is added as required withinput from all jurisdictional representatives.

Accepted course changes and new material are integrated into theprogram, along with the updated North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria, Operational Policies and Inspection Procedures, andupdates to the National Safety Code Standards, such as the recentoverhaul of NSC Standard 11 for Periodic Motor Vehicle Inspections everyyear on April 1. Rejected requests are returned to the source along withan explanation.

EQAT also administers and oversees the instructor developer program inCanada, managing consistent delivery of the NASI program material.

EQAT maintains ties with the Canadian Council of Motor TransportAdministrators (CCMTA), Transport Canada, Lethbridge College (Alberta)and CVSA, all of whom typically send representatives to the annualmeeting as well.

EQAT provides a consistent, open pipeline of information coast to coastin Canada, maintaining points of contact in each province and territorywho are familiar with one another, and committed to the integrity of theprogram. One of the most beneficial by-products of this committee is thefocus on efficient, consistent roadside inspections across the country. n


51

Inspection Photos

REGION V

The vehicle experienced driveshaft failure in front of the Whitehorse Weigh Stationand the driveshaft punctured the fuel tank. Photo by Officer Sheldon Barteaux,Whitehorse Weigh Station, Yukon.

Blown tire. Photo by Officer Brett Barteau, Whitehorse Weigh Station, Yukon.

Photo by Officer Sheldon Barteaux, Whitehorse Weigh Station, Yukon.

FOURTH QUARTER 2015

By Joel Turner, Regional Manager, Central Division, Vehicle Compliance,Nova Scotia

F R OM T H E D R I V E R ’ S S E AT

GUARDIAN52

FROM THE DRIVER’S SEAT

Don’t Skip the Post-TripBy Eric Flick, FedEx Freight

Truck drivers could be delivering life-savingmedical supplies to a community in ruralNevada or hauling a shipment of preciousmetals across the country. A driver’s success

relies heavily on road quality, safe-driving skills,other drivers making safe decisions and theequipment he or she is using to transport goodsalong the highway system of the United States.

When transporting freight in an 18-wheeler, havingequipment that is working properly is critical tomaking sure the product is delivered safely andefficiently. What’s the best way to guaranteeeverything is functioning correctly? For me, it allstarts when the trip ends, with a post-trip inspection.

A post-trip is just as, if not more, important as a pre-trip inspection. The post-trip inspection ensureswe don’t pass on problems to our fellow drivers. We cannot take shortcuts and assume it is aninsignificant step.

At the end of a long delivery, every driver is ready toreturn home, which makes it even more crucial to doa thorough post-trip inspection. A driver thatoverlooks a post-trip inspection can jeopardize thenext driver’s safety. We must cover our bases toensure we are not putting a vehicle out on thehighway that is unsafe.

Of course, every driver should also do a pre-tripinspection. But if we can catch problems at the end ofthe next trip, it gives our company time to make thenecessary repairs before a driver is scheduled to makethe next trip. Identifying issues at the end of a tripgives us a better opportunity to keep the freightmoving, which is what our industry is all about.

We all know to buckle up and put away distractionswhile driving, but it is also essential to eliminatedistractions when performing a post-trip inspection.Focus completely on the job at hand to avoid mistakes.There are four people who motivate me to stayfocused on my post-trip inspection – my kids. Theyhave managed to safely navigate our nation’s roadsand grown into healthy adults. When I'm doing mydaily inspection, I know it's going to keep my fellowdrivers, as well as other families, safer on the highway.

So what specifically can we look for during a post-tripinspection? We want to make sure we are taking thetime to look underneath the vehicle for wheel sealleaks, slack adjusters and oil leaks, among other things.With winter right around the corner, making sure wecheck our windshield wipers, defroster and tire tread isvery important. Also, identifying an air leak can beperceived as a minor problem; but when the air leak isfrom an airbag, as I’ve seen a few times, it is a majorproblem.

There are safety considerations for drivers and alsoCSA scores that effect both companies and drivers.Failing to complete a detailed post-trip can pass onsafety issues that result in poor CSA scores for acolleague and your company. I am proud of my morethan 2.1 million miles of accident-free driving, but agreat deal of credit should be given to each truck’sprevious driver for taking the time to complete athorough post-trip inspection.

