guardian - cvsa · reported alcohol-related driving deaths rose 7.7 percent in calendar year 2015....

Volume 25, Issue 11st Quarter 2018

GUARDIANA Publication of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance

GUARDIANA Publication of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance

Plus...

CVSA LaunchesOnline LearningManagement System

CVSA Offers NewPolicy Guide

CVSA Updates, AddsInspection Bulletins

Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance

The Historyof the

n InsightPresident’s Message ..............................................................................................1Executive Director’s Message ............................................................................3

n Knowledge MattersCVSA and Road to Zero Coalition Attend IIHS Crash Test............................4You’re Not Alone! ....................................................................................................4

n Government NewsThe Legislative and Regulatory Rundown ......................................................5CVSA Offers New Policy Guide ..........................................................................5

n From the Driver's SeatNot On My Watch ............................................................................................................6

n Cover StoryThe History of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance ................................7

n CVSA Committee and Program NewsAdvanced Hazmat Training Offered at 2018 COHMED Conference........162018 Regional COHMED Training Schedule ..................................................17CVSA Brake Safety Symposium ........................................................................18CVSA Updates, Adds Inspection Bulletins ............................................................18International Roadcheck Set for June 5-7 with Focus on

Hours-of-Service Compliance........................................................................................19CVSA’s Fiscal 2017 Annual Report....................................................................19Starting April 1, 2018, Drivers Operating a Vehicle Not Equipped

with a Required Compliant ELD Will Be Placed Out of Service ..........20CVSA Launches Online Learning Management System............................20CVSA Accepting 2018 College Scholarship Applications............................21Scott Hernandez Joins CVSA as Director of

Crash Standards and Analysis........................................................................21

n Regional NewsSouth Dakota Highway Patrol Troopers and Inspectors

‘Rake the Town’ ................................................................................................22Michigan State Police Conducts Two-Day Inspection Operation

at the Mighty Mac Bridge and the International Bridge ........................23In Memory of Longtime CVSA Supporter and Associate Member

Pat Crahan ............................................................................................................24Quebec’s Operation Motorcoach ‘All Aboard’ ..................................................26Updates from the Saskatchewan Trucking Association ................................26

n Industry PerspectivesTire Tech and the Law: Everything Rides on Them ....................................28

n RAD Inspection NewsLevel VI Certification Classes Held in New Mexico and Texas ....................31NRC Prepares New Rules for Power Reactors Transitioning to

Decommissioning ............................................................................................32DOE Submits Greater-Than-Class C Report to Congress ..........................32Roadside Inspections, Level VI (2017 - Calendar)........................................32CVSA Level VI National Instructor Tony Anderson Retires........................33ELD Guidance for Level VI Inspections ..........................................................33CVSA Level VI Basic Certification Classes for Calendar Year 2018..........342018 North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria and Level VI

Inspection Procedures Handbook Now Available ..................................34Roadside Inspections, Level VI Violations (2017 - Calendar) ..................34

GUARDIANFirst Quarter

Volume 25, Issue 1www.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, MPA, CAE, Executive Director • Adrienne Gildea, Deputy Executive Director • Carlisle Smith, Director of Level VI InspectionProgram • William Schaefer, Director of Safety Programs • Ken Albrecht,Director of Multimedia Development • Bill Reese, Director of COHMEDProgram • Kerri Wirachowsky, Director of Roadside Inspection Program •Scott Hernandez, Director of Crash Standards and Analysis • Nicole Leandro,Manager of Communications • Claudia McNatt, CMP, Manager ofConferences and Exhibits • Iris Leonard, Manager of Member Services • JakeFischer, Multimedia Specialist • Mark Mills, Multimedia Specialist • RichardWilliams, CPA, Controller • Moniladae Adewoyin, Accountant • Amelina Kassa,Administrative Assistant

Copyright 2018, 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 GH T

FIRST QUARTER 2018 1

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Training Officers to Detect Drug and Alcohol ImpairmentBy Capt. Christopher Turner, Kansas Highway Patrol

All inspectors should be trained to detect drugand alcohol impairment during an inspection or after a crash to determine whether drugs or alcohol were a factor in the collision. Thisarticle will focus on statistics which clearlydemonstrate why officers must haveimpairment training.

Every day, in the United States, more than 100people die in automobile crashes, according tothe National Safety Council. More than 40,000people died in 2016, the most in nearly adecade. And drug- and alcohol-relatedimpairment were major factors in these crashes,according to the National Highway Traffic SafetyAdministration’s (NHTSA) Drug and AlcoholCrash Risk Study. The study found that drug andalcohol presence increased crash risk by morethan five times. The most common drugs were:

1. THC (Marijuana)

2. Stimulants

3. Narcotic-Analgesics (Pain Control)

4. Sedatives

5. Antidepressants

Some drivers tested positive for more thanone drug.

Positive drug tests were found more often thanalcohol among fatally injured drivers, accordingto the Drug-Impaired Driving Report released in2017 by the Governors Highway SafetyAssociation and the Foundation for AdvancingAlcohol Responsibility.

Dedicated safety professionals throughoutfederal and state governments, as well asindustry representatives, continue to workdiligently to re-secure the safety gains wefought to achieve. There are numeroustechnological initiatives to reduce crashes andmake our roads safer, such as electronic loggingdevices, pre-selection systems, lane departuresystems, truck platooning, autonomousvehicles, etc. The focus of most of theseinnovations is to assist the driver with an earlywarning or remove driver error.

The Large-Truck Crash Causation Study (LTCCS)conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety

Administration, now more than a decade old,provided law enforcement data on the factorsthat contributed to crashes. These factors werenot new or earth-shattering then, any morethan they are now. The study identified thecritical reason for crashes and analyzed thosereasons in categories. The categories were:

• Driver (87 percent)

• Vehicle (10 percent)

• Environment (3 percent)

These categories clearly demonstrated the needto focus on assisting drivers to reduce crashes.Many of our current technologies owe theirbeginnings to the LTCCS. Recent trends showingdrug and alcohol presence in crashesdemonstrate the need to focus on these causalfactors to reduce crashes.

The news is filled with stories on the tragicincrease in opioid use in the U.S. Additionally,many states have legalized marijuana usageeither for medical or recreational use. This is

Continued on next page

Both NHTSA and the CDC estimate drug and alcohol impairment are major causes of crashes that take place in the United States.

I N S I GH T

GUARDIAN2

not an article about the societal impacts ofthese recent shifts in drug usage; however,the driving deaths associated with thesechanges can be quantified.

Both NHTSA and the Centers for DiseaseControl estimate drug and alcohol impairmentare major causes of crashes that take place inthe United States. In July 2016, NHTSAreported alcohol-related driving deaths rose7.7 percent in calendar year 2015. On average,more than 10,000 people die annually fromdrunk driving crashes.

Part of the problem in quantifying the numberof alcohol- and drug-related crashes is thefrequency of testing. Nationally, most fatalitycrashes result in impairment testing of thefatal victim. However, many living drivers arenot tested in fatality crashes or crashes wherea fatality does not occur. Even with limitedtesting, NHTSA estimates 28 people die everyday from an alcohol-related vehicle crash.Because not all fatality victims or other driversare routinely tested, NHTSA is under-reportingthe number of drug- and alcohol-impaireddrivers.

Recent NHTSA studies have also found largeincreases in drivers using marijuana and otherillegal drugs, leading to more drug-involvedcrashes. In 2015, 21 percent of all fatal crashesin the U.S. involved at least one driver whotested positive for drugs after the incident,compared to 2005 where the number of atleast one driver testing positive for drugs infatality crashes was 12 percent.

The cost of these crashes is not only measuredin lives lost, but devastating financialconsequences as well. According to NHTSAstatistics, the total cost of motor vehicle crasheswas more than $430 billion in 2016, an increaseof 12 percent from 2015. Lost wages andproductivity, and medical and administrativeexpenses as well as employer costs andproperty damage costs are all included in thisestimate.

There is a difference in the drug and alcoholtraining that officers and inspectors receivethroughout the nation. Some inspectors arefull-time police officers, some a hybrid ofinspector and officer, and some only havepower to inspect commercial motor vehicles.Regardless of the type of enforcement powersgranted to inspectors, drug and alcoholdetection should be included in the initialtraining inspectors receive.

The initial training, developed by NHTSA, isthe DWI Detection and Standardized FieldSobriety Testing (SFST) Basic Course. The 24-hour course trains law enforcement officers torecognize behavior pointing to impaireddriving, the importance of SFST and how toproperly administer the tests, when to makean impaired driving arrest, how to writeaccurate detailed reports, and how to giveclear and convincing testimony. Twoadditional modules may be added onto thistraining. These modules introduce officers tothe skills necessary to detect drug-impaireddrivers. Advanced courses should come overtime. These courses are Advanced RoadsideImpaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) or the

Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) Program.ARIDE is a 12-hour course. The Kansas HighwayPatrol sent all inspectors (nearly 400 inspectors)through ARIDE training during our inspectors’in-service two years ago. The training has beeninvaluable and led to the detection of numerousdrivers who were under the influence of a drug.

The ARIDE Program was developed by NHTSAwith input from the International Associationof Chiefs of Police, the Technical AdvisoryPanel and the Virginia Association of Chiefs ofPolice. ARIDE was intended to bridge the gapbetween SFST training and the DRE Program.The DRE Program is outstanding. I wouldrecommend it to anyone who makes impaireddriving a career path. The training is highlyspecific, rigorous and the skills learned areinvaluable. Clearly, it is not feasible to send allofficers through the DRE school; however,there should be a core group of DRE-trainedofficers available in every state to workspecifically with drug-impaired drivers.

CVSA’s new committee, the Crash Standards and Analysis Committee, will focus on reducingcrashes and determining their cause. One of thegoals of the committee is to determine whattraining inspectors should have, as well aswhere law enforcement should focusenforcement efforts to save the most lives.

In conclusion, I believe the data clearly showsthe need for all inspectors to be trained inbasic alcohol and drug detection. There is noquestion that crashes are on the rise. Ensuringour inspectors have training to detectimpaired drivers will save lives. n

Continued from page 1

Drug and alcohol detection should be included in the initial training inspectors receive.

I N S I GH T

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

The Alliance – An Early ReflectionBy Collin B. Mooney, MPA, CAE, Executive Director, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance

In the early 1990s when I first startedconducting commercial motor vehicle (CMV)inspections with the Saskatchewan HighwayTransport Patrol and later with the AlbertaCommercial Vehicle Enforcement Branch, I hadthe pleasure of working with a few of theexceptional leaders and founders of CVSA. Atthe time, my professional goal was to establisha career in law enforcement; however, as timepassed, I became increasingly interested in aspecialized career in CMV safety. Admittedly, for many of us, we were unaware of theorganizational potential that was forming.

In my early years, my first memory of CVSA was the introduction to the various levels ofinspection involving a systematic approach to the mechanical fitness inspection of acommercial motor vehicle, the evaluation of adriver’s operating credentials, and the reviewand analysis of hours-of-service requirements.

The second early memory was the introductionof the CVSA certification patch, which wasviewed as a badge of honor that we all woreproudly on our uniforms. The certification patchrepresented that we were all a part of a larger purpose as one united North Americanorganization, as opposed to operatingindependently as an isolated jurisdiction. Atfirst, the CVSA certification patch displayed onlythe Canadian and the U.S. flags. However, ashort time later, Mexico joined the Alliance andthe CVSA logo and certification patch wereupdated to proudly display the flags of all threeNorth American countries.

The first enforcement campaign that Iremember was the creation of InternationalRoadcheck. Since this program was establishedas a 72-hour continuous check stop and since Iwas early in my CMV enforcement career withno seniority, I needed to pay my dues and wasregularly scheduled the overnight shift. Theinteresting aspect of this event was that eachjurisdiction was provided the opportunity to dosomething different. In my experience, westrategically selected locations away fromtraditional inspection/weigh stations (such ashigh-crash corridors, municipalities, secondaryhighways and local roads) to conduct aconcentrated number of roadside inspections.This unique event was an opportunity to targetareas within a jurisdiction that may escape theregular interaction of the CMV enforcementcommunity. Today, this high-profile event

continues to serve as the Alliance’s longestrunning enforcement program by providing asnapshot of CMV safety throughout NorthAmerica.

Another early memory was in 1998, afterseveral years of CMV roadside enforcement, Imade a re-commitment to myself to be the bestroadside CMV inspector that I could be. In theweeks that followed, I self-selected to retake allof the basic roadside inspection courses in aneffort to fine-tune all aspects of my CMVroadside inspection, including enhancing mydriver interview and investigation skills. The biggest issue I faced was that once Icompleted the North American StandardInspection Part B Course and passed the exam, I had to re-certify by conducting another 32inspections. It wasn’t the inspections that I wasconcerned about. It was the fact that theinspection facility was being utilized by othersin the class and I was tasked with completingmy inspections outside in -40-degree weather.

My most memorable experience as a CMVinspector was the 1999 North AmericanInspectors Championship (NAIC) in Tampa,Florida. At the time, this signature program ofthe Alliance was the highlight of my career inCMV safety. As a commercial vehicleenforcement official and roadside inspector, Ihad no idea how NAIC would impact mepersonally. Since regulatory compliance and theenforcement of traffic safety laws can be athankless job, the Alliance recognized this veryunique and important role that the CMVenforcement community serves and went out ofits way to make everyone in attendance(contestants and volunteers) feel like they werespecial, by rewarding their significantcommitment to transportation safety. Eventhough I didn’t win any awards, this experiencere-energized me and served as the pivot pointof my career in CMV safety.

In early 2003, the next step in my CVSA journeywas the opportunity to join the Alliance as amember of staff. This change was a significantmilestone not only for me personally, but forthe organization as well. Over the last few yearsat CVSA headquarters, I have been presentedwith the opportunity to grow the organizationby enhancing and expanding the programs andservices that the Alliance provides to the CMVenforcement community, the motor carrierindustry and the traveling public.

Over the past 27 years of CMV enforcement, Ihave witnessed the transportation landscapechange around us and because of theseexperiences and insights, I have observed theorganization take a few missteps and fail tocapitalize on opportunities that were well suitedfor the Alliance to address. As with anyorganizational or personal reflection, hindsightis always 20/20. However, through myexperience, the lesson learned is to alwaysassist the elected leadership of the Alliance tostay on task, informed about the pitfalls of thepast and well positioned to take advantage offuture opportunities.

