Forty-nine highly trained truck and bus safety inspectors from Canada, the U.S. and Mexico will gather in Tampa, Fla., Aug. 15-19 to participate in the 13th annual North American Inspectors Championship.

Throughout the week, the inspectors will test their abilities on how to determine whether truck and bus drivers and their vehicles meet federal safety requirements. While those who make the highest marks will receive prestigious awards, the inspectors have an opportunity to expand upon their knowledge of safety by attending classes on the latest technology, procedures and regulations concerning hours of service, hazardous material transportation, out-of-service and homeland security.
The championship event also provides an opportunity for the inspectors to share ideas with each other on techniques and personal experiences. The competing inspectors are among the nearly 10,000 safety inspectors who play an important role in promoting highway safety throughout North America by conducting more than three million inspections per year. Their continuing goal is to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities resulting from crashes that involve commercial vehicles. While most of the inspections are conducted at roadside enforcement stations, there is a growing use of mobile enforcement stations that are helping to improve safety on our nation's thoroughfares.
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance and its team of international, inter-agency and private industry individuals manage this event, which is funded by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The North American Inspectors Championship event will take place at the Tampa Convention Center where the American Trucking Assns. will be conducting its annual National Trucking Driving Championship. The co-locating of the Championship is yet another step in an effort to advance highway safety in meaningful and significant ways. Members of the public are invited to observe the activities at both events.
For more information about the North American Inspectors Championship, visit http://cvsa.org/programs/04naic.cfm.