Contest Is an Opportunity to Share Knowledge, Increase Highway Safety
WASHINGTON, Aug. 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Identifying a faulty brake system or coupling device, finding a driver operating beyond the hours of service, or spotting an improperly secured load are all items commercial motor vehicle (CMV) inspectors look for every day. But what these dedicated individuals are really looking for are opportunities to enhance safety on our highways and ultimately save lives. This year, forty-four of the best of the best roadside inspectors from across North America will compete in Pittsburgh to earn the title "champion" during the annual North American Inspectors Championship (NAIC), August 17-23, 2009. The theme of NAIC 2009 is "Education, Performance, Uniformity, and Partnerships."
"Each and every year we hold the competition, we are strengthening the quality of inspections across North America and developing leaders in highway safety," said Stephen F. Campbell, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance's (CVSA) Executive Director. "Commercial motor vehicle safety continues to be a challenge and we need the involvement of all affected parties to help us better understand these issues and put into place practical solutions. CVSA's goal is to build on the success of the North American Standard Inspection Program," said Campbell.
CVSA works closely to monitor, evaluate, and identify potentially unsafe transportation processes and procedures as well as to help facilitate and implement best practices for enhancing safety on our highways. NAIC is an international event that is used as a snapshot or barometer of the current inspection environment to evaluate what is going well and what needs to be improved upon within the roadside inspection program. In addition, it strengthens industry and enforcement partnerships, and promotes camaraderie between inspectors, jurisdictions, and countries. This in turn, helps ensure the quality, uniformity, and reciprocity of the more than four-million roadside inspections conducted annually in North America. The event, sponsored by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and CVSA, is held in conjunction with the American Trucking Associations National Truck Driving Championship.
"Commercial vehicle safety inspectors play a critical role toward reducing crashes and saving lives," said FMCSA Acting Deputy Administrator Rose A. McMurray. "These dedicated law enforcement professionals are our 'front line' defense when it comes to maximizing highway safety. Their hard work is making a real difference, as evidenced by the substantial decline in large truck-related fatalities over the past several years. FMCSA is pleased to join CVSA in honoring our nation's CMV inspectors. They are all champions!"
NAIC's purpose is to recognize the inspector for demonstrating inspector excellence. NAIC contestants are evaluated in the following seven categories: 1. North American Standard Level I Inspection; 2. North American Standard Level I Inspection Procedures; 3. North American Standard HAZMAT/Transportation of Dangerous Goods Inspection; 4. North American Standard Cargo Tank/Other Bulk Packagings Inspection; 5. North American Standard Level V Passenger Vehicle (Motorcoach) Inspection; 6. North American Standard Personal Interview; and, 7. North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria Exam.
CVSA is an international not-for-profit organization comprised of local, state, provincial, territorial and federal motor carrier safety officials and industry representatives from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Our mission is to promote commercial motor vehicle safety and security by providing leadership to enforcement, industry and policy makers. In addition, CVSA has several hundred associate members who are committed to helping the Alliance achieve its goals; uniformity, compatibility and reciprocity of commercial vehicle inspections, and enforcement activities throughout North America by individuals dedicated to highway safety and security. For more on CVSA visit www.cvsa.org.
SOURCE Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance
