A Texas Department of Public Safety corporal has been named the top commercial motor vehicle roadside inspector in North America, the agency announced Aug. 25, marking the second consecutive year a DPS inspector has claimed the honor.
Cpl. Kaleb Rains, who is stationed in Eastland, earned the Jimmy K. Ammons Grand Champion Award at the 2026 North American Inspectors Championship, according to a DPS news release. The department said the award is the highest honor given to a commercial motor vehicle roadside inspector in North America and recognizes exceptional skill, professionalism and dedication to road safety.
“This honor reflects Corporal Rains’ commitment to public safety and his exceptional skill and professionalism as a commercial vehicle inspector,” said DPS Colonel Freeman F. Martin in the release. “Our department is extremely proud of his achievement and the way he represents DPS and our entire state on one of the biggest stages in commercial vehicle enforcement.”
Rains was recognized as this year’s Grand Champion by Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance President Maj. Erick McGuire of the Florida Highway Patrol, the release said. The competition ran Aug. 10-14 in Pittsburgh and brought together 47 of the top inspectors from the United States, Canada and Mexico for what DPS described as the only North American event dedicated to commercial motor vehicle inspector excellence.
Beyond the Grand Champion title, Rains received the High Points Award for the United States as the top-scoring American inspector. He also took first place in hazardous materials and dangerous goods along with cargo tank and bulk packaging inspection, first place in passenger carrier vehicle inspection, and third place in the North American Standard Level I Inspection, the 37-step review that DPS said is the most commonly performed.
Competitors are tested across six inspection categories over two days, performing mock roadside inspections on commercial vehicles, identifying violations and applying advanced safety protocols under timed, real-world scenarios, according to the department. The event also delivers training on the latest safety technologies, hazardous materials regulations and post-crash inspections, skills competitors carry back to their home jurisdictions.
As the 2026 Grand Champion, Rains will attend the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance Annual Conference and Exhibition in Orlando, Florida, where he will be honored and address Alliance membership at an awards luncheon Sept. 23, DPS said.