A lot can happen during the course of a trip that can alter the vehicle. At the end of the day, there isnothing more important than looking out for otherdrivers by taking care of equipment so everyone gets home safely. n

If we can catchproblems at theend of a trip, itgives our companytime to make thenecessary repairsbefore a driver isscheduled to makethe next trip.

53

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

RAD INSPECTION NEWS

CVSA, under a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy, is currently in theplanning stages for their Level VI certification classes for the year 2016. Eight classes will beadministered on the topic of inspecting motor carriers and their drivers, while transporting bothtransuranic waste and highway route controlled quantities (HRCQ) shipments of radioactivematerial. Under this cooperative agreement, CVSA will provide Level VI training to jurisdictionalinspectors who meet the prerequisite of having obtained CVSA Level I and hazmat certification.

2016 Level VI Training 2016 COHMED ConferenceJanuary 25-29, 2016 | San Antonio, TexasAn eight-hour refresher will be held during the COHMED Conference for all certified Level VIInspectors. Attending the entire eight-hour refresher course at the COHMED Conference will meet the24-month maintenance of certification requirement for Level VI, as specified in CVSA OperationalPolicy. To register to attend the COHMED Conference or for more information, visitwww.cvsa.org/events/cohmed/2016.

Level VI Train the TrainerFebruary 23-25, 2016 | Baton Rouge, LouisianaThis class is for certified state Level VI Inspectors who serve as their state's Level VI Train theTrainer. State-certified Train the Trainers must successfully complete this course every 24 monthsto maintain certification as a part of the CVSA Level VI Train the Trainer Program. To register forthis course, contact Director of Hazmat Programs Carlisle Smith at [email protected]. To reserveyour hotel room, contact Manager of Conferences and Exhibits Claudia McNatt [email protected].

2016 Level VI Basic Certification Classes• March 14-17, 2016

Little Rock, Arkansas

• August 22-25, 2016Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Any jurisdiction interested in Level VI training or with the available facilities to host a Level VI class in 2016 is asked to contact Carlisle Smith at 301-830-6147 [email protected]. n

About RAD Inspection NewsRAD Inspection News featuresinformation pertaining to the NorthAmerican Standard Level VI InspectionProgram for transuranic waste andhighway route controlled quantities(HRCQ) of radioactive material. 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 HRCQ ofradioactive material.

Learn more at www.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. n

Level VI Inspections with No Violations 0 187 187 94.92%

Level VI Inspections with Violations 0 10 10 5.08%

Level VI Inspections with Out-of-Service (OOS) Violations

0 3 3 1.52%

Roadside Inspections, Level VI (2015 - Fiscal)

2016 Level VI Inspection Program Classes

LEVEL VI INSPECTIONS Federal State Total % of Total

Number of Level VI Inspections 0 197 197 100%

Point of Origin 0 144 144 73.10%

En Route 0 53 53 26.9%

Point of Destination 0 0 0 0%

Unknown Location 0 0 0 0%

FOURTH QUARTER 2015

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

GUARDIAN54

Argonne National Labs Provides Unique Training for Level VI NationalInstructor Team

The 72B shipping cask has one of two impact limitersremoved.

The 72B shipping cask is being repositioned so it canbe loaded.

Level VI Program Chair Todd Armstrong examines theinside of the 72B shipping cask.

The TRUPACT II is being loaded with its assembly of14-55 gallon drums.

TRUPACT II outer cover is removed.

Lisa Janairo of the Council of State GovernmentsMidwest examines the inside of the TRUPACT IIshipping container.

This past August, the Level VI NationalInstructor Team was given a uniqueopportunity to receive training from staff of the Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)U.S. Department of Energy (US DOE) CarlsbadField Office (CBFO) and US DOE MobilLoading Unit (MLU). Also in attendance wereLisa Janairo and Katelyn Tye from theMidwestern Council of State Governments.

Located southwest of Chicago, the ArgonneNational Laboratory is approximately 1,700acres and has a staff of more than 3,000employees. ANL traces its history to EnricoFermi and the Manhattan Project.