To the CMV enforcement community and alltransportation safety professionals, thank youfor your commitment to CMV safety andeverything that you do to make our highwayssafe for everyone. n


Collin Mooney first joined the commercial motorvehicle community as an inspector with theSaskatchewan Highway Transport Patrol.

At first, the CVSA certification patch displayed onlythe Canadian and the U.S. flags. However, a shorttime later, Mexico joined the Alliance and the CVSAlogo and certification patch were updated toproudly display the flags of all three North Americancountries.

“My most memorableexperience as a CMVinspector was the 1999 North AmericanInspectors Championshipin Tampa, Florida.”

GUARDIAN4

K N O W L E D G E M AT T E R S

On Nov. 7, 2017, CVSA staff joined othermembers of the Road to Zero Coalition at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s(IIHS) Vehicle Research Center in Ruckersville,Virginia, to witness a truck underride test. The test featured a passenger vehicle collidingwith the rear of a semitrailer.

In addition to the crash test, attendees wereable to participate in a demonstration of severalvehicle technologies. Participants rode in carson a test track, testing out options such asautomatic emergency braking and self-parking.

CVSA is a member of the Road to ZeroCoalition, which is an initiative founded by theNational Safety Council, the Federal HighwayAdministration, the Federal Motor CarrierSafety Administration and the NationalHighway Traffic Safety Administration and isgeared toward eliminating traffic fatalitieswithin 30 years. Adrienne Gildea, CVSA’s deputyexecutive director, serves on the Road to ZeroSteering Committee. n

CVSA and Road to ZeroCoalition AttendIIHS Crash Test

You’re Not Alone!By Anne-Marie Noël, Chief, Inspection Standards and Safety Awareness, Transport Canada,Government of Canada

By publishing the “You’re not alone!”Transportation of Dangerous Goods SafetyAwareness Kits and document for emergencyplanners, Transport Canada wantscommunities and municipalities to know thatin the event of a dangerous goods transportincident, they have access to many resourcesfor help and guidance.

The “You’re not alone!” document foremergency planners includes valuableinformation about emergency preparedness,especially for any flammable liquids beingtransported through or near city limits. Infact, it includes an entire section that explainshow flammable liquids behave, theirproperties, and how to respond and addressthe hazards they present.

It covers basic principles such as:

• Planning

• Preparedness

• Elements to consider

Transport Canada created this document tohelp communities/municipalities prepare for adangerous goods incident. It contains:

• A section that explains both the IncidentCommand System (ICS) and the UnifiedCommand Structure (UCS) Note: Transport Canada stronglyrecommends everyone involved in incidentresponse adopt these systems. If everyoneworks in a similar response system,organizing the response is easier wheneveryone “speaks the same language.”

• Tools emergency planners may need whenputting in place their all-hazard emergencyresponse plan

• An introduction to useful tools for useduring an incident as well as in therecovery phase

• Information on public or private partnersthat can help during an incident, such as thefederal government, response teams, etc.Note: It also includes a section on rolesand responsibilities for different entities toexplain their presence at an incident site.

To help first responders at the scene of anincident, Transport Canada also developedand inserted a quick reference for Class 3Flammable Liquids. It outlines the mostimportant safety measures, grouped in aseries of five steps, to consider duringemergency planning and response to atransport incident involving flammableliquids.

Transport Canada regulates the transportationof dangerous goods in Canada. The departmentdevelops and enforces safety standards toreduce, as much as possible, the risks of adangerous goods incident. However, since riskscannot be reduced to zero, we all need to beprepared.

You can view the document online atwww.tc.gc.ca/eng/tdg/safety-awareness-kit-communities-municipalities.html. n

CVSA Executive Director Collin Mooney, DeputyExecutive Director Adrienne Gildea and Director ofSafety Programs Will Schaefer join Road to Zeromembers and other stakeholders at an IIHS crashdemonstration.

PolicyGuide

C o mme rc i a l Ve h i c l e S a fe t y A l l i a n c ePOLICY GUIDE

CVSA Offers New

G O V E R N M E N T N E W S


THE LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY

RUNDOWN By Adrienne Gildea, Deputy Executive Director, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance

Federal Funding Delays ContinueCongress continues to have trouble passing along-term spending bill. On Jan. 19, 2018, thecontinuing resolution funding the federalgovernment was allowed to expire without anew funding mechanism in place. As a result,the federal government experienced a briefshutdown as lawmakers negotiated yetanother short-term continuing resolution;this time, through Feb. 8, 2018. State safetyand enforcement activities were not impacted,as the Federal Motor Carrier SafetyAdministration (FMCSA) was not forced tofurlough any employees.

While the state motor carrier enforcementprograms were not directly impacted by thefederal shutdown, the current stopgapapproach to federal funding is having anegative impact on state programs. TheMoving Ahead for Progress in the 21st CenturyAct (MAP-21), passed in 2015, made severalchanges to the Motor Carrier SafetyAssistance Program geared toward reducingthe administrative burden on states andallowing them to do multiyear planning fortheir programs. However, many of theseprograms rely to some degree on federalfunding and it is not possible to plan longterm without a full-year appropriations bill inplace. Without guaranteed funding levels,state program managers cannot fill positionsor make investments in needed equipmentand facilities.

FMCSA Responds to ELDExemption RequestsThe electronic logging device (ELD) requirementwent into effect as scheduled on Dec. 18, 2017.In the weeks that followed, FMCSA publishedseveral requests for comment on a number ofexemption applications the agency received.Various segments of industry, including trashhaulers, oilfield operators and small truckingcompanies are seeking some form of relief fromthe ELD requirement. Exemption requests arebased on arguments that some companies arenot prepared for the mandate or their industryis unique and not well suited to the mandate.

FMCSA has also granted a number of waivers tocertain segments of industry. FMCSA maintainsa list of all active ELD exemptions and waivers:www.fmcsa.dot.gov/hours-service/elds/electronic-logging-device-eld-exemptions-and-waivers.

DOT UpdateThe pace of federal rulemakings remains slowas we enter the second year of the Trumpadministration. Agencies continue to reviewexisting regulations and identify those thatcan be repealed or modified in an effort toreduce the regulatory burden on industry. Asof early February, the president’s nominee forFMCSA administrator, Ray Martinez, was stillawaiting Senate confirmation, though thenomination is expected to be approved once itis brought to the Senate floor.

Changes in Key TransportationLeadershipThe new year brought with it a number ofchanges in key transportation leadershippositions in Congress. Sen. Booker (D-NJ) hasleft the Senate Commerce Committee to jointhe Senate Judiciary Committee. Beforeleaving the Commerce Committee, Sen.Booker served as ranking member on thesubcommittee that oversees commercialmotor vehicle issues. Sen. Peters (D-MI) hastaken over as ranking member on thesubcommittee.

In addition, House Transportation andInfrastructure Committee Chairman Shuster(R-PA) announced in January that he is retiringfrom Congress at the end of his current term.Shuster’s term as chairman of the committeeexpires at the end of the year. CongressmanGraves (R-MO) and Congressman Denham (R-CA) have both expressed interest in takingover as chair in the next Congress.Congressmen Duncan (R-TN), LoBiondo (R-NJ)and Farenthold (R-TX), long-time members ofthe committee, have all announced theirretirements as well. n

CVSA now offers a new Policy Guideoutlining the Alliance’s policy positions onissues related to commercial motor vehiclesafety and enforcement. These policies have been approved by the CVSA Board ofDirectors and serve as the official positionsof CVSA.

While not all policies are supported by everyCVSA member jurisdiction, they do, by natureof the policy process, represent a consensusopinion of the Alliance’s membership.

Through the CVSA Policy and RegulatoryAffairs Committee, the Alliance’s positions onvarious issues are proposed, reviewed andupdated, as appropriate. As such, the policydocument should be treated as a livingdocument. All policies will be noted with theapproval date, for reference.

To download the new CVSA Policy Guide,visit www.cvsa.org/policypage/policy/policy-positions. n

F R O M T H E D R I V E R ’ S S E AT

GUARDIAN6

FROM THE DRIVER’S SEAT

Not On My WatchBy Gary Smith, Professional Truck Driver, Garner Trucking, America’s Road Team Captain

Being a truck driver sometimes meansmonotony. Drive. Park. Sleep. Repeat. On anOctober night in 2008, though, somethinghappened to break the monotony.

I had just begun my career as a truck driverand had pulled into a truck stop outsideIndianapolis for the night. I closed my curtainsand fell asleep, listening to the sound of atorrential autumn rain. At 3 a.m., I heard aloud knock at my truck door, so I opened mycurtains to see what this was all about,expecting to see a disgruntled truck drivertelling me I had blocked him in.

It was a young girl, no older than 15.

“What?” I said.“Do you need company?” she replied. “No! I’m not lonely. Go away.”

Her expression stuck with me to this day.Totally blank and unfeeling. She retreated intothe night.

Six years later, I was at our company’s annualdinner. Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) hadset up their Freedom Drivers Project traileroutside the office. As I went through theFreedom Drivers Project exhibit and learnedabout trafficking, a lump swelled in my throatand I was overcome with a sick feeling.

When the keynote speaker at that night’sbanquet went through her story on humantrafficking, I knew what I had seen on thatOctober night in 2008, when instead ofrescuing a young woman and giving her achance to be saved, I sent her back into thedarkness as a victim in the world of trafficking.

January was National Slavery and HumanTrafficking Prevention Month in the UnitedStates and on Jan. 11, I joined thousands ofTAT-trained professional truck drivers inrecognizing the National Day of HumanTrafficking Awareness. It is encouraging thathuman trafficking has been identified as one

of the greatest problems of our day. The morewe can raise awareness on this issue, themore we’ll be able to train professional truckdrivers to look for signs of human traffickingand react appropriately, potentially preventinggreater abuses and helping to rescue victims.

In February, Truckers Against Traffickinglaunched the Demand Campaign, which seeksto elevate the issue even more by encouragingmen to talk to other men about the need to endthe demand for trafficking. The idea is, if thereis less demand for trafficking, there will be lessreason for traffickers to supply the market,making human trafficking a less rewardingbusiness for the criminals involved. TruckersAgainst Trafficking has some great materials fortruck drivers and law enforcement officerslooking to learn more about human traffickingand what they can do to make a difference(www.truckersagainsttrafficking.org).

I encourage everyone reading this to learnmore about human trafficking. As truck

drivers, my colleagues on America’s RoadTeam and the 3.5 million of us who drive ournation’s highways each day, we can serve asthe eyes and ears on the road. We go to thesame truck stops every day and see many ofthe same faces. When something stands outas odd or maybe a bit unusual, drivers shouldnot be afraid to make the call. We count onlaw enforcement officers to make importantjudgments each day and by puttinginformation in their hands, we can equip themto analyze situations and make potentiallylife-saving decisions. That means fewertraffickers, fewer victims and fewer livesruined by this horrible stain on our society.

I can’t turn back the hands of time to rectifywhat I saw that rainy night in Indianapolis.But, I made a solemn promise to myself to say,“Not on my watch.” As truck drivers, we don’thave to make the same mistake I made. Gettrained by Truckers Against Trafficking andhelp us put an end to modern-day slavery. n

As truck drivers, my colleagues on America’s Road Team and the 3.5 million of us whodrive our nation’s highways each day, we can serve as the eyes and ears on the road.


C O V E R S T O R Y

Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance

The Historyof the

Alexander Winton invented the semi-truck in 1898 as a way to deliver his manufactured vehicles. He sold the first manufactured semi-truck in 1899.

The first semi-truck was invented in 1898 byAlexander Winton in Cleveland, Ohio. Wintonwas a carmaker and needed a way to transporthis vehicles to buyers around the country.

Less than 25 years later, by 1920, there weremore than a million trucks on America’s roads.However, it wasn’t until the 1930s, with theincreased construction of paved roads, thattrucking began to achieve a significantfoothold, emerging as a necessary publicservice in many areas.

The task of regulating the trucking industry inthe United States was given to the InterstateCommerce Commission (ICC) by the passage ofthe Motor Carrier Act of 1935. In its beginning,the trucking industry was considered a publicutility, like power and telephone services, andwas regulated by the ICC according to thatconsideration. Consequently, some of theearliest state agencies that regulated truckingagencies were public utility commissions.

Although the ICC was the regulatory authorityfor interstate motor carriers, its focus wasmainly on operating authority and rates.“Safety was a secondary enterprise,” said PaulR. Henry (in the first quarter 2011 adition of“Guardian” magazine), formerly with theOregon Department of Transportation, CVSA’sfirst president and one of the foundersassociated with the birth of the Alliance.“Typically, truck safety was attended to by thevarious state police and highway patrolagencies.” By the time we reached the 1970s, thetransportation industry in the U.S. and Canadawas subject to a variety of compliance andenforcement activities when traveling fromone jurisdiction to another. There was concernabout the lack of a comprehensive andcoordinated approach to transportation safetythroughout North America.

“Each state had its own inspection criteria,protocols and means for enforcement. It was a‘mixed bag’ all across the country,” said LarryStern, formerly with the West Virginia PublicService Commission. “The carriers and drivers

didn’t know what type of inspection they’drun into. They may have a run from Virginia toCalifornia and in every state, each inspectionwould be somewhat different – different rules,different regulations they’d have to abide by.It really was a nightmare for industry.”

In February 1980, commercial motor vehicleinspection and enforcement individuals fromfour states – California, Idaho, Oregon andWashington – gathered in Portland, Oregon, todiscuss the mutual “necessity for pursuingreciprocity among states’ inspection activities.”

Minutes from that first 1980 meeting outlineda variety of topics of priority at that time,such as exchanging information, potentialjoint activities, reciprocity among statesregarding equipment, inspection activities,the establishment of a common stickering(decal) system, hazardous materials, datasystems and federal funds.

That 1980 meeting started it all. There werecommercial motor vehicle inspections longbefore 1980; however, in most cases, eachjurisdiction operated separately. Those initialfour states realized the necessity of workingtogether and met to pursue that goal. Thisinitial group of jurisdictions became known as the Western States Commercial VehicleSafety Alliance.

The 1980 meeting highlighted areas ofcommon need and ways in which uniformstandards, procedures and methods could beutilized to greatest effectiveness. Early on,there was recognition that various states andprovinces were, in large part, using commoncriteria for commercial motor vehicleregulation and inspection functions but therewas also a redundancy of work effort. Thatredundancy wasted government resources,equipment, personnel and time, and causedmonetary loss for the motor carrier industry.

