Washington, D.C. (Oct. 14, 2025) – Law enforcement officers in Canada and the U.S. pulled over 8,739 vehicles during this year’s Operation Safe Driver Week. Officers issued 2,504 tickets/citations and 3,575 warnings to commercial motor vehicle and passenger vehicle drivers for unsafe driving infractions.
Operation Safe Driver Week is the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) annual, seven-day safe-driving initiative aimed at improving drivers’ behaviors through traffic-enforcement strategies, interactions with law enforcement, and outreach and awareness campaigns. CVSA’s jurisdictions devote time, personnel and resources to this driver safety initiative because driving behaviors, such as speeding, distracted driving, aggressive driving, etc., are a top cause of roadway crashes.
From July 13 to 19, officers issued 3,230 warnings and 1,839 tickets/citations to commercial motor vehicle drivers, and 345 warnings and 665 tickets/citations to passenger vehicle drivers for various unsafe driving behaviors.
A total of 20 citations and 53 warnings were given to drivers for reckless/careless/inattentive driving, the focus for this year’s Operation Safe Driver Week. Broken out by driver type, 12 citations and 47 warnings were given to commercial motor vehicle drivers, and eight citations and six warnings were given to passenger vehicle drivers.
CVSA Releases 2025 International Roadcheck Results
Commercial motor vehicle (CMV) enforcement personnel in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. conducted 56,178 CMV, driver and cargo inspections on May 13-15 as part CVSA’s 72-hour International Roadcheck inspection, enforcement and data-gathering initiative. Most of the vehicles (81.6%) and drivers (94.1%) inspected did not have any out-of-service violations.
CVSA Releases 2025 Operation Safe Driver Results
Law enforcement officers in Canada and the U.S. pulled over 8,739 vehicles during this year’s Operation Safe Driver Week. Officers issued 2,504 tickets/citations and 3,575 warnings to CMV and passenger vehicle drivers for unsafe driving infractions.
Deadline Approaching to Register for the North American Cargo Securement Harmonization Public Forum
Be part of the effort to help improve and implement uniform cargo securement regulatory requirements throughout North America by attending the North American Cargo Securement Harmonization Public Forum, scheduled for Nov. 6 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. There is no registration fee to attend this forum; however, advance registration is required. The deadline to register is Oct. 24.
CVSA Looks Forward to Ongoing Partnership with FMCSA as Derek D. Barrs is Confirmed as New Administrator
Derek D. Barrs has been confirmed to serve as the eighth administrator of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). As an organization consisting of CMV safety officials who enforce the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, CVSA works closely with FMCSA to protect our roadways and improve CMV safety by providing guidance, education and advocacy for enforcement and industry across North America.
CVSA Seeks Research and Analysis Specialist
CVSA is accepting applications for a research and analysis specialist. The specialist will be responsible for the development, management, oversight and quality control of the organization’s new research and analysis initiatives. The research and analysis specialist will design research efforts and data collection approaches to evaluate safety and efficiency impacts of CMV regulations, policies and/or program changes; analyze the implications of proposed actions and decisions and their effect on the Alliance; provide expertise, technical support and training coordination to the membership in upgrading programs to ensure uniformity, reciprocity and compatibility of enforcement activities; assist CVSA leadership on collaborative projects to set overall organizational policies and priorities; promote technology applications that increase safety, efficiency and crash reduction; and much more. This position may be remote. We are accepting applications through Oct. 31.
Land Line Media
Artificial intelligence is becoming more and more prevalent in everyday life; the trucking industry is no exception.
Autonomous vehicles are being deployed expeditiously, while states have utilized AI technology for truck parking systems, platooning and more.
Arkansas is the latest state to announce an AI-driven technology for trucking purposes.
State officials said a $2.7 million project will modernize trucking operations in one of the state’s most critical freight corridors.
ARDOT will partner with the Arkansas Highway Police and Quarterhill on a system that will feature weigh-in-motion sensors capturing truck weights at highway speeds and real-time detection of unsafe tires.
License plate recognition, DOT checks and Intelligent Roadside Operations Computer (IROC) will verify vehicle credentials instantly.
Message boards will alert drivers who need further inspection.
“Partnering with Quarterhill allows us to bring cutting-edge tools to two of Arkansas’ most important freight gateways,” Jeff Holmes, Chief of Arkansas Highway Police, said. “These upgrades will strengthen enforcement, improve roadway safety, and keep goods moving efficiently across our state and beyond. This initiative is a win for our economy, drivers, and communities.”
The system will be deployed at two key entry points, eastbound Interstate 40 in Lehi, Ark., and on southbound Interstate 55 in Marion, Ark.
These highways see some of the highest truck volumes in the nations, a news release said.
“This project demonstrates how technical innovation and collaboration can solve real-world challenges in freight management and strengthen Arkansas’ position as a national leader in freight movement,” Quarterhill CEO Chuck Myers said. “By working hand in hand with ARDOT and the Arkansas Highway Police, we are ensuring that Arkansas’ highways remain safe, efficient, and capable of supporting growth in interstate commerce for decades to come.”
Washington state DOT has also recently partnered with Quarterhill on a truck parking initiative.
That system is designed to help truck drivers quickly locate available parking at rest areas along Interstate 5.
