Blog

2021 CVTA Fall Conference Roundup

Nov 22, 2021

Over 200 CVTA members gathered outside our nation’s capital for our 2021 Fall Conference for the first time in more than a year.

Next Conference: CVTA’s Spring Conference May 11-13, 2022 in Omaha Nebraska

All under one roof, the leading experts in CDL student recruitment, the forthcoming Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) rule, and truck technology safety provided our attendees with strategies to enhance their bottom line and better their businesses.

CVTA will have a full lineup of “in-person” events in 2022 that will build upon the success of our 2021 Fall Conference.

Here is a roundup of what you missed:

Brad Barber, CVTA Past Chair
Brad Barber, CVTA Past Chair

COVID-19 & Truck Driver Shortage Roundtable: CVTA members from all facets of the industry gathered to share tactics and experiences on how they adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic to meet the challenges of the truck driver shortage.

“The roundtables were excellent. All schools, large and small, have common problems. The good points made during the roundtable I was able to share with my students and teammates at my school,” said Brad Barber, President of Georgia Driving Academy. The feedback from the roundtables will be condensed and shared with you at our 2022 events and other venues.

 

AAMVA and VA DMV

Millicent Ford, Virginia DMV and Anne Ferro, AAMVA

ELDT and State Testing Delays: We were fortunate to be joined by Anne Ferro, President and CEO of American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) and Millicent Ford, Assistant Commissioner of the Virginia DMV, who gave an in-depth overview of how state DMVs and SDLAs are implementing the ELDT rule and how CVTA members can partner with their state agencies to fix the CLP and CDL skills testing delays.

 

Brent Parton, Senior Advisor for Workforce with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)

Registered Apprenticeships: Brent Parton, Senior Advisor for Workforce with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), gave a briefing on DOL’s Registered Apprenticeship Program and the department’s agenda to enhance workforce development in the freight and logistics sector. Mr. Parton engaged directly with CVTA members on how we can work together to fix the truck driver shortage and expand opportunities for all Americans from all walks of life in the commercial driver industry.

 

Nick Geale, VP of Workforce Policy for the American Trucking Associations (ATA)
Nick Geale, VP of Workforce Policy for the American Trucking Associations (ATA)

Workforce Challenges in the Trucking Industry: Nick Geale, VP of Workforce Policy for the American Trucking Associations (ATA) provided a deeper dive into the unique workforce and labor policies that the trucking industry is encountering today and will in the next 12 months. The collaboration between motor carriers and truck driver training schools is vital to ensure that we keep our supply chain running and resilient in the face of serious economic headwinds from the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

 

 

 

Larry Minor, Associate Administrator for Policy of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
Larry Minor, Associate Administrator for Policy of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)

ELDT Implementation: CVTA’s top priority is on-time implementation of the Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) rule on February 7, 2022. We were honored to welcome Larry Minor, Associate Administrator for Policy of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). He gave an update on how the agency is working with state DMVs and SDLAs, motor carriers and CVTA members in the commercial driver training school industry to make sure that the rule goes into effect on time. He also answered technical questions about the Training Provider Registry (TPR), and how FMCSA is utilizing the latest technology to sync with all stakeholders to implement the rule. CVTA will continue to work closely with FMCSA on ELDT and to find workable solutions to mitigate the truck driver shortage and enhance our supply chain in 2022.

CVTA's CEO Interviews FMCSA
CVTA Pres./CEO Interviews Larry Minor, Associate Administrator for Policy of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)

2022 is promising to be another challenging year for our membership and industry. In the coming weeks we will share with our schedule of “in-person” events. We hope that you will be able to join us.

 

VP of Driver Employment, Roehl Transport
VP of Driver Employment, Roehl Transport

“The CVTA conferences are a must attend events for me. They provide an invaluable opportunity to hear directly from industry experts and network with carrier and school peers.” Tim Norlin, VP of Driver Employment, Roehl Transport.

Kyle Hayes

Kyle Hayes is the Director of Government Relations at CVTA. In this role, he leads the implementation of the Association’s legislative and regulatory strategy. He is also the primary point of contact between CVTA Members and federal agencies, Congress, and state governments.

Hayes most recently led research projects that supported federal and state advocacy on healthcare and economic issues at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nationally recognized research and policy institute based in Washington D.C. He received a master’s degree in public policy from American University in 2015 and graduated from the University of Georgia in 2012.

Andrew Poliakoff

Andy Poliakoff is the Executive Director for CVTA. In this role, he promotes the mission of the membership organization and implements goals set by the Board of Directors. This includes forming partnerships with external stakeholders, providing guidance and direction to the CVTA staff team, and engaging with state and federal government agencies to advance CVTA’s mission of safety and career opportunities in the truck driver training industry.

In 2021 and 2022, Andy acted as federal affairs lead for Electrify America, interacting at high levels within Congress, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Department of Energy, and the White House. In that capacity, he played a pivotal role in the optimization of large-scale infrastructure funding at the Federal Highway Administration as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

From 2019 to 2021 Andy served as Director of Gov't Affairs for CVTA and formed a strong bond with members, engaging on advocacy related to Entry-Level Driver Training, Skills Testing Delays, and Workforce funding. During the pandemic, Andy fought at the state and federal level to treat CDL training and testing as the essential services they are. He is personally invested in the important mission of CVTA's members to deliver safe training and to transform people's lives through truck driving careers.

Andy holds a bachelor's degree from Georgetown University and a law degree from the Columbus School of Law at Catholic University.

Cindy Atwood

Cindy Atwood is the Vice President at CVTA. An experienced association professional, Cindy handles all activities related to membership retention, financial accounting and committee engagement. Cindy artfully produces CVTA’s off-site biannual conferences, Hill Day operations and Board meetings, ensuring that the general membership and leadership’s necessities and wishes are met with the highest response.

An essential fixture in the truck driver training association space, Cindy manages CVTA’s Instructor Certification Program and provides critical counsel to new entrants into the truck driver training industry.

Kyle Hayes

Kyle Hayes is the Director of Government Relations at CVTA. In this role, he leads the implementation of the Association’s legislative and regulatory strategy. He is also the primary point of contact between CVTA Members and federal agencies, Congress, and state governments.

Hayes most recently led research projects that supported federal and state advocacy on healthcare and economic issues at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nationally recognized research and policy institute based in Washington D.C. He received a master’s degree in public policy from American University in 2015 and graduated from the University of Georgia in 2012.