Top Motor Vehicle Inspectors Measure Their Grasp at Championships
As the focus on truck safety has grown sharper with the expansion of safety regulation and advancements in vehicle technology, the role of the safety inspector has grown more vital, and more challenging.
The top 50 North American inspectors will exhibit their grasp of such technologies and their command of truck safety regulations when they vie for the distinction of North America’s best inspector at the 25th annual North American Inspectors Championship on Aug. 7-11 in Orlando, Fla. The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance will host the competition, which will coincide with the 80th annual National Truck Driving Championships and National Step Van Driving Championships.
“Each year, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance recognizes and awards the best of the best by inviting the top commercial motor vehicle inspector from each jurisdiction throughout Canada, Mexico and the United States to compete at the North American Inspectors Championship,” CVSA Executive Director Collin Mooney told Transport Topics on July 25. “However, NAIC is much more than a competition. It is also an opportunity for the competing inspectors to learn more about the latest safety trends, technologies, standards and inspection procedures. This profession requires ongoing updating of skills and knowledge, which is precisely why the core components of NAIC — training, education and information exchange among peers — are so important.”
Complete 2017 NTDC Coverage
LISTS OF DRIVERS: By company | By state | Finalists
PHOTO GALLERY: All of the pageantry from Orlando | Winners
VIDEO: Day One | Day Two | Championship Day | Bumper Cam | Sights and Sounds | ELD update
NAIC: Inspectors test their mettle | Houston's Rommel Garcia wins title
Participants at the championship won their state qualifiers or were selected as representatives for their jurisdiction.
At the event, judges will measure inspectors in the following areas: a North American standard out-of-service criteria exam, a North American standard hazmat/dangerous goods inspection and a North American standard cargo tank/other bulk packagings inspection.
The event will include keynote speeches from industry leaders. On Aug. 8, the inspectors will hear from Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration acting Administrator Daphne Jefferson, as well as Don Egli, committee chairman of the National Truck and Step Van Driving Championships. Egli also is director of safety and security at the Iowa Motor Truck Association.
Training on electronic logging devices also is included as part of this year’s event.
The Jimmy K. Ammons grand champion award for best in show will be announced at a ceremony Aug. 11.
Speakers during the ceremony will include American Trucking Associations Chairman Kevin Burch, who is president of Jet Express Inc.; CVSA President Julius Debuschewitz; and Jack Van Steenburg, FMCSA chief safety officer and assistant administrator.
The ceremony will include the winners of the John Youngblood Award of Excellence/Team Award, the North American Standard Hazmat/Dangerous Goods and Cargo Tank/Other Bulk Packagings Inspection awards, and the North American Standard Level V Passenger Carrier Vehicle Inspection awards.
Sponsors of the event include FedEx Corp., National Tank Truck Carriers, American Bus Association, United Motorcoach Association, J.B. Hunt Transport Inc. and HELP Inc.