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was developed to establish uniformity andreciprocity of highway enforcement and toimprove the safe operation of commercial motor vehicles. The MOU outlined minimum

According to meetingminutes from that firstmeeting, “Initially, it wasproposed that we name this organization the Pacific States CommercialVehicle Safety Alliance.”However, at that time, thegroup felt it would bebeneficial to extend theAlliance to include stateswest of the Rocky Mountains.They decided to name theorganization the WesternStates Commercial VehicleSafety Alliance.


C O V E R S T O R Y

inspection standards and processes and the out-of-service criteria that the parties to theagreement would agree to follow. The MOUoutlined the agreement that state agencieswould not only be uniform, but would recognizeeach other’s inspections of commercial motorvehicles, drivers and cargo.

A “critical inspection item” system, whichfocused on the most common crash causes,was established, setting the foundation for theNorth American Standard Inspection Programthat is still followed to this day. The firstversion was a 10-page document containingthe following 12 minimum inspection criteriaitems: brake adjustment; air loss rate; low airpressure warning device; brake hoses; brakedrums and discs; brake shoes, linings andpads; steering mechanism; wheels; tires;drawbars and fifth wheels; suspension; anddrivers’ hours of service.

“To preclude a multiplicity of decals on onevehicle, it is agreed that a common safetyinspection identification system is warranted,"read the document that established theAlliance's decal program. “The purpose of saiddecal is to identify equipment havingsuccessfully passed inspection; and by way ofidentification, obviate the necessity for furthersafety inspection by parties hereto so long asthe decal remains in force and effect.”

Almost immediately, the agreement, criteriaand concepts were successful.

On July 1, 1980, the Motor Carrier RegulatoryReform and Modernization Act, whichderegulated the trucking industry, was signed

into law by President Jimmy Carter. This had a huge impact on the trucking andtransportation industries. Deregulationdramatically increased the number of truckingcompanies in operation. More trucks on theroad meant an increased urgent need toaddress safety on our roadways.

“One of the greatest impacts of truckderegulation was the disappearance of manywell-established and safe motor carriers,” said Henry. “For the first time, untested andunknown people and companies were atliberty to purchase a truck and beginproviding cartage services to the generalpublic. Many of these new carriers wereunqualified and/or unsafe. The nationalcampaign for highway safety had started.”

A second CVSA meeting was held in 1980; this one was in October. Jurisdictions inattendance expanded from the initial fourstates to include: Alaska, Alberta, BritishColumbia, Colorado, Montana, Utah andWyoming. According to minutes from themeeting, topics discussed included: school bus inspections, weigh-in-motion equipment,the Commercial Vehicle Safety Act of 1980 and highway routing of radioactive materials.

In recognition of Canadian participation, theWestern States Commercial Vehicle SafetyAlliance changed its name and became knownas the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance(CVSA) to ensure the equal inclusion ofCanada. The Alliance also agreed that federalrepresentatives and industry representativeswere permitted to attend and participate infuture meetings.


This is the first vehicle inspectiondecal, which was an agreed-uponcommon safety inspectionidentification system, created by theWestern States Commercial VehicleSafety Alliance in February 1980.

1980The first meeting took place,laying the groundwork for CVSA today.

1981CVSA creates itsfirst logo.

GUARDIAN8

1980An MOU was developed to establishuniformity and reciprocity ofhighway enforcement and outlineminimum inspection proceduresand the out-of-service criteria.

1982CVSA becomes a legalentity and is officiallyrecognized as a legalnonprofit organization.

1982CVSA adopts itsfirst official bylawsand constitution.

1982The U.S. SurfaceTransportation AssistanceAct establishes funding forstate motor carrierenforcement programs.

1982The Alliance begins operation with Ed Kynaston as CVSA’s first part-timeexecutive director.

The JourneyBegins

Today, CVSA producesthe “North AmericanStandard Out-of-ServiceCriteria Handbook andPictorial,” a 230-pagespiral-bound bookfeaturing detailedinformation on driver,vehicle, hazardousmaterials andadministrativeout-of-service criteria,as well as helpful charts,illustrations, tables,graphs and photographs.

At that time, it was decided that “there will be no formal officers, bylaws or affiliation with states east of the Rockies or nationalorganizations.” The Alliance believed that its“unstructured and informal approachcontributed to its success.”

In April 1981, CVSA held its third meeting, inBoise, Idaho.

In addition to its established membership,three other Canadian jurisdictions (Manitoba,Saskatchewan and Northwest Territories) aswell as three new states (Arizona, Nevada andNew Mexico) attended the Sept. 29-Oct. 1,1981, meeting held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

The October 1982 meeting in Seattle,Washington, was a very important meeting,setting the foundation for the framework ofthe Alliance, many aspects of which are stillintact today. This is the year when CVSAbecame a legal entity and was officiallyrecognized as a legal nonprofit organization.

The first elected officers of CVSA, selected byits Nominations Committee, were:

• President Paul Henry of Oregon

• First Vice President Ed Kynaston ofCalifornia

• Second Vice President Ross Hogg of Alberta

• Secretary Joe Keefe of Washington

CVSA also adopted its first official bylaws andconstitution which stated that:

The purpose of this Alliance shall be topromote and encourage the maintenance and operation of commercial motor vehicles in a manner that safeguards and protects the health and safety of the general public.This shall be accomplished throughreciprocity between the member jurisdictionsand the identification, analysis andimplementation of new or remedial actionprograms which have the potential toneutralize or dilute potential hazards; thegathering of communication and exchangeof pertinent data, information andexperiences; fostering an increasinglyuniform and effective national enforcementsystem, this in concert with reciprocityagreements where appropriate;development of education, testing andinvestigation aids; and the collectiveconsideration and appraisal of importanttrends and developments affecting the safetransportation of goods and people overNorth America’s highways.

At that time, CVSA also implemented aregional organizational structure, designatingfour geographical regions of the Alliancethroughout Canada and the United States.

In addition, there were initially only two classesof membership – regular membership andassociate membership. Regular membershipwas for representatives of state or provincialgovernments with responsibility within theirjurisdiction for the control and safety ofcommercial motor vehicle operations on the

C O V E R S T O R Y

Once the organization was renamed theCommercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, anew decal was created and implemented.



1984The Motor Carrier Safety Act of 1984 directs the secretary of transportation to establishcriteria for the inspection ofinterstate motor carrier vehicles.

1985William “Russ” Fiste isselected as CVSA’s first full-time executive director anda centralized office islocated in Washington, D.C.

1984Funding under MCSAPofficially begins.

1986CCMTA adopts the CVSANorth American StandardOut-of-Service Criteria as thenational roadside inspectionstandard in Canada.

1987CVSA, the Michigan State Police and theFederal Highway Administration initiate adevelopment project to create and providestate safety enforcement agencies withstandardized training modules.

1986CVSA updates itslogo to includethe U.S. andCanadian flags.

Today, CVSA headquarters islocated in the Washington,D.C., metropolitan area,with a committed full-timestaff of 16. Collin Mooney isthe current executive director.

1988After more than a year of input, research anddevelopment, astandardized trainingpackage was completed.

C O V E R S T O R Y

GUARDIAN10

highway system. Associate membership wasopen to individuals or organizations desiring topromote and be associated with the activities ofthe Alliance.

“Prior to 1980, some jurisdictions considered theout-of-service criteria to be quasi-confidential,”said Henry. “Dissimilar inspection and out-of-service standards were a handicap to theeffective movement of goods. CVSA offered auniform system that industry could understandand was able to comply with. This is where theAlliance’s commitment to the establishment ofinspection uniformity and reciprocity ‘paid big dividends.’”

Also at that 1982 meeting, with the expandinginterest, inclusion and attendance of somejurisdictions east of the Rocky Mountains, thegroup decided it would be in the best interest ofthe Alliance to “contact states to the east andpromote CVSA membership.”

Also in 1982, the U.S. Surface TransportationAssistance Act established funding for statemotor carrier enforcement programs. Grantfunds were authorized and the framework forthe Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program(MCSAP) was established; funding for MCSAPofficially began in 1984.

The U.S. Surface Transportation Assistance Actprovided important funding for state programsbut there was a need to unify the inspectionand out-of-service criteria of CVSA with that ofMCSAP. In August 1984, the criteria of bothprocedures were melded into one NorthAmerican Standard, which has been adopted byboth MCSAP and CVSA.

“After CVSA was created, the biggest catalystfor CVSA membership was the Motor CarrierSafety Assistance Program,” said Stern. “Oncefederal funding was going to the states for theinspections and they allowed the states to paydues and become a member of CVSA, that’swhen all of the states really started to comeon board.”

“MCSAP was passed and for the first time,monies flowed from the federal governmentto the states for the specific purpose ofenhancing safety on our nation’s highways,”said Henry. “The arrival of MCSAP spurred thegrowth of the Alliance and enhanced memberparticipation by authorizing the use of MCSAPfunds for travel and work performed.”

“From roughly 1983 to 1984, state and federalofficers sat down together and, frankly, it was abit of a turf battle at first,” said Stern. “In fact, theissues we were working on back then were manyof the same issues we are working on today.”

“The Alliance caused a move from adversarialrelationships to one of a partnership betweenagencies and companies with a common goal– improved highway safety,” said Henry.

The Motor Carrier Safety Act of 1984 was asignificant U.S. federal law of importance toCVSA. The Act preempted all state regulationsfor interstate motor carriers. In addition, itdirected the secretary of transportation toestablish criteria for the inspection ofinterstate motor carrier vehicles. The Actaddressed items of uniformity and reciprocitythat the agencies in CVSA had already beenworking to address and resolve. The proactive


Today, there are five geographical regions that make up the membership of the Alliance.

1990CVSA’s newsletterwas officially renamed“CVSA Newsleader.”

1991The Alliance, which hadbeen made up of Canadaand the United States,expands to include Mexico.

1991CVSA updates its logo toinclude the Mexican flag.

1993CVSA holds the first-everInternational Inspectors’Competition (now calledNAIC) in Denver, Colorado.

1995South Dakota, the finalstate in the continentalUnited States, becomes amember of the Alliance.

1996CVSA launchesits website.

1994CVSA’s newsletter“CVSA Newsleader”is renamed“Guardian.”

Today, CVSA has more than 450 associate (industry)member companies,associations, agencies andorganizations.

1988International Roadcheckstarts. It is the Alliance’slongest standing program.

C O V E R S T O R Y


work by CVSA toward uniformity, consistencyand reciprocity and the Alliance’s record ofaccomplishment led to the 1984 Act givingspecific recognition to CVSA states.

“That’s when the feds realized that CVSA wasa valuable asset to them because we werebringing all of the states together, and wewere already working on uniformity andhaving an inspection criteria that’s recognizedby all of the states,” said Stern.

“Things started to jell together with thefederal government and CVSA becoming astronger voice of the states,” said Stern.“There was a shift in power from the federalto the state level that many people were notcomfortable with. We were sharing all theinformation with the states and provinces andslowly began to build our ground as the voiceof the roadside commercial vehicle inspector.”

In 1985, CVSA membership and activity grewto the point that it became necessary tocreate a full-time executive director positionand establish a centralized office. Ed Kynastonhad been serving as executive director parttime from 1982-1985. In 1985, William “Russ”Fiste became the first full-time CVSAexecutive director.

In Canada, regulations governing commercialvehicles, drivers and motor carriers are basedon the National Safety Code (NSC) standards. In1986, the Canadian Council of Motor TransportAdministrators adopted the CVSA NorthAmerican Standard Out-of-Service Criteria asthe national standard in Canada (NSC Standard12 – “CVSA On-Road Inspections”).

“The inclusion of CVSA’s out-of-service criteriain Canada’s National Safety Code was a majormilestone in fostering a uniform inspectioncriteria between Canada and the UnitedStates,” said current CVSA Executive DirectorCollin Mooney. “This was a giant leap forwardtoward creating a North American roadsideinspection program designed arounduniformity, consistency and reciprocity.”

Concerned by the lack of quality training at thattime, in May 1987, CVSA, the Michigan StatePolice and the Federal Highway Administration– facilitated by Program Coordinator MichelleKing, a University of Michigan PhD candidate inadult and continuing education – initiated atraining project to develop, create and providestate safety enforcement agencies with trainingmodules to standardize the instructionalcontent necessary to conduct uniform safetyinspections of commercial motor vehicles. Theproject was designed to provide a formalizedtraining package for driver/vehicle inspections,safety management audits and minimumstandards of training to be utilized by safetyagencies responsible for commercial motorvehicle and driver inspections.

The complete training package – including astudent and instructor manual, as well as videoscripts covering driver inspections, walkaroundinspections, the North American InspectionStandard and the out-of-service criteria – wascompleted in May 1988.

One of the key mandates of the MCSAP legislation was that vehicle inspection data be provided in auniform format. SAFETYNET started in 1984 as a desktop tool for state managers to manage MCSAPin their states. Pictured here is the second CVSA-sponsored SAFETYNET hands-on workshop, held July 11-13, 1989, in Baltimore, Maryland.


At the 1987 CVSA Annual Conference and Exhibitionin Detroit, Michigan, CVSA President Lt. Col. JamesDaust of the Michigan State Police presented thefirst-ever President’s Award to Larry Strawhorn,director of engineering at the American TruckingAssociations.

1999The North American Standard Inspection forTransuranic Waste and Highway RouteControlled Quantities of Radioactive Materialbecomes permanent, making it the Alliance’ssixth inspection level.

1996CVSA releasesits firststrategic plan.

2000 FMCSA is created.

1997CVSA creates the Submissionof Issue/Request for ActionForm, a one-page documentthat had to be mailed toCVSA headquarters.

1998CVSA creates the Operation Airbrake Program.

1999Stephen Campbellbecomes CVSAexecutive director.

1999CVSA starts itsCollegeScholarshipAward Program.

2000 Mexico’s NOM-068 is publishedreferencing “commercial driverand vehicle safety inspectiontraining of Commercial VehicleSafety Alliance.”

C O V E R S T O R Y

GUARDIAN12

Also in 1988, International Roadcheck wasestablished. It is CVSA’s longest servingprogram. International Roadcheck is a 72-hourenforcement event when CVSA-certifiedcommercial motor vehicle inspectors injurisdictions throughout North America conducthigh-volume, high-visibility inspections of largetrucks and buses.

