This profile series spotlights the members of ATA's Law Enforcement Advisory Board (LEAB), which works to strengthen the ties between the trucking industry and law enforcement community. LEAB is comprised of ATA members who have previous experience in federal, state, and local law enforcement, as well as current and retired law enforcement officials who have contributed positively to the partnership between both groups.
For ATA Law Enforcement Advisory Board (LEAB) Chair Mark Savage, community service isn’t just a phrase. It’s a family value.
“My parents instilled in me from a very early age that you should leave a place better than when you found it,” he recalls.
That sense of duty drew him first to public service, then into a 26-year law enforcement career with the Colorado State Patrol, and ultimately, into a leadership role in trucking safety. As he says, his years as a Deputy Chief that led him to his now-five years as Director of Connected Truck Solutions at Drivewyze by Fleetworthy was unexpected, but quite rewarding.
When he joined the Colorado State Patrol in the mid-1990s, Savage didn’t envision working closely with the trucking industry. But a promotion in the early 2000s changed everything. Assigned to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Unit, he suddenly found himself in a space where his work could be proactive rather than reactive.
“The unit was federally funded, which gave us the opportunity to step back and ask, ‘What problems are we trying to solve, and how should we solve them?’” he said. “The partnership we had with the Colorado Motor Carriers Association was remarkable. Together we were able to accomplish so much more.”
Safety directors and troopers, though approaching issues differently, pursued the same goal—safer roads for all—and that coalition proved transformational. That collaboration sparked a passion that would define the rest of his career. Truckers weren’t just professionals he regulated; they were partners, often allies in critical moments.
“There were times when backup was 50 or 60 miles away,” he said. “More often than not, it was truck drivers who stopped to help at the scene of a crash. Troopers and truckers really do have a lot in common.”
Building Bridges Between Law Enforcement and Trucking
Those experiences laid the groundwork for his current role as Chair of ATA’s Law Enforcement Advisory Board. For him, the mission is clear: strengthen communication between law enforcement and the trucking industry to achieve shared goals.
“At a high level, our purpose is to identify shared priorities and work on them collaboratively,” he explained. “It’s really no different than when I started partnering with Colorado carriers back in 2002. We’re all trying to get to the same place: safer roads.”
One of the most pressing issues the Advisory Board has zeroed in on is cargo theft, a problem that for too long was dismissed as a “civil matter.”
“Even five years ago, most agencies didn’t see it as criminal,” Savage said. “But what we’ve learned is that these aren’t isolated incidents. They’re part of multinational criminal networks that can devastate communities.”
Under his leadership, the Advisory Board has pushed for a national approach, connecting local, state, and federal agencies. Successes are already visible, from California Highway Patrol’s retail theft task force to broader federal engagement. Just as importantly, the Board has helped change perceptions among local officers, raising awareness that cargo theft is indeed a serious crime.
Looking Ahead
As his term as LEAB Chair winds down, Savage remains committed to ensuring momentum continues.
“The Advisory Board has helped bridge gaps across jurisdictional boundaries,” he said. “Criminal networks communicate better than we did at first. Now, thanks to ATA’s leadership, law enforcement is catching up. We’ve built partnerships that are paying real dividends.”
For someone who began his career driven by a desire to make his community better, it’s a natural extension of the same mission. “Law enforcement and trucking may come from different worlds,” Savage reflected, “but at the end of the day, we share the same road and the same responsibility to keep it safe.”