On their first day, the Level VI nationalinstructors were provided a livedemonstration of the package-loadingevolution for contact handled (CH)transuranic waste. The empty payload was placed into a TRUPACT II shipping cask. A package leak test was demonstratedwhile the MLU staff, as well as CBFOpersonnel, explained the inner packagingand loading process. The CBFO QualityAssurance Office conducted surveillance of the loading process and provided the Level VI national instructors with a review of the step-by-step oversight required during the loading process.

On the second day, the Level VI NationalInstructor Team witnessed the loadingprocess of remote handled (RH) waste into a RH72B shipping cask. This processincluded the removal of the RH72Bremovable lid canister (RCL) and the loading of an empty drum that would contain RHtransuranic waste into the RH27B shippingcask. As with the demonstration of theloading of the TRUPACT II the day before,CBFO quality assurance staff was on site,providing the Level VI team with a review of the step-by-step oversight required during the loading process.

The ANL staff also provided the Level VI teamwith a tour of the vast ANL campus. n

Pictured from left to right: Ofc. Rion Stann, Pennsylvania State Police; Tony Anderson, Idaho State Police; Sgt.Tom Fuller, New York State Police; Larry Stern, CVSA; M/Sgt. Todd Armstrong, Illinois State Police; Rob Rohr,Public Utilities Commission of Ohio; Kelly Horn, Illinois Emergency Management Agency; Andy Walker, US DOECarlsbad Field Office; Carlisle Smith, CVSA; Lisa Janairo, Midwestern Council of State Governments; and KatelynTye, Midwestern Council of State Governments.


PRESIDENTMaj. Jay ThompsonArkansas Highway Police

VICE PRESIDENTJulius DebuschewitzYukon Highways and Public Works

SECRETARYCapt. Christopher TurnerKansas Highway Patrol

PAST PRESIDENTSMaj. William “Bill” Reese Idaho State Police

Sgt. Thomas Fuller New York State Police

Lt. Col. Mark SavageColorado State Patrol

REGION PRESIDENTSRegion ISgt. John SamisDelaware State Police

Region IILt. Col. Troy ThompsonFlorida Highway Patrol

Region IIIM/Sgt. Todd ArmstrongIllinois State Police

Region IVLt. Scott HansonIdaho State Police

Region VSupt. John LunneyNew Brunswick Department of Public Safety

REGION VICE PRESIDENTS (Non-Voting)Region ISgt. Scott DorrlerNew Jersey State Police

Region IICapt. Scott CarnegieMississippi Department of Public Safety

Region IIICapt. John BroersSouth Dakota Highway Patrol

Region IVSgt. Joshua ClementsCalifornia Highway Patrol

Region VKerri WirachowskyOntario Ministry of Transportation

LOCAL PRESIDENTOfr. Wes BementGrand Prairie Texas Police Department

LOCAL VICE PRESIDENT (Non-Voting)Sgt. Kenneth HopkinsMansfield Police Department

ASSOCIATE MEMBER PRESIDENT(Non-Voting)Jason WingWalmart Transportation, Inc.

ASSOCIATE MEMBER VICE PRESIDENT(Non-Voting)Dr. David GuessUsher Transport, Inc.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT (Non-Voting)William “Bill” QuadeFederal Motor Carrier SafetyAdministration (FMCSA)

David CooperTransportation Security Administration (TSA)

Adrian del MazoSecretaría de Comunicaciones yTransportes (SCT)

William "Bill" SchoonoverPipeline & Hazardous Materials SafetyAdministration (PHMSA)

Peter HurstCanadian Council of Motor TransportAdministrators (CCMTA), CRA Chair

CVSA LEADERSHIPExECUTIVE COMMITTEE

COMMITTEE CHAIRSDriver-Traffic EnforcementCommittee1st Sgt. William "Bill" P. Moore IINorth Carolina State Highway Patrol

Hazardous Materials CommitteeSgt. Brad WagnerNebraska State Patrol

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 CommitteeLt. Lori KnightArizona Department of Transportation

Training CommitteeMilan OrbovichPublic Utilities Commission of Ohio

Vehicle CommitteeKerri WirachowskyOntario Ministry of Transportation

PROGRAM CHAIRSLevel VI InspectionM/Sgt. Todd ArmstrongIllinois State Police

Cooperative Hazardous MaterialsEnforcement Development(COHMED)Sgt. Brad WagnerNebraska State Patrol

International Driver Excellence Award (IDEA)Don EgliIowa Motor Truck Association

Operation Safe Driver (OSD)Brian NealFedEx Ground Corp.