In 1991, the Alliance, which had been made upof Canada and the United States, expanded toinclude Mexico, making CVSA the NorthAmerican coalition that it is today.

More than 25 years ago, Tim Africa with theNevada Highway Patrol read an article about amilitary helicopter rescue competition whererescue personnel took part in a contest thatre-created various rescue situations for thecontestants to complete. He thought tohimself, “We should create a similarcompetition for commercial motor vehicleinspectors.” With Tim leading the charge andwith the help of the Nevada Highway Patrol,volunteers from industry and enforcement,and federal support and grant funding, in1993, the first-ever International Inspectors’Competition, known at that time as the“Challenge,” took place in Denver, Colorado.That competition is now known as the NorthAmerican Inspectors Championship (NAIC).

Prior to 1993, the primary method ofdetermining safety fitness came from ratingsbased on the results of on-site safetycompliance reviews. In 1993, the U.S.Department of Transportation developed anautomated safety performance monitoringsystem for assessing motor carrier safety fitness

called SafeStat. Roadside inspection datacaptured by inspectors and entered into thesystem by data quality specialists played a critical role in holding motor carriers anddrivers accountable for their role in safety.

Also in 1993, CVSA bylaws were amendedrequiring a new training program forcertification of law enforcement officers asCVSA inspectors. CVSA internationallycommenced a process to develop the programand introduce it to jurisdictions in the U.S.

In 1995, in New Orleans, Louisiana, at the thirdannual International Inspectors’ Competition(now called NAIC), motorcoach inspectionswere added to the competition for the first time.The motorcoach competition was not part of thefinal scoring of the Grand Champion and at thattime participation was voluntary, although allcompeting contestants participated.

At the 1995 CVSA Workshop in Charlottetown,Prince Edward Island, Canada, the CVSAExecutive Committee and committee chairsbegan the process of developing the Alliance’sfirst official strategic plan. Later that year, afollow-up strategic planning developmentsession took place at NAIC in New Orleans,Louisiana. The Alliance also received surveyresponses from nearly 300 members regardingits first strategic plan. After a year ofbrainstorming, meetings, member input,research and discussions, CVSA released its firststrategic plan in 1996.

In 1997, CVSA created the Submission ofIssue/Request for Action Form, a one-pagedocument that had to be mailed to CVSA


In 1993, CVSA held its firstInternational Inspectors’ Competition(now called the North AmericanInspectors Championship), acompetition testing commercialmotor vehicle inspectors’ skills. Tpr.John Pitzer with the Colorado StatePatrol was the winner of the firstcompetition.

2003CVSA assumes theresponsibility ofcoordinating andhosting the COHMEDConference.

2004PHMSA isestablished.

2005CVSA beginsoffering webinars.

2006CVSA’s Issue/Requestfor Action SubmissionForm goes online.

2005CVSA changes its logoto its current version.

2007Class II LocalMember becomesan officialclassification ofCVSA membership.

2007CVSA launches itsOperation SafeDriver Program.

2007The Level VIIJurisdictional MandatedCommercial VehicleInspection is approvedby the CVSA ExecutiveCommittee.

2007RAD Inspection News, which was anewsletter specific to the Level VIInspection Program becomes adevoted section in CVSA's"Guardian" magazine.

Today, FMCSA’s NationalTraining Center (NTC)delivers motor carrier safetytraining to federal, state andlocal government officials. CVSA provides training videosand other necessary materialsto assist NTC in its trainingprogram.

C O V E R S T O R Y


headquarters. By using the form, stakeholderswere able to suggest issues to CVSA fordiscussion and/or action. This system forensuring important issues and concerns of the membership are addressed by theappropriate committee(s) is still successfully inuse to this day.

Also in 1997, Canadian jurisdictions, asmembers of CVSA’s Region V, amended the U.S.training material for Canadian jurisdictionsthrough a contract with Ontario Safety League.The project was completed in 1998. Region Vmandated an ad hoc group to address specificinadequacies in the Canadian training materialsand review amendments. Through this process,Canadian jurisdictions were able to haveinspectors certified in CVSA North AmericanStandard Inspections through the Part A andPart B Courses, similar to the U.S.

Because brake-related defects are among themost significant and frequent violations thatroadside safety inspectors discover duringinspections, in 1998, CVSA created theOperation Airbrake Program focused specificallyon bringing attention to the importance ofkeeping the brake systems of commercial motorvehicles in safe operating condition andincreasing the knowledge of drivers, mechanicsand motor carriers on brake safety inspection,maintenance and performance.

In 1999, CVSA started its College ScholarshipAward Program. Through this program, CVSAprovides college scholarships to outstandinggraduating high school seniors whose parentor legal guardian is a member of the Alliance.The CVSA College Scholarship Award Program

recognizes high school seniors by weighingacademic performance and extracurricularactivities.

Also in 1999, a pilot study (which started in1986 when CVSA entered into an agreementwith the U.S. Department of Energy) todevelop an enhanced inspection program wascompleted. The North American StandardInspection for Transuranic Waste and HighwayRoute Controlled Quantities (HRCQ) ofRadioactive Material became a permanentprogram, making it the Alliance’s sixthinspection level. It is commonly referred to asCVSA’s Level VI Inspection Program.

On Jan. 1, 2000, pursuant to the Motor CarrierSafety Improvement Act of 1999, the FederalMotor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)was created as a separate administrationwithin the U.S. Department of Transportationdedicated to improving the safety ofcommercial motor vehicles. With the passing of this act, all responsibilities for commercialmotor vehicle activities and initiatives weretransferred from the Federal HighwayAdministration Office of Motor Carrier Safety to FMCSA. To this day, CVSA and FMCSA workclosely together toward the goal of reducingcrashes, injuries and fatalities on our roadways.

Also in 2000, Mexico’s NORMA OficialMexicana 68 (NOM-068) was publishedreferencing “commercial driver and vehicle safety inspection training of Commercial VehicleSafety Alliance.” NOM-068 establishes thephysical and mechanical specifications of vehicles to ensure safe transit on Mexico’s roads and the compliance requirements to acquire

ROADCHECKINTERNATIONAL

CVSA


Today, the Submission ofIssue/Request for Action Form is an online formavailable on the CVSA website.

Today, NAIC contestantsare evaluated in the NorthAmerican Standard Level VPassenger Carrier VehicleInspection, Level I Inspection,Level I Inspection Procedures,Hazmat/Dangerous GoodsInspection, Cargo Tank/OtherBulk Packagings Inspection and the Out-of-Service Criteria.

Since its inception, roadsideinspections conducted duringInternational Roadcheck havenumbered more than 1.5 million.

2010Stephen Kepplerbecomes CVSA’sexecutive director.

2015CVSA launches its driveraward program, theInternational DriverExcellence Award.

2016CVSA selects Collin B. Mooney as its executivedirector.

2016The Alliance transitions froma nonprofit association to anonprofit corporation.

2015CVSA releasesits first annualreport.

2016Scannablebarcodes areadded toCVSA decals.

2017CVSA launchesonline learningmanagementsystem.

2016PHMSA awards CVSA its Community Safety Grant tooffer the roadside enforcement community in-personand web-based hazardous materials training.

2017CVSA Board of Directors approves the additionof the Level VIII Electronic Inspection to theNorth American Standard Inspection Program.

C O V E R S T O R Y

GUARDIAN14

authorization to circulate on the country’sroads. Enforcement inspections are alsooutlined in the standard.

“Just as the inclusion of CVSA’s out-of-servicecriteria in Canada’s National Safety Codecultivated reciprocity between Canada and theUnited States, Mexico’s acceptance of CVSA’sNorth American Standard Inspection Programcompleted the circle by expanding thatreciprocity to include Mexico,” said Mooney.“Today, Mexico is a strong, active and equalpartner within the Alliance.”

Also in 2000, a recommendation was made toformalize the ad hoc group created in 1997and the Canadian Education Quality AssuranceTeam (EQAT) was sanctioned by CVSA RegionV and the Canadian Council of MotorTransport Administrators.

The Cooperative Hazardous MaterialsEnforcement Development (COHMED) Programwas administered by the U.S. Department ofTransportation’s Research and Special ProgramAdministration (RSPA), the predecessor agencyto the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials SafetyAdministration. When RSPA decided todiscontinue the program, CVSA saw the valueand potential of the program and the need for itto continue. In 2003, CVSA took over theCOHMED Program and assumed theresponsibility of coordinating and hosting theCOHMED Conference, elevating the program tobecome a showcase event for the hazardousmaterials enforcement community. The goals ofthe program are to improve hazardous materialstransportation safety through training andeducation, provide technical assistance to thehazmat community, and enhance thedevelopment of new safety programs thatimprove hazardous materials transportationsafety and compliance.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’sPipeline and Hazardous Materials SafetyAdministration (PHMSA) was established in2004. The agency is responsible fordeveloping and enforcing regulations for thetransportation of hazardous materials. CVSAworks closely with PHMSA on issues related tothe safe transportation of hazardous materialsby commercial motor vehicles.

In January 2007, an amendment was proposedto the CVSA bylaws to allow for the creation ofa local membership type. On March 26, 2007,Class II Local Membership became an officialclassification of CVSA membership representingcity, county or municipal police departments.Also in 2007, CVSA launched its Operation SafeDriver Program. The goal of this program is to

reduce deaths and injuries resulting fromcrashes involving large trucks, buses and privatepassenger vehicles by improving the behavior ofall drivers through educational and enforcementstrategies. This enforcement and educationcampaign targets unsafe driving behaviors, suchas speeding and distracted driving, byconducting a week-long, high-profile trafficenforcement campaign.

In addition, in 2007, the CVSA ExecutiveCommittee voted to approve the addition of aseventh level of inspection – JurisdictionalMandated Commercial Vehicle Inspection. TheLevel VII Inspection is a jurisdictional mandatedinspection program that does not meet therequirements of any other level of inspection,such as school buses, limousines, taxis, shared-ride transportation, hotel courtesy shuttles andother intra-state/intra-provincial operations.

In December 2010, FMCSA released itsCompliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA)Program and Behavior Analysis and SafetyImprovement Categories (BASIC) and scores,replacing the SafeStat system for rating carriers.CSA 2010 evaluated the safety of individualmotor carriers by considering all safety-basedroadside inspection violations, out-of-serviceviolations and state-reported crashes, using 24months of performance data. CSA is still in placetoday as FMCSA’s safety compliance andenforcement program.

In 2015, the Alliance released its first annualreport containing financial information, notablestatistics, and summaries of CVSA’s majorinitiatives, activities, accomplishments andachievements throughout the fiscal year. Everyyear since the first report, CVSA provides anannual report to the public, demonstratingtransparency in the Alliance’s goals and progress.

Also in 2015, CVSA launched its driverexcellence award program, the InternationalDriver Excellence Award (IDEA), to thank andrecognize one commercial motor vehicle drivereach year who has distinguished him or herselfconspicuously and beyond the call of dutythrough the achievement of safe operation andcompliance carried out with evident distinctionfor an extended period of time.

In January 2016, the CVSA Board of Directorsappointed Collin B. Mooney as its executivedirector. He is the organization’s currentexecutive director.

Also in 2016, PHMSA awarded a CommunitySafety Grant to CVSA to provide training to


The CVSA Executive Committee and committee chairsarrived at the CVSA Workshop in Charlottetown,Prince Edward Island, Canada, two days early to beginthe Alliance’s first strategic planning session. Picturedhere, CVSA President David Rich and staff memberGary Curtis discuss CVSA organizational options.

CVSA’s current strategic plan focuses on four goalsand objectives: (1) enhance programs and services, (2) expand communication and outreach activities, (3) expand advocacy and outreach initiatives, and (4) improve organizational development.

STRATEGIC PLAN

Commercial VehicleSafety Alliance

Currently, CVSA has fourmembership types:state/provincial, localagencies, associate(industry) and federal.

C O V E R S T O R Y


state, local and federal personnel responsiblefor enforcement of the rules and regulationsrelated to the transportation of hazardousmaterials.

On April 27, 2017, the Level VIII ElectronicInspection was added to the North AmericanStandard Inspection Program. The Level VIIIElectronic Inspection is conducted electronicallyor wirelessly while the vehicle is in motion,without direct interaction with an inspector.

Building on the building blocks of the past,today CVSA is comprised of local, state,provincial, territorial and federal commercialmotor vehicle safety officials and industryrepresentatives. The Alliance aims to achieveuniformity, compatibility and reciprocity ofcommercial motor vehicle inspections andenforcement by certified inspectors dedicatedto driver and vehicle safety.

“We’ve had our ‘family feuds’ but overall wework very well together – all for our commongoal of improving the roadside inspectionprocess and highway safety,” said Stern.

The exact words of the Alliance’s mission mayhave changed slightly over the years but itsmain goal has always stood intact – improvingcommercial motor vehicle safety andinspection uniformity. n

CVSA Executive Directors

Collin B. Mooney2016-Present

Stephen A. Keppler2010-2015

Stephen F. Campbell1999-2009

William R. Fiste1985-1998

Ed Kynaston1982-1985 (part time)

CVSA Presidents2017-2018 . . . . . Christopher Turner, Kansas

2016-2017 . . . . . Julius Debuschewitz, Yukon

2015-2016 . . . . . Jay Thompson, Arkansas

2014-2015 . . . . . William “Bill” Reese, Idaho

2013-2014 . . . . . Thomas Fuller, New York

2012-2013 . . . . . Mark Savage, Colorado

2011-2012 . . . . . David Palmer, Texas

2010-2011 . . . . . Steve Dowling, California

2009-2010 . . . . Francis “Buzzy” France, Maryland

2008-2009 . . . . Darren Christle, Manitoba

2007-2008 . . . . John Harrison, Georgia

2006-2007 . . . . Donald Bridge Jr., Connecticut

2005-2006 . . . . Ron Cordova, New Mexico

2004-2005 . . . . Paul Claunch, Arkansas

2003-2004 . . . . Peter Hurst, Ontario

2001-2003 . . . . Paul Sullivan, Massachusetts

2000-2001 . . . . Steve Vaughn, California

1999-2000 . . . . Lisa Moye (Irwin), Michigan

1998-1999. . . . . Harry Eubanks, Oregon

1997-1998 . . . . . Jack Van Steenburg, New York

1996-1997 . . . . . Phil Vasquez, Colorado

1995-1996 . . . . . Bob Brooks, West Virginia

1994-1995 . . . . . David Rich, Idaho

1993-1994 . . . . . Ron “Curly” Krolikowski, Nebraska

1992-1993 . . . . . Gary Burns, Massachusetts

1991-1992 . . . . . G. Stephen Anders, Kentucky

1990-1991 . . . . . Fergus Savage, British Columbia

1989-1990. . . . . Paul Henry, Oregon

1988-1989. . . . . Jim Luman, Illinois

1986-1988 . . . . Jim Daust, Michigan

1985-1986. . . . . Harlan Pierson, Maine

1984-1985 . . . . . Ross Hogg, Alberta

1983-1984 . . . . . Ed Kynaston, California

1982-1983 . . . . . Paul Henry, Oregon

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

GUARDIAN16

Advanced Hazmat Training Offered at 2018 COHMED Conference

More than 200 individuals involved in theregulation, enforcement and safety oftransporting hazardous materials anddangerous goods attended the CooperativeHazardous Materials Enforcement Development(COHMED) Conference, Jan. 29-Feb. 2, 2018, inGarden Grove, California.