“This project is a prime example of how public agencies and private partners can work together to improve highway safety,” said Matt Neeley, state traffic systems development engineer for WSDOT. “Reliable access to truck parking information not only supports safer freight movement but also strengthens the resilience of Washington’s transportation network for all road users.”
Taking responsibility for safety does not merely involve assigning a title; it involves fostering accountability, expertise, and a culture in which each employee takes responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others.
Jane Clark
Key takeaways
- Safety ownership varies by organization size, with larger companies often having dedicated safety managers and smaller ones relying on HR.
- HR involvement has benefits and challenges, as it can streamline safety initiatives while lacking the technical expertise for comprehensive oversight.
- A balanced approach that combines HR’s administrative role with a safety manager’s technical oversight can effectively promote safety as a core organizational value.
Safety is one of the most critical concerns in our industry, whether it’s protecting our drivers on the road, safeguarding our technicians in the shop, or ensuring the well-being of other motorists. It’s a multifaceted responsibility that demands consistent attention to safe driving habits, rigorous asset maintenance, and strict adherence to regulatory standards. Yet even with these measures in place, accidents can and do happen. When they do, the question arises: Who in the organization truly owns safety?
At a recent NationaLease meeting, Glenn Hebert, president of Cox & Smith Risk Management, emphasized that ownership of the safety function often depends on the size and structure of the organization. While larger companies may benefit from a dedicated safety manager, smaller organizations often delegate safety responsibilities to the human resources department because of their limited resources.
When HR owns safety
In smaller operations, HR often integrates safety into broader employee welfare initiatives. This approach can streamline communication and embed safety into the overall employee experience. HR’s involvement can foster a unified focus on well-being, which in turn boosts morale and reinforces a culture of care. It also offers a practical solution for resource-constrained companies, eliminating the need for a separate safety role.
However, this model is not without its drawbacks. HR professionals may lack the technical expertise required for comprehensive safety oversight, which can result in compliance gaps or missed opportunities for proactive risk mitigation. Additionally, with HR juggling multiple responsibilities, from recruitment to benefits administration, safety may be unintentionally deprioritized.
When a safety manager owns safety
In contrast, larger organizations often appoint a dedicated safety manager to oversee safety protocols across departments. This role brings specialized knowledge, ensuring that safety regulations are met and that best practices are consistently applied. A safety manager can also cultivate a proactive safety culture, identifying risks before they escalate and implementing targeted training programs.
While this model enhances safety outcomes, it does come with increased costs. Moreover, if responsibilities are not clearly delineated, overlaps with HR or operations can lead to confusion and inefficiencies. Still, for high-risk industries, the investment in a dedicated safety professional is often justified by the reduction in incidents and liabilities.
Striking the right balance
Ultimately, the decision of who owns safety should be guided by the organization’s size, risk exposure, and operational complexity. In some cases, a hybrid model may be the most effective, where HR handles the administrative aspects of safety, while a safety manager oversees technical compliance and execution. Regardless of the structure, what matters most is that safety is not treated as an afterthought but rather as a core organizational value.
Taking responsibility for safety does not merely involve assigning a title; it involves fostering accountability, expertise, and a culture in which each employee takes responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others. Whether through HR, a safety manager, or a collaborative approach, the true owner of safety is the organization itself.
Washington, D.C. – The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) today released new research on causes and solutions for the current gaps in diesel technician training, recruitment, and retention. Qualified techs are indispensable to a safe and efficient trucking industry, yet 65.5 percent of shops were understaffed in 2025 with an average of 19.3 percent of positions unfilled. The research synthesized findings from techs, shops, and training programs.
Most techs (61.8%) enter the career without any formal training, requiring an average of 357 training hours and $8,211 in trainee wages to prepare them. Even with formal training, more than 30 percent of training program graduates were unqualified in 20 core skill areas, according to diesel shops. In 7 of these core skill areas, each additional hour of training improved tech qualification by more than 16 percent, and as such additional training hours in these areas can improve outcomes. In 6 core skill areas, however, each additional hour of training improved tech qualification by less than 8 percent, highlighting the need for critical curricula upgrades.
The most common barrier reported by techs at the start of their career was the high cost of acquiring their own tools (29.0%), followed by a lack of prior tech knowledge (28.0%), insufficient pay (16.1%), and poor shop mentorship (10.8%). Though pay and schedules were the two aspects of employment that most attracted techs to the trucking industry, techs also ranked the pursuit of more interesting work (ranked 3rd) and greater variety of work (ranked 5th) as vitally important.
Forty-four percent of trucking techs were considering other tech jobs, with automotive and agriculture the most common alternative industries. Dissatisfaction with pay, interactions with management, and variety of work were the aspects of employment that had the most statistically significant association with techs choosing to look for a new job versus staying at their current job. The research also evaluated techs’ perspectives on other industries to identify how trucking’s comparative strengths and weaknesses match up to techs’ varying priorities.
“With a lack of qualified techs and stiff competition from other industries, tech employment in the trucking industry is not keeping up with demand, especially when it comes to retaining entry-level technicians just entering the workforce,” said Robert Braswell, Executive Director of ATA’s Technology & Maintenance Council. “ATRI’s report helps trucking shops identify not only where they and their training program partners can improve but also how to better leverage our industry’s existing strengths.”
The full report is available on ATRI’s website here.
