British Columbia Inspector Wins 2006 North American Inspectors Championship
WASHINGTON, Aug. 22, 2006 -- Richard Roberts, a CVSA-certified North American Standard Level I inspector from the Vancouver area of British Columbia, Canada, took top honors at the North American Inspectors Championship (NAIC) held in New Orleans on August 14-20. Roberts won the Grand Champion Award for his combined performances in six competition elements across North American Standard Level I Inspection and North American Standard HAZMAT/Transportation of Dangerous Goods Inspection.
Award presenters included Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Administrator John Hill, Sgt. Donald Bridge, Jr., CVSA President, and Stephen F. Campbell, CVSA Executive Director. Mr. Campbell presented recognition awards to the American Trucking Associations (ATA) and the Louisiana State Police for their tremendous support of this year's event.
Fifty-three CVSA-certified North American Standard Level I roadside inspectors competed in the 14th annual Championship. Six inspectors represented Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Ontario, Quebec, and Saskatchewan). Three inspectors represented Mexico-SCT and the United States was represented by forty-four inspectors.
"I congratulate all the participants and I thank their respective agencies for allowing them to compete," said FMCSA Administrator John Hill. "The thousands of men and women throughout North America enforcing commercial vehicle safety laws are making the roads safer for everyone and saving lives."
North American Standard Level I Inspection winners include: Todd Curtis (Utah), Richard Roberts (British Columbia) and Lee Bretney (California). North American Standard Level V Passenger Vehicle Inspection winners include: Richard Roberts (British Columbia), Lorie Floyd (Wisconsin) and Mark Hall (Alabama).
North American Standard Hazardous Materials/Transportation of Dangerous Goods and Cargo Tank/Bulk Packagings Inspection winners include: Richard Roberts (British Columbia), John Toto (Massachusetts) and Kevin Adkins (Montana).
For the second consecutive year, there was a tie for the John Youngblood Award. Youngblood, a staff member for the first two championships, was killed in the '95 Oklahoma City bombings. Alain Riendeau (Quebec) and Lorie Floyd (Wisconsin) received this prestigious award. The award is presented each year to the inspector who best demonstrates the qualities of congeniality, leadership, integrity, professionalism and commitment.
A new Team Award, which recognizes the team that best demonstrates camaraderie and accumulates the highest point average, was presented to: Lee Bretney (California), Michael Rader (Iowa), Kevin Adkins (Montana), Dale Steger (New York), Charles Bowser (Pennsylvania), Alain Riendeau (Quebec), Robert Hadden (Tennessee), T.J. McQuagge (Texas). The high points winners: Richard Roberts (British Columbia, Canada); Kevin Adkins (Montana, United States); and Armando Garcia (Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Transportes (SCT), Mexico).
NAIC is the only event dedicated to recognizing and rewarding commercial vehicle inspector excellence and has been recognized by the American Society of Association Executives as an event that "Advances America." NAIC is funded by FMCSA and managed by CVSA.
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 http://www.cvsa.org/.
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