Hosted by CVSA, the COHMED Conference is anannual five-day event designed specifically toprovide specialized technical training andinstruction to the federal, state, provincial,territorial and local agencies responsible forregulating and enforcing the safe transportationof hazardous materials (hazmat) and dangerousgoods, along with industry stakeholders.

Representatives from local, state, provincial,territorial and federal agencies, hazardousmaterials specialists and instructors,enforcement personnel, emergency planningmanagers, manufacturers of hazardousmaterials, first responders, trucking companiesand associations, interest groups and privateindustry attended the COHMED Conference toreceive proactive and progressive training onhighly specialized issues; discuss and addressconcerns related to hazmat and dangerousgoods regulations and enforcement; shareperspectives; and provide input into futurechanges and regulations.

“Transportation of hazardous materials presentsunique challenges,” said CVSA President Capt.Christopher Turner of the Kansas HighwayPatrol. “At CVSA’s annual COHMED Conference,qualified experts provide technical training andeducation to individuals representingjurisdictions and local governments to givethem the tools necessary to enhance existingprograms and develop new ones to improvehazardous materials safety."

Attendees at the conference received regulatoryupdates from Transport Canada, and the U.S.Department of Transportation’s Federal MotorCarrier Safety Administration and the Pipelineand Hazardous Materials Safety Administration(PHMSA). The 2018 COHMED Conference also

featured informative and collaborative sessionson some of the most important topics related tothe hazmat community, such as:

• The Global Harmonization System

• Online Resources for Hazardous Materials Inspectors

• Canadian vs. U.S. Cylinders

• Fireworks Enforcement

• Toxicology of Class 9 Materials

• Chemistry 101

• Intermediate Bulk Containers and Portable Tanks

• Regulated Medical Waste

• Modular Emergency Response Radiological Transportation Training

During the general session, COHMED ChairDonna McLean, director of the CanadianTransport Emergency Centre, presented theIndustry Appreciation Award to Guy Dalton withLinde North America Inc. In addition, each year,the chair has the distinct honor of selecting anindividual who exemplifies excellence in hazmattransportation safety to receive the Chairman’sAward. This year, McLean selected JimBoehringer, co-owner of J.E.B. EnvironmentalServices. Also, COHMED leadership industryliaisons, Brian Kucharski with US Ecology andMelanie Levac from the Canadian PropaneAssociation, presented COHMED Vice ChairPhillip Haskins of the Public UtilitiesCommission of Ohio Transportation with theLaw Enforcement Appreciation Award.

Through a grant from PHMSA, CVSA also offersregional training courses throughout thecountry – giving hazmat specialists who wereunable to attend the COHMED Conference anopportunity to receive high-level hazmattraining, closer to home. For dates and locationsfor this year’s COHMED training courses, visitwww.cvsa.org/trainingpage/training.

Next year’s COHMED Conference is scheduledfor Jan. 28-Feb. 1, 2019, in San Antonio, Texas. n

The COHMED Program industry liaisons – BrianKucharski with US Ecology and Melanie Levac withthe Canadian Propane Association – presentedCOHMED Vice Chair Phil Haskins of the Public UtilitiesCommission of Ohio Transportation with the LawEnforcement Appreciation Award.

COHMED Chair Donna McLean presented the IndustryAppreciation Award to Guy Dalton of Linde NorthAmerica at the COHMED Conference general session.

CVSA Vice President Capt. Scott Carnegie with theMississippi Department of Public Safety spoke atthe general session to welcome everyone to the2018 COHMED Conference.

Each year, the Chairman's Award is given to anindividual who has demonstrated a strongcommitment to transportation safety. COHMED ChairDonna McLean selected Jim Boehringer of JEBEnvironmental Services as this year's award recipient.

More than 200 individuals involved in the regulation,enforcement and safety of transporting hazardousmaterials/dangerous goods attended the 2018COHMED Conference.

2018 Regional COHMEDTraining Schedule

For more information, visitwww.cvsa.org/trainingpage/training. n

Indianapolis, Indiana March 28-29, 2018

Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas May 22-23, 2018

Salt Lake City, Utah July 17-18, 2018

Atlanta, Georgia April 24-25, 2018

At each COHMED Conference, a raffle is held whereproceeds are given to a deserving charity. This year,COHMED Chair Donna McLean selected Miracles forKids, an organization that helps families withcritically ill children fight bankruptcy, homelessness,hunger and depression so they can focus on fightingfor their child's life. Many items were raffled off;however, the big-ticket winners were James Wrightwith the Maine State Police, who won the AustinPowder Company clock made by Tom Snyder, andJose Najera with the Texas Department of PublicSafety won the challenge coins and display casewhich was handmade by Jason Bandy with ColoradoState Patrol.


17FIRST QUARTER 2018

Motor Vehicle Safety Directorate Nathalie Belliveaugave a federal regulatory update for TransportCanada at the COHMED Conference.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials SafetyAdministration’s Director of Outreach, Engagementand Grants Aaron Mitchell provided a regulatoryupdate during the general session.

Melissa Williams, General Engineer, HM Division,provided a regulatory update from the FederalMotor Carrier Safety Administration.

Congratulations to the winning team from theHazmat Olympics.

During the Hazmat Olympics, participants are dividedinto teams and presented with hazmat problems tosolve together.

CVSA will hold its Brake SafetySymposium on May 15-16, 2018, in Schaumburg, Illinois.

CVSA is hosting this two-daysymposium to provide interestedattendees with an informative program covering commercial motorvehicle braking and brake-relatedtechnologies, regulations, inspectionprocedures, tools and maintenanceconcepts all focused on improvingknowledge and understanding in orderto increase safe operation ofcommercial motor vehicles.

We welcome roadside inspectors,instructors, drivers, owner-operators,maintenance technicians, governmentregulators, enforcement officials, safetydirectors, engineers, crash investigatorsand others seeking to learn more aboutcommercial motor vehicle brake andbrake-related technologies, regulations,inspections, and related maintenanceissues and solutions.

Visit www.cvsa.org/eventpage/events/brake-safety-symposium for moreinformation and to register.

CVSA BRAKESAFETYSYMPOSIUM


GUARDIAN18

On Dec. 7, 2017, at the CVSA Board of DirectorsMeeting in Alexandria, Virginia, the board votedto add new Inspection Bulletins and approvedupdates to existing Inspection Bulletins.

The following two Inspection Bulletins werecreated:

• 2017-05 – Hand-Held and ElectronicLogging Devices (ELDs) Inspection BulletinThis bulletin reviews the requirements fordevices used to record a driver’s hours ofservice according to 49 CFR 395 Subpart B – Electronic Logging Devices.

• 2017-04 – Medical CertificationInformation Available in Nlets Inspection Bulletin This bulletin summarizes National LawEnforcement Telecommunication System(Nlets) enhancements; specifically, anenhancement that allows users to reviewand validate medical certification dataelements by using a new selection optionwhen inspecting drivers with a commercialdriver’s license or commercial learner’spermit.

The existing 2012-05 – Automatic On-BoardRecording Devices (AOBRDs) InspectionBulletin was updated. This bulletin reviews the requirements for devices used to record a driver’s hours of service according to 49 CFR395.15 – Automatic On-Board RecordingDevices (AOBRD). It identifies the minimumrequirements for a compliant AOBRD andinformation that must be displayed andavailable to roadside enforcement inspectorsfor hours-of-service compliance.

The 2018-01 – Unified Carrier Registration(UCR) Agreement Enforcement Bulletin for2018 Registration Year is available as well. Thisbulletin provides guidance for verifyingcompliance with the UCR Agreement during aroadside inspection and encourages roadsideenforcement for the 2018 registration year,effective Jan. 1, 2018, with a revision on Jan. 23,2018.

CVSA asks all certified roadside inspectors to visit the Inspection Bulletins section of the CVSA website (www.cvsa.org/inspections/inspections/inspection-bulletins) to downloadthe latest versions of the Inspection Bulletins.We want to ensure all inspectors are conductingroadside inspections using the most up-to-dateversion of each bulletin. The CVSA website will always contain the current version of eachInspection Bulletin which should be in use byall CVSA-certified roadside enforcementpersonnel. n

CVSA Updates, Adds Inspection BulletinsBy Kerri Wirachowsky, Director of Roadside Inspection Program, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance


19FIRST QUARTER 2018

International Roadcheck will take place June 5-7, 2018. Over that 72-hour period, commercialmotor vehicle inspectors in jurisdictionsthroughout North America will conductinspections of commercial motor vehicles anddrivers. This year’s focus is on hours-of-servicecompliance.

“The top reason drivers were placed out ofservice during 2017 International Roadcheckwas for hours-of-service violations,” said CVSAPresident Capt. Christopher Turner of theKansas Highway Patrol. “Thirty-two percent ofdrivers who were placed out of service duringlast year’s three-day International Roadcheckwere removed from our roadways due toviolations related to hours-of-serviceregulations. It’s definitely an area we need tocall attention to this year.”

“Although the electronic logging device (ELD)rule that went into effect on Dec. 18, 2017, doesnot change any of the underlying hours-of-service rules or exceptions, the ELD mandateplaced a spotlight on hours-of-servicecompliance,” said Capt. Turner. “We thoughtthis year would be a perfect opportunity tofocus on the importance of the hours-of-service regulations.”

During International Roadcheck, inspectors willprimarily conduct the North American StandardLevel I Inspection, a 37-step procedure thatincludes an examination of both driveroperating requirements and vehicle mechanicalfitness.

The vehicle inspection includes checking brakesystems, cargo securement, coupling devices,

driveline/driveshaft components, exhaustsystems, frames, fuel systems, lighting devices,steering mechanisms, suspensions, tires, vanand open-top trailer bodies, wheels, rims andhubs, and windshield wipers. Additional itemsfor buses include emergency exits, electricalcables and systems in the engine and batterycompartments, and seating.

Drivers are asked to provide their operatingcredentials and hours-of-servicedocumentation, and will be checked for seatbelt usage. Inspectors will also be attentive toapparent alcohol and/or drug impairment.

If no critical violations are found during a Level Ior Level V Inspection, a CVSA decal will beapplied to the vehicle, indicating that the vehiclesuccessfully passed an eligible inspectionconducted by a CVSA-certified inspector.

If an inspector does identify critical violations,he or she will render the driver or vehicle outof service.

Since its inception in 1988, more than 1.5million roadside inspections have beenconducted during International Roadcheckcampaigns.

International Roadcheck is a CVSA programwith participation by the U.S. Federal MotorCarrier Safety Administration, CanadianCouncil of Motor Transport Administrators,Transport Canada, and the Secretariat ofCommunications and Transportation (Mexico).

For more information about InternationalRoadcheck, visit www.roadcheck.org. n

International Roadcheck Set for June 5-7with Focus on Hours-of-Service Compliance Check Out CVSA’s

ROADCHECKINTERNATIONAL

2018

AnnualReport

Fiscal 2017

Fiscal 2017Annual ReportOct. 1, 2016 to Sept. 30, 2017

Commercial Vehicle

Safety Alliance

CVSA released its fiscal 2017 annualreport, which encompasses Oct. 1,2016, to Sept. 30, 2017. The annualreport contains financial information,statistics worth noting, and summariesof CVSA's major initiatives, activities,accomplishments and achievementsthroughout the fiscal year.

In fiscal 2014, CVSA produced its firstannual report. Since then, the Allianceis firmly committed to creating andsharing a new annual report with itsstakeholders and the general publicevery year.

Visit www.cvsa.org/about-us-page/about-cvsa/annual-report to check out CVSA’s fiscal 2017annual report.

CVSA is proud to announce the release of itsnew online learning management system(LMS), a training tool available to all CVSAmembers.

There are currently three general hazardousmaterials refresher courses available in thesystem. These courses provide in-service/refresher training to the roadside inspector onthe material taught during the GeneralRoadside Hazardous Materials InspectionCourse. The courses also expand into some newareas, including the modal hazardous materialregulations in the Federal Motor Carrier SafetyRegulations.

The courses are available to all four classes ofCVSA members (Class I Members, Class II LocalMembers, Class III Associate Members and ClassIV Federal Members). While the training isfocused on the roadside inspector, it isapplicable to anyone who works in thehazardous materials transportation industry.

To access the LMS, visit www.cvsa.org and clickon “Member Login” at the top of the homepageto log in to your CVSA member portal. Onceyou’re logged in, select the “Online Training”tab on the top toolbar to be taken to thedashboard for the LMS.

“This is an exciting new development for ourmembership,” said CVSA Executive DirectorCollin Mooney. “The LMS gives us an effectivetool to get more training to our members. Weplan to greatly expand the courses offered inthe LMS in the future.”

If you have questions about the LMS or if you are a certified inspector who is not a CVSA member and are interested in learningmore about the LMS, contact CVSA Director of COHMED Program Bill Reese [email protected]. n

CVSA Launches Online Learning Management System


GUARDIAN20

When the electronic logging device (ELD) rule went into effect in the United States on Dec. 18, 2017, inspectors and roadsideenforcement personnel started documentingELD violations; some issued citations.However, commercial motor vehicle driverswere not placed out of service if theirvehicle was not equipped with a compliantELD or an automatic on-board recordingdevice (AOBRD) that was installed prior toDec. 18, 2017.

That will change on April 1, 2018; inspectorswill start placing commercial motor vehicledrivers out of service if their vehicle is notequipped with the required compliant ELD or AOBRD.