Operation Airbrake (OAB)Sgt. Scott HansonIdaho State Police

Shelley ConklinLandstar Transportation Logistics

International RoadcheckCapt. Derek BarrsFlorida Highway Patrol

North American InspectorsChampionship (NAIC)Richard RobertsBritish Columbia Ministry ofTransportation and Infrastructure

COMMITTEE AND PROGRAM CHAIRS

GUARDIAN

CVSA SPONSORS

PLATINUM

ELITE

PREMIER

DIAMOND

GOLD

GUARDIAN56

57FOURTH QUARTER 2015 57

CVSA SPONSORS

SILVERABF FreightAustin Powder CompanyBrake Tech ToolsCanadian Council of Motor Transport

Administrators (CCMTA)Cargo Transporters, Inc. EROAD Inc.FoxFury, LLC

Groendyke Transport, Inc.Idaho Trucking AssociationIntransit, LLCJNJ Express, Inc.Kapsch TrafficCom North AmericaLandstar Transportation Logistics MANCOMM, Inc.Mercer Transportation Company

NATC, Inc.National Tank Truck CarriersPGT Trucking, Inc.STEMCO Brake ProductsSwift TransportationSysco Corporation

BRONZEAmerican Bus AssociationAnderson Trucking Services, Inc.Asplundh Tree Expert CompanyDATTCO, Inc. Frontier Logistics

Gateway Distribution, Inc.Greatwide Truckload ManagementKenan Advantage Group, Inc.Lytx, Inc. Specialized Carriers & Rigging Assocation

United Motorcoach Association Usher TransportWarren Transport, Inc. Workforce QA

FRIENDS OF CVSAAmerican Coatings Association, Inc.Bork Transport of IllinoisDibble Trucking, Inc.ENVIRUN, Inc.Greg Neylon

GreyhoundHoffman Transportation, LLC/G&D Trucking, Inc.Horizon Freight System, Inc./Kaplan Trucking Co.Institute of Makers of ExplosivesJ.E.B. Environmental Services

Praxiar, Inc.WABCOWestern States Trucking Association

NEW CVSA ASSOCIATE MEMBERSCapilano Truck Driver Training Institute

GBS & Sons Trucking Ltd.

Halvor Lines, Inc.

ISE Fleet Services, LLC

KBG Logistics

Meyer Logistics, Inc.

NIM Transportation

Shuttle Express

The Road Scholar

The Simplex Group

Transpro Burgener

WABCO North America

As of Nov. 9, 2015

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

View the magazine online atwww.cvsa.org/guardian.

2016 COHMED CONFERENCEJanuary 25-29, 2016 | San Antonio, Texas

Presented by the Cooperative Hazardous Materials Enforcement Development(COHMED) program, the COHMED Conference fosters coordination, cooperationand communication between the regulatory and enforcement agencies responsiblefor safe transportation of hazardous materials and the industry they regulate.

The information-sharing and problem-solving that takes place, coupled with thein-depth education that’s presented, is critical to building cooperation amongstakeholders.

If you are involved in hazmat regulation, enforcement or safety, the COHMEDConference this is one event you cannot afford to miss.

Visit www.cvsa.org/events/cohmed/2016 to learn more and to register for the2016 COHMED Conference.

2016 Conference DatesCooperative Hazardous MaterialsEnforcement Development (COHMED)ConferenceJANUARY 25-29, 2016Hilton Palacio del Rio HotelSan Antonio, Texas

CVSA WorkshopAPRIL 24-28, 2016Sheraton Chicago Hotel & TowersChicago, Illinois

North American InspectorsChampionship (NAIC)AUGUST 8-12, 2016Hyatt Regency Indianapolis HotelIndianapolis, Indiana

CVSA Annual Conference & ExhibitionSEPTEMBER 18-22, 2016Statehouse Convention CenterLittle Rock, Arkansas

Learn more at www.cvsa.org/events.

NON-PROFITU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDSUBURBAN, MDPERMIT No. 2800