The deadline to nominate a driver for a major award is fast approaching.
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance is accepting nominations for its International Driver Excellence Award (IDEA), an annual award that recognizes an extraordinary professional commercial motor vehicle driver and their commitment to public safety.
The deadline for nominations if Friday, May 9.
Nominees for this award will be individuals who have gone above and beyond the performance of their duties as a commercial motor vehicle driver, distinguishing themselves conspicuously and beyond the call of duty through the achievement of safe operation and compliance carried out with evident distinction for an extended period of time. The nominated individual must be of personal character beyond reproach with no disqualifying past behavior as indicated in the award criteria.
Nominees must have:
- At least 25 cumulative years of crash-free driving in a commercial motor vehicle with a clean driving record for the past three years
- No felony convictions
- No safety-related driving suspensions in the past three years
- No driver violations in the past three years, excluding form and manner violations
IDEA is open to the entire commercial motor vehicle industry. Nominees do not need to be a member of CVSA to apply.
The 2025 IDEA recipient and a guest will receive a complimentary economy flight to Denver International Airport and a one-room, two-night stay at Sheraton Denver Downtown to attend the CVSA Annual Conference and Exhibition in Denver. The IDEA winner will be recognized at the annual conference awards ceremony on Sept. 24, where they will receive $5,000 and a crystal trophy.
CVSA’s online nomination form enables individuals to easily fill out the application and submit the required supporting documentation. Access the IDEA online nomination submission form.
This year’s award is sponsored by PrePass Safety Alliance, a non-profit, public-private partnership of state agencies and trucking industry leaders devoted to safe, secure and efficient use of North America’s highway system.
If you have questions about IDEA, contact CVSA Fatigue Management Specialist Rodolfo Giacoman via email or call 202-998-1830.
Trucker gets 11 years for cocaine trafficking
A California truck driver was recenrtly sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for trafficking $2.5 million worth of cocaine.
Ronald Coleman, 45, of Barstow, California, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston imposed the sentence during a hearing in federal court in Rockford, Illinois.
Coleman admitted in a plea agreement that in April 2023 he was the driver of a tractor-trailer traveling through Whiteside County, Illinois on Interstate 88. Inside his trailer, he had more than 91 kilograms of cocaine with a street value of $2.5 million.
A statement from the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois said Coleman was transporting the cocaine to a warehouse in Chicago, where he was to exchange the drugs for cash and transport the money back to California.
Inside his truck, Coleman also possessed a firearm to protect himself, the cocaine, and the cash during the transport, according to the statement. Coleman expected to be paid for transporting the cocaine from California to Chicago.
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