Please note that a motor carrier maycontinue to use a grandfathered AOBRDuntil Dec. 16, 2019. The AOBRD must meetthe requirements of 49 CFR 395.15.

To assist with a smoother transition to thenew ELD requirement, CVSA provided aphased-in approach by giving motor carriers,drivers and the enforcement community anadjustment period of Dec. 18, 2017, to March31, 2018, wherein drivers were not placed outof service for ELD violations. On April 1, 2018,the ELD footnotes 11 through 14 in Part I ofthe North American Standard Out-of-ServiceCriteria will be implemented and driversoperating commercial motor vehicles withviolations related to ELD compliance in thosefootnotes will be placed out of service.

Remember, the ELD mandate does notchange any of the underlying hours-of-service requirements.

For more information on the ELD rule, visit FMCSA’s ELD implementation website at www.fmcsa.dot.gov/hours-service/elds/electronic-logging-devices. n

Starting April 1, 2018, Drivers Operating aVehicle Not Equippedwith a RequiredCompliant ELD Will BePlaced Out of Service



Scott Hernandez joined CVSA on Jan. 22,2018, as director of crash standards andanalysis.

Hernandez has more than 30 years ofexperience as a member of lawenforcement with the Colorado StatePatrol. He started at Colorado Port of Entrywhere he was a CVSA-certified inspectorand size and weight officer, and worked hisway up throughout the years to becomecolonel of the Colorado State Patrol.Hernandez retired from the Colorado StatePatrol as colonel in 2017.

Hernandez specializes in accident reconstruction with training incommercial motor vehicle (CMV) crash investigation. He holds Level 4Accident Reconstruction Certification and completed the CommercialVehicle Crash Inspection Course through the Florida Highway Patrol.Hernandez brings a career of knowledge and passion in improvingcommercial motor vehicle safety – from completing inspections tosupervising compliance officers to working cooperatively in thedevelopment of rules that ensure safety and compliance with federalregulations.

“The director of crash standards and analysis is a newly created position,requiring specific technical program knowledge in the areas of motorcarrier safety, commercial motor vehicle crash reduction efforts and crashdata standardization objectives,” said CVSA Executive Director CollinMooney. “Scott is a highly motivated, responsible, qualified andaccountable leader who possesses the desired abilities, skills, educationand experience to take on the challenges of the new position.”

As director of crash standards and analysis, Hernandez manages theAlliance’s commercial motor vehicle crash data quality efforts, and adaptsand integrates law enforcement training concepts and principles toachieve optimum performance of CVSA’s CMV crash analysis initiatives.He serves as the primary resource on CMV crash reduction efforts, issuesand programs, and provides advice and counsel on CMV crash reductionstrategies, CMV crash data standardization and analysis, CMV post-crashanalysis and training, CMV crash data quality improvement, legislation,CMV safety policies, information systems and technology.

Hernandez also serves as the CVSA staff liaison and expert for the newCVSA Crash Standards and Analysis Committee, which will have its firstofficial meeting at the 2018 CVSA Workshop in Portland, Oregon, thisApril.

“As the director of crash standards and analysis, I will draw on my yearsof experience and education to ensure consistency with CVSA’s missionand goals,” said Hernandez. “I have proudly served the state of Coloradofor more than 30 years and I now look forward to serving the membersof CVSA.”

Scott is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the FBI NationalLeadership Institute and the Northwestern Police Staff and CommandSchool. n

Is your child currently a highschool senior planning to attendcollege this fall? Could he or sheuse a scholarship toward theircollege education? CVSA is nowaccepting applications for its 2018College Scholarship Award.

CVSA will provide $1,000 collegescholarships to outstandinggraduating high school seniorswhose parent or legal guardian isa member of the Alliance in goodstanding.

The CVSA College Scholarship Award Program is competitive in itsselection criteria, uniquely tailored to recognize outstanding high schoolseniors by weighing academic performance and extracurricular activities.Students who meet the following criteria are eligible for the scholarship.The candidate must:

• Be a legal dependent of a Class I Member, Class II Local Member,Class III Associate Member or Class IV Federal Member (cannot be alegal dependent of a member of the CVSA Board of Directors)

• Be a graduating high school senior

• Have a minimum high school grade point average (GPA), orequivalent, of 3.0

• Be a citizen and/or permanent legal resident of Canada, Mexico orthe United States (and associated territories)

All applications and corresponding documentation must be received byApril 30, 2018. Applications must be completed with all of the requireddocumentation submitted together at the same time. Incompleteapplications will not be considered.

Recipients will be selected by the CVSA College Scholarship Committeeand notified of the committee’s decision by the end of May. Paymentwill be made to the recipient’s school of choice upon notification and inaccordance with the school's scholarship guidelines.

Visit www.cvsa.org/program/programs/college-scholarship-award todownload the 2018 scholarship application form. n

The CVSA College Scholarship Award Program is dedicated to Gary E.Curtis. While working for the Virginia State Police, Gary was an activemember of CVSA and a cornerstone in the development of the NorthAmerican Standard Inspection Program. Gary was recruited by the formerU.S. Interstate Commerce Commission and later focused on commercialmotor vehicle safety programs as the federal government restructured anddeveloped the Office of Motor Carrier Safety (OMCS) under the FederalHighway Administration. Gary retired from the OMCS and came to CVSA in1992, faithfully serving as the Alliance’s director of technical services. Hisefforts and contributions helped form the solid base upon which CVSA nowproudly stands. Gary lost his life to cancer in December 1998.

CVSA Accepting 2018 CollegeScholarship Applications

Scott Hernandez Joins CVSA as Directorof Crash Standards and Analysis

REGION III

On Oct. 31, 2017, South Dakota Highway Patrolmotor carrier troopers and inspectorsparticipated in the Workers on Wheels Rakethe Town event. This event had more than1,000 volunteers who raked more than 360yards in the Sioux Falls area. Rake the Town isa community-wide event to help the elderlyand/or disabled who do not have familyavailable to help with their yard work and arenot financially or physically able to do thework themselves. Rake the Town is beneficialto senior homeowners who want to remainindependent in their homes but need a littleextra help with chores. n

Region IConnecticut, Delaware, District ofColumbia, Maine, Maryland,Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania,Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, U.S. 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, New Brunswick, Newfoundland andLabrador, Northwest Territories, NovaScotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan and Yukon

REGIONAL MAP

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

GUARDIAN22

South Dakota Highway Patrol Troopersand Inspectors ‘Rake the Town’By Sgt. Matt Koll, Motor Carrier Services, South Dakota Highway Patrol


Motor carrier officers of the Michigan StatePolice conducted inspections on the north andsouth ends of the Mackinac (mak-uh-naw)Bridge. Affectionately known as the “MightyMac,” the bridge connects Michigan’s twopeninsulas and is the longest suspension bridgein the western hemisphere and the fifth longestin the world. Inspections were also conducted atthe International Bridge connecting the UnitedStates and Canada at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

During the operation, motor carrier officersconducted 30 inspections on vehiclestransporting hazardous materials (HM) in bulkcontainers, 15 inspections on vehicles with non-bulk containers and nine inspections on vehiclesthat were not transporting HM. Five vehicleswere placed out of service for violations of theHM and motor carrier safety regulations.

While at the International Bridge, Motor CarrierInvestigator (MCI) Eli Recollet noticed a cargotank displaying “Explosives 1.5” placards.However, the vehicle did not displayidentification numbers as required by 172.302.After some teamwork and a review of theTransportation of Dangerous Goods Regulationsand CFR 49, it was determined that the vehiclewas in compliance. The vehicle was marked inaccordance with Canadian regulations and wasallowed to travel into the U.S. MCI Recolletconfirmed that identification numbers are notrequired by contacting the Compliance andResponse Branch of Transport Canada.

The team also stopped a multipurpose bulktruck transporting ammonium nitrate emulsion(UN3375) and acetic acid solution (UN2790). Byreviewing Special Provision 148, Section 173.66,and the Institute of Makers of Explosives (IME)

Standard 23, the team found that this vehiclewas in compliance. IME Standard 23 is located inGuard/eFOTM under the HM documents link.

The successful operation gave motor carrierofficers a chance to find unique vehiclestraveling into Michigan. n


Michigan State Police Conducts Two-DayInspection Operation at the Mighty Mac Bridge and the International BridgeBy Spl/Sgt. Kevin Hogan, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, Michigan State Police

REGION III

In Memory of Longtime CVSA Supporter and Associate Member Pat Crahan

Pat Crahan, a 54-year U-Haul Team member,passed away on Dec. 31, 2017. He was 89 yearsold. He is survived by his wife, Velva, and theirfour children, along with several grandchildrenand great-grandchildren.

Perhaps Crahan’s crowning achievement with U-Haul was securing a process known as apportionment, in which all trucks arepermanently licensed in Arizona and all states and provinces receive their fair share of licensing fees. Before this move in 2000, U-Haul spent a lot of time and resources tryingto get new license plates attached to thousandsof trucks.

A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Crahan joinedthe U-Haul Team in 1963, almost by accident.After an Oklahoma oil rig equipment companylaid him off from his job as an offshore drillingsupply specialist, Crahan sent out résumés toseveral companies. When he received a packetfrom U-Haul, he set it aside, assuming it wasinformation on moving. It wasn’t until hereceived a call from U-Haul asking to set up aninterview that he remembered applying withthe company.

Crahan knew very little about U-Haul at thetime and when he showed up to his interview in Oklahoma City, he assumed he’d be speakingwith a human resources representative. As itturned out, his interviewer was U-Haul co-founder L.S. “Sam” Shoen, who was soimpressed with Crahan that he asked him to be the marketing company president for whatwas then U-Haul Company of Oklahoma andArkansas.

“I told Sam, ‘I’m willing to take a chance on youif you’re willing to take a chance on me,’”Crahan told U-Haul News in 1993. “He gave methe address of the office, told me to show upMonday morning and tell the staff I was thenew boss.”

That marked the beginning of a 54-year U-Haulcareer for Crahan, who wasted little timemaking his mark.

“Early on, there was a lot I had to do fast, andwhat impressed me was the amount ofauthority and responsibility I was given fromthe get-go,” Crahan recalled in a 2008 U-HaulNews story. “In the first three days of working


GUARDIAN24

REGION IV

Pat Crahan

2014-2015 CVSA President Bill Reese presentedPat Crahan with the CVSA President’s Award atthe 2015 CVSA Annual Conference and Exhibitionin Boise, Idaho.

at U-Haul, I made more decisions than I’d madein eight years with my previous employer.”

In 1970, Crahan, a lifelong Oklahoman withroots going back several generations in thestate, moved his family to Phoenix to work at U-Haul headquarters. He served as vicepresident of U-Haul International, a positionthat put him in charge of all departments andoperations in the U-Haul Towers. Eventually, hegravitated toward zoning and governmentrelations (which included working with stateand provincial governments, as well as with oilcompanies). In 1974, Crahan was named vicepresident of government relations, the title heheld until 2014, when he transitioned into whathe called a “working retirement.”

High AccoladesBecause he spent more than 40 years as vicepresident of government relations, Crahanwas well-known and very popular amongcountless members of state and provincialmotor vehicle administrators. To them, Crahanwas U-Haul. In 2000, the AmericanAssociation of Motor Vehicle Administrators(AAMVA) honored him with the Distinguished

Service Award-Distinguished CommunityMember, one of the AAMVA’s highest honors.

Crahan also received high accolades from U-Haul over the years. In 1985, he receivedthe Hap Carty E&E Award, the highest awardin the company.

Here at CVSA, 2014-2015 CVSA President Bill Reese presented Crahan with the CVSAPresident’s Award at the CVSA AnnualConference and Exhibition in Boise, Idaho, on Sept. 14, 2015. This is a special honor thateach CVSA president bestows upon anindividual who has made significantcontributions to the Alliance.

A Love StoryWhen accepting these prestigious honors,Crahan made sure to thank his wife, Velva,saying he couldn’t have done it without hersupport. Pat and Velva were married in 1956,and anyone who knew Pat will tell you it’simpossible to tell his story withoutmentioning Velva, who also spent severalyears working for U-Haul, many of themalongside Pat.

The Crahans met when Pat’s previousemployer sent him to Beaumont, Texas, aspart of a management training program. Herented a room in Beaumont from Velva’s aunt,and Pat and Velva eventually started dating. A few months later, they got married, and asthey say in fairy tales – and it is certainly truehere – they lived happily ever after.

Pat Crahan summed up their relationship in2006, when he and Velva celebrated their50th wedding anniversary:

“What’s blessed our union,” he told U-HaulNews, “is the fact that we’ve always supportedeach other in all areas of our lives. Velva givesme the confidence that helps me succeed in my negotiations for U-Haul.” n



ABOVE: Pat and Velva Crahan celebrate their 50-yearwedding anniversary. LEFT: Pat Crahan in the UnitedStates Air Force in 1952.


GUARDIAN26

On Oct. 3-4, 2017, Contrôle routier Québec (CRQ) carried out a majoroperation in Québec City centered on passenger transportation bychartered buses and taxis.

As we know, Québec City is a favourite destination for many travelerscoming mostly from Canada and the United States. The operation aimed toensure that the transportation of passengers by bus and taxi is beingcarried out safely and in compliance with the laws and regulations in effectand that the vehicles are mechanically compliant.

During the operation, 20 carrier enforcement officers from CRQ and sixpolice officers from the municipal police force were assigned to work sitesin the city. Sixty-one charter buses and 16 taxis were inspected during thetwo-day operation. Out of the vehicles inspected, 43 percent of buses and44 percent of taxis did not comply with laws and regulations. In total, theofficers issued 19 statements of offence, and identified 104 minormechanical defects and eight major mechanical defects on 27 vehicles.Three buses were given an out-of-service order (see below).

The officers also took the opportunity to raise driver awareness aboutcourtesy on the road.

CRQ has developed a highly qualified expertise. Through its commitmentand hard work, CRQ ensures the safety of all road users. CRQ has themandate to monitor and control road transportation of goods andpassengers in the province of Québec. n

Quebec’s Operation Motorcoach ‘All Aboard’By Eric Santerre, Head of Media Relations-Awareness and Media RelationsDivision; Policy Programs, Prevention and Administrative Support Branch;Vice President for Roadside Control and Vehicle Safety; Quebec AutomobileInsurance Corporation

REGION V REGION V

26 GUARDIAN

Reg Quiring is New STA Board ChairmanThe Saskatchewan Trucking Association (STA)announced the appointment of new Board Chair RegQuiring at its 2017 Annual General Meeting held in

Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, on Oct. 21, 2017.

