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Compliance Verification Program Reminders
By Alex Stowe, NATM Technical Director
As the National Association of Trailer Manufacturer’s (NATM) consultants have returned to in-person Compliance Verification Program (CVP) consultations, here are some reminders about the program.
NATM trailer manufacturer members will receive a consultation from NATM every two years. An NATM consultant will contact a member via email one to three months prior to a consultation to confirm the consultation date. Members should ensure they are responding to NATM’s requests, as consultants look to book these consultations based on certification expiration dates and location. Once a date has been confirmed, the NATM consultant will send a copy of the CVP inspection procedures for review along with a copy of the NATM CVP Policies and Procedures that can be signed electronically.
Please ensure the company’s contact information is updated online or directly with NATM so NATM has the correct contact information for scheduling and other important updates.
Regional Breakdowns
NATM consultants look to schedule multiple members in the same region at the same time to help save on travel costs and ensure NATM is able to see members prior to their certification date expiration. As a result, NATM member companies in the same region have the same verification dates. NATM also schedules new member CVP consultations into groupings with other members in their region and on a similar certification timeline to help effectively manage travel schedules.
This regional grouping is vital to NATM seeing its more than 500 trailer manufacturer members every two years while maintaining cost-effective membership fees. As a result, the NATM Board of Directors has adopted a policy, found in the CVP Policies and Procedures, that NATM member companies who deny or otherwise don’t respond to a request to schedule a consultation, must pay a $750 fee (for domestic consultations) for NATM to visit at another time.
Expectations During a Consultation
Upon arriving at a member facility, the consultant will determine if the company manufactures trailers in the following categories: › Under 10,000 GVWR and under 80 inches wide; › Under 10,000 GVWR and over 80 inches wide; › Over 10,000 GVWR and over 80 inches wide; and › Over 10,000 GVWR with a rear underride required.
For each category a company manufactures a trailer in, the consultant will inspect at least one trailer within that category. NATM consultants use an online application to assist with these consultations, will take pictures of the trailer, and check to make sure it meets the requirements of the CVP. The consultant will also ask some administrative questions to accurately track information relating to NATM members for use in advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill.
Following the trailer inspection, the NATM consultant will either work with the member on-site to go through the CVP findings, or if time does not permit, the consultant will look to schedule a video conference call to walk through the findings and any resulting corrections needed.
Failed CVP Consultations and Next Steps
If the company receives their CVP report and discovers they have initially failed, no need for alarm. Roughly 65% of CVP consultations uncover at least one item that must be corrected before a member can pass their consultation. Any member that receives a failed report has 60 days from their consultation to correct any failed items in the CVP report. NATM request the member provide documentation or pictures indicating the failed items have been corrected. If you need additional time to correct any failed items, a member can request a 60-day extension to have more time to make corrections. However, failure to correct these items can lead to termination of membership.
Passed Members and Decal Purchases
Once a member has corrected any failed items or outright passed theCVP consultation, they will receive a pass packet from the NATM consultant. This packet will include the completed consultation report along with any pictures taken of trailers, ready-to-use marketing materials relating to the NATM Decal, and a document indicating their certification with the NATM CVP.
Regular members must purchase a minimum of 100 decals during the two-year period between their certification dates. Failure to make this minimum purchase of decals will lead to a $750 consultation fee being charged for the consultation.
If you have any questions about the CVP process, please contact Technical Director Alex Stowe at Alex.Stowe@natm.com. ■
