Nevada Highway Patrol Wins Inspectors Championship

Christopher Smithen, a certified North American Standard inspector from the Nevada Highway Patrol, was awarded the Jimmy K. Ammons Grand Champion Award for his combined performances in six competition areas in the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s North American Inspectors Championship last week in Minneapolis.

Smithen scored highest among the 50 inspectors competing in six elements, including North American Standard Level I Inspection, North American Standard Level I Inspection Procedures, North American Standard HazMat/Transportation of Dangerous Goods Inspection, North American Standard Cargo Tank/Other Bulk Packagings Inspection, North American Standard Level V Passenger Vehicle (Motorcoach) Inspection and North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria Exam.

Smithen also won the John Youngblood Award of Excellence for exemplifying high standards and unwavering dedication to the profession.

Other NAIC winners included:

High Points Canada: Jason Droog, Ontario

High Points Mexico: Jacobo Alejandro Garcia Arias

North American Standard Level I Inspection: Josh Anderson, North Dakota

North American Standard Level V Passenger Vehicle (Motorcoach) Inspection: Jason Droog, Ontario

North American Standard Hazardous Materials/Transportation of Dangerous Goods and Cargo Tank/Bulk Packagings Inspection: Christopher Smithen, Nevada

Team Award: Yellow Team, Team Leader Jack Wallace, Minnesota; J.W. Watlington, Arizona; Brent Moore, Georgia; Brad Yates, Louisiana; Christopher Smithen, Nevada; Josh Anderson, North Dakota; Jason Droog, Ontario; Carlos Castillo Ortiz, Mexico; and William Bronson, South Carolina.