Quiring replaces Graham Newton, who moved into the past board chairposition; Brett Marcoux of AFI Distribution Group moved into the firstboard chair position. Quiring, Newton, Marcoux and Glen Ertell (NorthResource Trucking) now make up the STA Executive Committee. Twonew additions were made to the board – Nithi Govindasamy and JamesGordon who will serve on the Government Relations and MembershipCommittees, respectively.

“I am proud to fill the position of board chair and am excited to workcollaboratively with the membership to accomplish much in the comingyear,” said Quiring. “I would like to thank Graham Newton, the outgoingboard chair. Graham stepped up for the STA when the board needednew leadership mid-term and throughout his time as chair has helpedusher in many changes to the association, all for the better. Theimportance of membership engagement cannot be stressed enough –we are only effective together.”

STA Supports Government of Saskatchewan Carbon TaxIn the fall of 2016, the STA Board voiced support of the initiative to fightthe attempts of the federal government to force provinces to implementa provincial carbon pricing system. The result was a white paper,submitted to multiple government departments, titled “Carbon Pricingin Saskatchewan – Trucking Industry Made Solutions.” The paper urgespolicy makers to fight the tax, but to also create industry-friendlypolicies in case carbon pricing in our province becomes a reality. Thereport can be viewed at www.sasktrucking.com/advocacy-new/carbon-pricing-sk.

NWP Provinces Submit Priorities to Provincial GovernmentsLeveraging the power of the New West Partnership (NWP), therespective trucking associations submitted multiple letters to thegovernment that highlighted the need for harmonized policy and redtape reduction on fuel efficient, industry-friendly technologies.

Minister Announces Allowance of WBT at Par Weights in SaskatchewanThe STA’s most important advocacy win of 2017 was the now operationalpermit pilot on new generation wide base tires (WBTs). This advocacyfile has been on the STA executive director’s priority list for over adecade. Many member companies are already utilizing the system andthe STA will push to make it even more industry friendly in 2018.

Advocacy for Extended Tractor Wheel Base for B-TrainsThe western provincial trucking associations recommended increasingthe maximum overall length of B-Trains to 27.5 meters and allowingtractors with a longer wheelbase (up to 6.8 m). While part of therecommendation has been adopted – the maximum length for B-Trainsis now 27.5 m – the request to allow tractors with a longer wheelbasehas not. The STA lobbied the provincial government to adopt the changeand the request was granted.

To learn more about the STA, visit www.sasktrucking.com. n

Cracked wheel. Cracked rotor (disc).

Exposed cord in tire.

Updates from the SaskatchewanTrucking AssociationBy Charlene Danvers, Marketing and Communications, SaskatchewanTrucking Association

FOURTH QUARTER 2017 27FIRST QUARTER 2018 2727 GUARDIAN

CVSA OUT-OF-SERVICE CRITERIA HANDBOOK

ORDER YOUR PRINT OR ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THE NEW 2018

Updated out-of-service criteria go into effect on April 1, 2018.The 2018 edition replaces and supersedes all previouseditions. If you do not have this new edition of the handbook,you will be operating using outdated information.

• PART I details violations which would place a driver out ofservice.

• PART II identifies critical vehicle inspection items andprovides direction on identifying the point at which acommercial motor vehicle can no longer be safely operated due to the risk of causing a crash or breakdown.

• PART III provides guidance for hazardous materials/dangerous goods transportation, including conditionswhich fail to communicate a hazard and those which arethemselves hazards.

• PART IV outlines the criteria for placing a motor carrier outof service.

Visit www.cvsa.org and select “Store” to purchase your print or electronic copy of the new“2018 North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria Handbook and Pictorial.”

The handbook is $35 for members, $45 for non-members.

FEATURES NEW ELECTRONIC LOGGINGDEVICE OUT-OF-SERVICE CRITERIA

In 1887, when Scottish veterinarian John BoydDunlop was searching for a way to reduce thevibration on the solid tires of his son’s bicycle,he became the first commercially successfulinventor of the pneumatic tire. Since then, tiretechnology has changed the course oftransportation for many conveyance systems,from tricycles and tractors to automobiles andcommercial motor vehicles.

Although pneumatic tires are clearly different insize, construction and load-carrying capabilities,they inherently perform similarly under theirgiven duty-cycle. That is, they provide goodhandling characteristics, resist cutting, displacewater, perform safely throughout a wide rangeof temperatures and manage a variety ofroad/load conditions while providing acomfortable ride.

Tire ConstructionNot just black, round and smelly when new, tiresare a turn-of-the-century marvel used in a widevariety of applications which has revolutionizedthe art of “rolling.” Although their purpose issimilar for most applications, tire aspect ratios,load ratings, inflation pressure and speed ratingare some of the many differences required tomeet diverse need essentials. Tread design,overall size, function and performance are verydistinct between different types of tires, based

on their intended operating condition, while tireconstruction within type (bias-ply vs. radial) issimilar.

Two basic types of tire construction, bias andradial, must be considered when selecting areplacement tire or when specifying new tiresfor a vehicle or fleet.

Bias-ply tires are constructed by overlappingcrossed layers of cord material. Oftentimes,nylon or polyester material (cords) form the tirecasing. The cords are manufactured diagonallyfrom tire bead to tire bead with additional crossplies (belts) underneath the tread for increasedstrength. This construction creates a stiffsidewall area that is strong, shock absorbentand resistant to impact. However, its inherentdesign does not absorb road shock as well asthe radial design and therefore is often used forspecific applications.

Radial-ply tubeless tires are made with the cordmaterial running from tire bead to tire beaddirectly across the tire at a 90-degree anglefrom the tire center. The cord material isoftentimes made of steel or other relatedmaterial while, depending on the construction,the under tread generally has multiple layers ofcross plies or belts to strengthen the tread areadepending on the purpose on the tire.

Based on performance data and road testing,the radial design appears to offer numerousadvantages over bias-ply in the areas of treadwear, fuel economy, reduced noise, road hazardresistance and overall handling. The radial tire,however, can be more susceptible to curbdamage because of less stiff sidewalls specificto their design for a given duty cycle.

Note: Valuable information is molded into thesidewall of most tires. The information includesbrand name, manufacture date, tire size, tubetype, tire grade, speed rating, load and inflationinformation.

Inflation: The Magic of AirA tire is a pneumatic (compressed air) devicethat supports a load. The compressed air insidea tire applies tensile stress to the cords ofpolyester, nylon and/or steel, permitting themto carry a load. The area inside the tire,construction material and the inflation pressuredetermine a tire’s load-carrying capacity.Maintaining proper inflation pressure, at allaltitudes and ambient temperatures, is criticalto load rating, tire performance and wear. It isthe single most important maintenance-relatedfactor that will determine tire life, passengerand cargo handling, performance and safety. Onaverage, a tire will lose approximately 1-2 psi of

I N D U S T R Y P E R S P E C T I V E S

GUARDIAN28

Tire Tech and the Law: Everything Rides on ThemBy Michael Stange, Public Transit Professional, Author of 'The Compliance Maze'

CORRECTION: In the last edition ofGuardian magazine, this article waspublished with an incorrect byline. To correct this error, we are re-publishingthis article with the correct author.

air per tire per month. For nitrogen-filled tires,refer to your tire distributor/manufacturer fornitrogen loss information.

Over inflation causes a tire to stress the cords,which may result in the transmission ofunwarranted road shock. Over time, this couldaffect suspension components, provide a lesscomfortable ride and may distort the tire,causing premature wear at the center of thetread. Overall tire performance may be affectedand the handling characteristics of the vehiclecompromised. Excessive over inflation mayresult in irregular tread wear patterns, affectpuncture resistance and may result in treadlift/separation.

Under inflation reduces a tire’s ability toproperly support a load and could affect thetire’s ability to handle properly, brake andaccelerate. The tire can distort, causing the sidewalls and tread to excessively flex wherebycausing premature failure.

Further, under inflation is a major cause ofexcessive tire heat generation which willaccelerate tread wear, reduce fuel economy,degrade casing durability and may lead to treadseparation. Excessive heat, oftentimes causedby sustained under inflation, is detrimental to

proper tread wear and will quickly damage thetire.

The tire industry recommends inflationpressure for automotive and heavy-dutypneumatic tires be checked on a weekly basis.Tire manufacture engineers have stated thatpneumatic tires under inflated by only 20percent over their lifetime averageapproximately 16 percent fewer total miles.

For pneumatic tires, the use of metal or nylonvalve-stem caps (not plastic) is recommendedto provide a seal from the outside environment.The absence of a valve-stem cap may allow airleaks and outside contaminants to foul thestem, and may result in a premature failure orunnecessary loss of air pressure.

As mentioned previously, proper inflation isespecially important for the performance,handling and endurance of tires. Their designcharacteristics and low aspect ratio (especiallyfor automotive applications) does not easilyallow for the visual detection of under inflationbecause of normal sidewall deflection whichgenerally gives the allusion of a tire low on air.Therefore, it is recommended that a tirepressure gauge be used to determine properinflation pressure as opposed to the old kickor “eyeball it” method.

Tire Terminology and DefinitionsWhen selecting a replacement tire for your car,truck or bus, many factors must be consideredto ensure your money is well spent for theproper application. The essential data to know,aside from price, is tire type and dimension,load and speed rating, inflation pressure and ifavailable, road hazard contracts. As theconsumer (vehicle owner or other), transitauthority or commercial motor vehicle operator,essential information is crucial. You must decideon a myriad of choices which include, but arenot limited to: tread design and application,appearance, cost, construction, tread depth,traction wear, temperature and speed ratings.

To thoroughly understand the tire qualitygrading system, the weight-carryingcapabilities of a tire and other relatedinformation, refer to the federal new tirestandard, Federal Motor Vehicle SafetyStandard (FMVSS) No. 119 and the FederalMotor Carrier Safety Regulation Part 393.75 ofthe U.S. code of regulations. Your local tiredistributor is also a source for informationregarding tire regulations and requirementsfor passenger vehicles and/or commercialmotor vehicles.





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More basically, understanding the need andapplication of a tire is simplified when commonterms and definitions are understood.

• Tubeless Tire is a tire with a thin layer ofrubber, from bead to bead, on the inside ofthe tire (inner liner) that creates an internalseal, eliminating the need for a conventionalinner tube.

• Tread is the rubber that contacts the roadsurface. Its primary purpose is to providetraction.

• Sidewall is the side of the tire from the bead(area that contacts the rim) to the base of thetread.

• Tread Width is the distance across the treadsurface (contact patch).

• Tread Depth is the depth from the top of thetread, at any given wear, to the bottom of thetread grooves.

• Casing is the complete tire structure.

• Aspect Ratio is the height of a tire relative to(divided by) the width of a tire expressed as apercentage. The aspect ratio of a tire is alsoreferred to as the “series.” Refer to thefollowing note and examples.

• Low Aspect Ratio is a radial tubeless tirethat has a shorter sidewall height and awider tread width.

Note: By law, the passenger car tiremanufacturers must comply with the UniformTire Quality Grading System to allow theconsumer to compare tires in three major areas:

1. Treadwear grades, an indication of a tire'srelative wear rate

2. Traction grades, an indication of a tire'sability to stop on wet pavement

3. Temperature grades, a tire's resistance toheat

Examples of aspect ratios:

• A 305/75R 24.5 commercial tire has a widthof 305 millimeters from sidewall tosidewall. The “75” is the aspect ratiowherein the tire height is 75 percent of itswidth. “R” is radial construction and “24.5”is the rim diameter in inches.

• A P215/65R15 89H automobile tire can bebroken down as follows: The “P” is forpassenger car tire, the “215” is the width in millimeters from sidewall to sidewall. The “65” is the aspect ratio wherein the tire height is 65 percent of its width. The“R” is radial construction. The "15" is therim diameter in inches. The "89" is the loadindex and the "H" is the speed rating.

Tire Safety and Compliance,Regulated EquipmentCommercial motor vehicle operators arerequired to comply with regulations thatgovern how equipment (such as tires) is fitted,inspected and maintained for the operationalconditions. Federal or provincial standards setthe minimum maintenance standards. If treaddepth is worn well below the regulatoryminimum, Part 2 Section 11 of the CVSA NorthAmerican Standard Out-of-Service Criteriaidentifies conditions that are not onlyviolations but imminent hazards such that thevehicle will not be permitted to continue.

Being familiar with tire violations and how toidentify them, according to Part 393 of theU.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulationsand Section 9 of the Canadian National SafetyCode Standard 11, is a matter of law, arequirement of a vehicle operating safely onthe roadway and a professional obligation thecarrier/operator has as part of theircommercial motor vehicle operation andpolicies.

Unlike many other vehicle component checks,basic tire inspection and air pressure readingsare the most important and easiest toperform. While the commercial motor vehicleoperator is required to inspect (pre-trip) thevehicle before operation, the passengervehicle operator would be well served byinspecting the tires, at least the tread andouter sidewall, for damage and air pressure ona weekly basis.

Note: Newer automobiles are required toemploy tire pressure monitoring systems toalert the operator when a tire(s) is underinflated. The rule does not apply to heavytrucks or buses. Regardless, it isrecommended that tire pressure be manuallychecked with a tire pressure gage on a weeklybasis. A tread depth and air pressure gage canbe purchased from any automotive parts storefor less than $5 each. They are very easy touse, inexpensive and will provide necessaryand accurate information required of theoperator.

Last, proper tire maintenance and accurateinflation pressure is good for the environment.Tires last longer when properly inflated andwhen repairable damage is identified throughroutine inspection, fewer tires requirereplacement which minimizes tire casingwaste. n


About 'RADInspection News''RAD Inspection News' features newsand other stories pertaining tothe North American Standard Level VIInspection Program for transuranicwaste and highway route controlledquantities (HRCQ) of radioactivematerial. This inspection is for selectradiological shipments that includeenhancements to the North AmericanStandard Level I Inspection Programand the North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria with addedradiological requirements fortransuranic waste and HRCQ ofradioactive material.

Learn more about the Level VIInspection Program at www.cvsa.org.

