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MINISTRY OF TRANSPORTATION OFFICERS ASSOCIATION INTEGRITY, COMMITMENT, DEDICATION Proud To
Serve
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lThe Thin Blue Line. |
Top officer Wirachowsky a winner
What a champ! Kerri Wirachowsky, an enforcement officer in MTO's Drivers and Vehicles Kitchener detachment, who was tops in the province in truck inspection following the Ontario NSC Inspectors Challenge in July, came away as Grand Champion in a North American competition in Minneapolis, Minnesota. During the week of August 20, Wirachowsky competed against more than 50 other enforcement officers from CVSA (Commercial Vehicle Standards Association) jurisdictions in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico in the North American Inspector's Championship (NAIC).
This is the eighth time Ontario has sent representatives to the North American competition. For Wirachowsky, who patrols an area covering Waterloo, Wellington and Brant ensuring that truckers are meeting provincial standards, it is the culmination of her years of experience with MTO, beginning in 1987. In her day-to-day job, she checks truckers for compliance with Ontario's driver licence and maintenance regulations. Commercial motor vehicles are given a thorough inspection, including steering, brakes, tires, wheels, frame, suspension and lights to coupling devices; drivers are checked for their driver licence qualifications, hours logged and trip inspection reports.
"I do a lot of training too, offering basic training in inspection and in drivers licences, registration and legislation," she adds. The standard and procedure for inspecting a truck, which involves a stem-to-stern inspection, is the same in every jurisdiction, and the August competition drew the best from across North America, says Wirachowsky. The event was the culmination of a process that begins in each region; regional winners move on to a competition at the provincial level. Wirachowsky, who first competed in 1995, came first in her region and third in the provincials in 1997. It can be a stressful experience, she concedes. During the competition, which includes checking the documentation and labelling of dangerous goods, inspecting for truck defects, checking bills of lading and interviewing the driver, "there are a lot of people watching you and waiting to see if you do well." The competition includes a 10-minute personal interview, gauging a competitor's expertise on three subjects, drawn from a list of six. Overall, the event is "a good way to test yourself," says Wirachowsky. "It's good for self-improvement. As soon as you walk away you feel you know what you did well on or what you may have missed." And, by drawing competitors from across the continent, "you get to meet with people from other jurisdictions and see how they do their jobs." SAFETY ENFORCEMENT EDUCATION |
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