MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Kerri Wirachowsky, transportation enforcement officer, with the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) out of Kitchener, Ont. won the Jimmy K. Ammons Grand Champion honors at the ninth annual North American Inspector Championship in late August.

Wirachowsky has been an officer with the MTO since 1990 and won the honor of representing Ontario by competing in a local competition.

When asked what she enjoys most about her job as a commercial vehicle inspector, she replies, “I enjoy the interaction with the drivers and the diversity of the work.”

Wirachowsky and 52 other commercial vehicle inspectors from Canada, the U.S. and Mexico took part in the Championship. The festivities also included classes covering areas such as driver interviewing techniques, motor coach inspection, and cargo-tank inspection.

Matthew Zuzula, of Alberta, was awarded the John Youngblood Award of Excellence.

Youngblood, a Federal Highway Administration employee who was killed in the 1995 bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City, was instrumental in developing the events for the first three inspector competitions.

In deciding the winner of the Award of Excellence, the contestants voted for the person who exemplified spirit of cooperation, leadership, professional image, dedication to profession, positive attitude, organizational ability and congeniality, most in the competition.

The complete list of winners included:

Level I inspection (vehicle safety and driver fitness)

1st place: Don Tomlinson, California Highway Patrol

2nd place: Kerri Wirachowsky, Ontario Ministry of Transportation

3rd place: Matthew Zazula, Alberta Transportation, Inspection Services Branch

Motor Coach Inspection (sponsored by the American Bus Association)

1st place: Kerri Wirachowsky, Ontario Ministry of Transportation

2nd place: Bernard Cook, Indiana State Police

3rd place: Eric Sundby, Minnesota State Patrol

Hazmat/Cargo Tank Inspection

1st place: Keith Stephens, Illinois State Police

2nd place: Bernard Cook, Indiana State Police

3rd place: Kerri Wirachowsky, Ontario Ministry of Transportation

The North American Inspector Competition is sponsored by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance with support from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in the U.S., the Canadian government, the Mexican government, and members of the trucking and motor coach industries.

The annual competition is held in conjunction with the American Trucking Associations’ Truck Driving Championship. n