'RAD Inspection News' is madepossible under a cooperativeagreement with the U.S. Departmentof Energy (DOE). Since January 2007, it has run as a section inside CVSA's“Guardian.” n


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

Level VI CertificationClasses Held in NewMexico and Texas

CVSA held its 166th and 167th Level VI certification classes this past October and November.

In October, in Austin, Texas, the Texas Department of Public Safety hosted 17 students representing theTexas Department of Safety, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Idaho State Police, Kentucky State Police,Houston Police Department and Galena Park (Texas) Police Department.

In Albuquerque, New Mexico, this past November, the New Mexico Department of Public Safety hosted13 officers representing the New Mexico State Police, Idaho State Police, Kentucky State Police andUtah Highway Patrol.

As a result of the two classes, 25 newly certified Level VI inspectors have joined the roster of more than700 Level VI certified officers nationwide. n

ABOVE: Level VI National Instructor Rion Stann of the Pennsylvania State Police provides students from Class167 instruction on the TRU-PACT II shipping container during an outside practical lesson. INSET: Level VI NationalInstructor Tom Fuller of the New York State Police reviews with students from Class 167 answers to a practicalexercise.

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DOE Submits Greater-Than-Class C Report to Congress

In November 2017, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)submitted to Congress a report on “Alternatives for the Disposal ofGreater-Than-Class C Low-Level Radioactive Waste and Greater-Than-Class C-Like Waste.” The completion of this report wasrequired by statute prior to any final decision-making about howto dispose of DOE's Greater-Than-Class C (GTCC) low-levelradioactive waste (LLRW) and GTCC-like waste.

According to the report's executive summary, the departmentconcluded that "disposal at generic commercial facilities and/ordisposal in the WIPP geologic repository" is the preferredalternative for management of GTCC LLRW and GTCC-like waste.Congress would have to approve this disposal plan before DOEcan begin implementation.

To view the report, visitwww.gtcceis.anl.gov/documents/docs/GTCC_Report_to_Congress_Nov_2017.pdf. n

NRC Prepares New Rulesfor Power ReactorsTransitioning toDecommissioning

On Nov. 20, 2017, the U.S. Nuclear RegulatoryCommission (NRC) issued a regulatory basisdocument to support future rulemaking relatedto the decommissioning of nuclear reactors.

The document, Regulatory Improvements forPower Reactors Transitioning toDecommissioning (NRC Docket ID: NRC-2015-0070), notes that the "rulemaking wouldprovide for an efficient decommissioningprocess; reduce the need for exemptions fromexisting regulations and license amendmentrequests; address other decommissioning issuesdeemed relevant by the NRC staff; and supportthe principles of good regulation, includingopenness, clarity and reliability."

To view the docket and all related documents and comments, visitwww.regulations.gov/docket?D=NRC-2015-0070.

According to the timetable found with thedocket on regulations.gov, the NRC expects to release the notice of proposed rulemaking in November 2018 and the final rule inFebruary 2020.

Level VI Inspections with No Violations 0 506 506 96.38%

Level VI Inspections with Violations 1 18 19 3.62%

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

1 10 11 2.10%

Roadside Inspections, Level VI (2017 - Calendar)

LEVEL VI INSPECTIONS Federal State Total % of Total

Number of Level VI Inspections 1 524 525 100%

Point of Origin 1 294 295 56.19%

En Route 0 228 228 43.43%

Point of Destination 0 2 2 0.38%

Unknown Location 0 0 0 0%



ELD Guidance for LevelVI InspectionsOn Dec. 18, 2017, the Federal Motor CarrierSafety Administration’s electronic loggingdevice (ELD) rule went into effect. As of Dec.18, 2017, a non-exempt commercial motorvehicle not equipped with an ELD or agrandfathered automated on-board recordingdevice (AOBRD) is in violation of 49 CFR395.22(a) but will not be placed out of serviceuntil April 1, 2018. The same rule applies tocommercial motor vehicles subject to theLevel VI Inspection Procedures.

From Dec. 18, 2017, through March 31, 2018,the ELD rule will not impact the defect-freepoint of origin inspection. As of Dec. 18, 2017,if a carrier is found to be operating without anELD or AOBRD, a violation of 395.22(a) will bedocumented on the Level I report and acitation may be issued, but will not be placedout of service nor will it prevent the vehiclefrom obtaining a CVSA decal or a Level VIdecal.

Beginning April 1, 2018, the ELD out-of-serviceconditions will be added to both the NorthAmerican Standard Out-of-Service Criteria andthe Level VI Out-of-Service Criteria. At thattime, it will be considered an out-of-servicecondition for both the point of origin defect-free inspection and an enroute inspection.

Any questions pertaining to the ELD rule and Level VI Inspection Program should bedirected to CVSA Director of Level VI InspectionProgram Carlisle Smith at [email protected]. n

CVSA Level VI National Instructor Tony Anderson RetiresBy Carlisle Smith, Director of Level VI Inspection Program, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance

Tony Anderson of the Idaho State Police has retired after 22 years as a trooper and a senior hazmatspecialist. Prior to his time with the Idaho State Police, Anderson served in the U.S. Navy as asubmariner, serving on three submarines and at two nuclear land facilities, supervising the operation,maintenance and repair of their nuclear power plants. Tony retired from the U.S. Navy in 1995.

As a Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) trooper for the Idaho State Police, Andersoncompeted in and earned the Jimmy K. Ammons Grand Champion Award at the 2005 North AmericanInspectors Championship. In 2004, Anderson became a Level VI-certified inspector and inspected hisfirst of many transuranic waste shipments leaving the Idaho Nuclear Laboratory, bound for the WasteIsolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) site near Carlsbad, New Mexico. In 2006, Anderson was asked to join theCVSA Level VI National Instructor Team.

Anderson’s experience and background in the nuclear navy, his skills as an instructor and personablenature have made him a valuable asset to CVSA’s Level VI Inspection Training Program these past 11years. His fellow Level VI national instructors thank him for his comradery, his insight, his service tohis country and his friendship.

We wish you and Wanda the very best. n


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2018 North American Standard Out-of-ServiceCriteria and Level VI Inspection ProceduresHandbook Now AvailableThe 2018 North American Standard Out-of-ServiceCriteria and Level VI Inspection ProceduresHandbook is now available to CVSA members.Through the cooperative agreement with the U.S.Department of Energy’s Carlsbad Field Office, thehandbooks are free of charge to all CVSA-certifiedLevel VI inspectors nationwide.

To receive your free copy of the 2018 NorthAmerican Standard Out-of-Service Criteria andLevel VI Inspection Procedures Handbook,contact Director of Level VI InspectionProgram Carlisle Smith at [email protected]. n

CVSA Level VI BasicCertification Classes forCalendar Year 2018May 14-17, 2018Jefferson City, MissouriJune 18-21, 2018Springfield, IllinoisJuly 23-26, 2018Forsyth, GeorgiaOct. 15-18, 2018Austin, TexasNov. 5-8, 2018 Sacramento, California

Registration is required. To register for a CVSA Basic Level VI Inspection class, contact CVSA Director of Level VI InspectionProgram Carlisle Smith at [email protected]. n

Roadside Inspections, Level VI Violations (2017 - Calendar)

ViolationCode

Violation Description

# ofInspections

# ofViolations

% of TotalViolations

# of OOSViolations OOS %

177.817A No Shipping Papers (Carrier) 3 3 11.11% 0 0%

393.45B2 Brake Hose/Tubing Chaffing and/or Kinking 2 2 7.41% 1 50%

393.45UV Brake Tubing and Hose Adequacy Under Vehicle 2 2 7.41% 2 100%

393.201A Frame Cracked/Loose/Sagging/Broken 2 2 7.41% 2 100%

393.9A Inoperative Required Lamps 2 2 7.41% 0 0%

393.48A Inoperative/Defective Brakes 2 2 7.41% 1 50%

396.3A1 Inspection/Repair and Maintenance Parts and Accessories 2 2 7.41% 1 50%

393.104F3 Loose/Unfastened Tiedown 2 2 7.41% 2 100%

393.45D Brake Connections With Leaks/Constrictions 1 1 3.7% 0 0%

393.45 Brake Tubing and Hose Adequacy 1 1 3.7% 1 100%

393.75A Flat Tire or Fabric Exposed 1 1 3.7% 1 100%

172.602B Form and Manner of Emergency ResponseInformation 1 1 3.7% 0 0%

392.2IRP IRP Apportioned Tag or Registration Violation 1 1 3.7% 0 0%

393.25E Lamp Not Steady Burning 1 1 3.7% 0 0%

396.17C Operating a CMV Without Periodic Inspection 1 1 3.7% 0 0%

393.75BOOS Tire-Front Tread Depth Less Than 2/32 Inch on aMajor Tread Groove 1 1 3.7% 1 100%

393.75A3 Tire – Flat and/or Audible Air Leak 1 1 3.7% 1 100%

393.205C Wheel Fasteners Loose and/or Missing 1 1 3.7% 0 0%


PRESIDENTCapt. Christopher TurnerKansas Highway Patrol

VICE PRESIDENTCapt. Scott CarnegieMississippi Highway Patrol

SECRETARYSgt. John SamisDelaware State Police

PAST PRESIDENTSMaj. Jay ThompsonArkansas Highway Police

Sgt. Thomas Fuller New York State Police

Deputy Chief Mark Savage Colorado State Patrol

REGION PRESIDENTSRegion ISgt. Scott DorrlerNew Jersey State Police

Region IICapt. Ross BatsonArkansas Highway Police

Region IIICapt. John BroersSouth Dakota Highway Patrol

Region IVLt. Scott HansonIdaho State Police

Region VRichard RobertsBritish Columbia Ministry ofTransportation and Infrastructure

REGION VICE PRESIDENTS Region ISgt. Eric BergquistMaine State Police

Region IILt. Allen England Tennessee Highway Patrol

Region IIICapt. John HahnColorado State Patrol

Region IVLt. Daniel WyrickWyoming Highway Patrol

Region VSean MustatiaSaskatchewan Ministry of Highwaysand Infrastructure

LOCAL PRESIDENTOfc. Wes BementGrand Prairie (Texas) Police Department

LOCAL VICE PRESIDENTOfc. Jason BelzArlington (Texas) Police Department

CVSA LEADERSHIPBOARD OF DIRECTORS

ASSOCIATE MEMBER PRESIDENTJason WingWalmart Transportation LLC

ASSOCIATE MEMBER VICE PRESIDENTDave Schofield Oldcastle Materials

COMMITTEE CHAIRSDriver-Traffic EnforcementCommitteeLt. Chris BarrIndiana State Police

Enforcement and IndustryModernization CommitteeChief Derek BarrsFlorida 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

Policy and Regulatory AffairsCommitteeAlan R. Martin Public Utilities Commission of Ohio

Size and Weight CommitteeMaj. Jeremy NordlohTexas Department of Public Safety

Training CommitteeMilan OrbovichPublic Utilities Commission of Ohio

Vehicle CommitteeTpr. John SovaNorth Dakota Highway Patrol

PROGRAM CHAIRSLevel VI InspectionM/Sgt. Todd ArmstrongIllinois State Police

Cooperative Hazardous MaterialsEnforcement Development(COHMED)Donna McLeanTransport Canada

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

Operation Safe Driver (OSD)Chief David LorenzenIowa Department of Transportation

Operation Airbrake (OAB)Lt. Scott HansonIdaho State Police

Shelley ConklinLandstar Transportation Logistics

International RoadcheckMaj. Michael FormanMississippi Department ofTransportation

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

NON-VOTING LEADERSHIP

GUARDIAN

CVSA SPONSORS

PLATINUM

PREMIER

DIAMOND

GOLD

GUARDIAN36

37FIRST QUARTER 2018 37

CVSA SPONSORS

SILVERABF FreightAmazonAmerican Pyrotechnics AssociationAustin Powder CompanyBrake Tech ToolsCanadian Council of Motor Transport

AdministratorsCargo Transporters Inc.Great West Casualty Company

IterisJNJ Express Inc.Kenan Advantage Group Inc.Landstar Transportation LogisticsMANCOMM Inc.MeritorPGT Trucking Inc.Schlumberger Technology CorporationSpecialized Carriers and Rigging Association

STEMCO Brake ProductsSwift Transportation CompanySysco CorporationTechni-Com Inc. US Ecology Inc.Usher TransportWABCO

BRONZEAmerican Bus AssociationAnderson Trucking Services Inc.Asplundh Tree Expert CompanyBigRoad Inc.Blue Ink Technology Inc.DATTCO Inc.Direct ChassisLink Inc.ELD SolutionsFleetmaticsFrontier LogisticsGateway Distribution Inc.

Geotab Inc.Gorilla Safety Fleet ManagementGreatwide Truckload ManagementGreyhound Lines Inc.Groendyke Transport Inc.iGlobal LLCISE Fleet ServicesJ.E.B. Environmental Services LLCLytx Inc.Pedigree TechnologiesPeopleNet

SleepSafe DriversSmart Safety ServicesStoneridge ElectronicsTelogisUber Advanced Technologies GroupUnited Motorcoach AssociationWalmartWarren Transport Inc.Werner Enterprises Inc.Western Express Inc.Workforce QA

FRIENDS OF CVSAAmerican Coatings AssociationBork Transport of IllinoisCanadian Propane AssociationCommercial Vehicle Safety Associates

of Florida Inc.

Envirun Inc.EQT CorporationGreg NeylonHorizon Freight System Inc./Kaplan Trucking Co.Institute of Makers of Explosives

NIC FederalPraxair Inc.Sutliff & Stout, Injury & Accident Law FirmWestern States Trucking Association

NEW CVSA ASSOCIATE MEMBERS As of Feb. 7, 2018

Logiflex Inc.

Oasis Petroleum

TSE Brakes Inc.

Wahington Trucking Associations

Wilson Oil, Inc. dba Wilcox & Flegel

NEW CVSA LOCAL MEMBERS As of Feb. 7, 2018

City of Grande Prairie (Texas)

Dallas County Sheriff's Office (Texas)

Hurst Police Department (Texas)

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

View the magazine online atwww.cvsa.org.

Brake Safety Symposium | MAY 15-16, 2018Schaumburg, Illinois

Improvingknowledge andunderstanding inorder to improvesafe commercialmotor vehicleoperations.

Visit www.cvsa.org/eventpage/events/brake-safety-symposium for more information.

NON-PROFITU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDSUBURBAN, MDPERMIT No. 2800

guardian - cvsa · reported alcohol-related driving deaths rose 7.7 percent in calendar year 2015....

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