President's Message: Collaboration Is Key

By Col. Russ Christoferson, Bureau Chief, Montana Department of Transportation; CVSA President

Collaboration is key. As the CVSA president, one of my responsibilities is to attend conferences across North America representing the Alliance. In November 2023, I had the privilege of traveling to Ottawa, Ontario, to attend the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA) fall program committee meetings, which are held in conjunction with the CVSA Fall North American Cargo Securement Harmonization Public Forum. The purpose is to provide a forum for the development of modern and consistent standards, practices, and priorities, and to contribute to the implementation of Canada’s road safety strategies.

Event attendees comprised a diverse group from across Canada, representing most provinces and territories. Most of the attendees at the CCMTA meetings do not participate in the CVSA annual conferences or workshops, giving me the opportunity to meet new friends and colleagues, which was invaluable to me both personally and professionally.

During the open session day, three different committee meetings happened simultaneously: Compliance and Regulatory Affairs, Drivers and Vehicles, and Road Safety Research and Policies. CVSA Executive Director Collin Mooney and I attended the Compliance and Regulatory Affairs Committee meeting on behalf of the Alliance, joining CVSA Region V President Krista Kull to provide updates on relevant topics and current issues within CVSA.

During the meetings, we heard a presentation on health and wellness for truck drivers and emerging new technologies in commercial motor vehicles (CMV). There was also a discussion on electronic logging devices, the transportation of dangerous goods in Canada, and a jurisdictional roundtable from each province and territory. As I sat back and listened to the different topics being discussed, I realized that they were all important matters that were also talked about at the CVSA workshops and annual conferences. Seeing firsthand how the Alliance works together with CCMTA and how we share the same interests and concerns highlighted the importance of these types of partnerships.

During my journey to Ottawa, I stayed overnight in Chicago and attended a Chicago Blackhawks hockey game. Throughout the game I could not help but focus on Connor Bedard – the rookie sensation and rising star player on the Blackhawks – each time he was on the ice. As I was watching, I recognized that although he is an elite player, Bedard cannot score goals and have all the assists by himself. He relies on his team to achieve greatness. No matter his skills, if he were out on the ice by himself playing one-on-five hockey, he would no longer be an elite player. He could not rise to this level of excellence without teammates. I believe that CVSA is the elite player in commercial vehicle safety, but just like Connor Bedard, we cannot do it alone.

Many associations, organizations, stakeholders and groups are essential to commercial vehicle safety. CVSA, with you as its members, leads the way for everyone involved in the commercial vehicle safety realm. Henry Ford once said, “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” The Alliance must continue fostering relationships and partnerships with other entities, working together to ensure we are all successful in making the roads safer. As we look to the future, the landscape of CMV safety will continue to evolve. It will look vastly different from now in 10 years and beyond. Collaboration will be pivotal in navigating the changes ahead, and the Alliance will continue to lead the way. I am committed to representing the CVSA throughout my term as president and working collaboratively to help build a future of which we can all be proud.