Leadership Team

Gene Cote

Partner

Retired Motor Vehicle Safety Chief, Vermont DMV

Gene entered the arena of commercial vehicle enforcement as a Vermont Deputy Sheriff conducting size & weight enforcement before becoming a full-time commercial motor vehicle inspector with the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles (VTDMV) in 2007. While at VTDMV, Gene was certified in North American Standard Part A and Part B, Passenger Vehicle, General Hazardous Materials, Cargo Tank, New Entrant Safety Auditor, and Level VI inspections. He was a certified firearms and use of force instructor and led both those programs at VTDMV.

With more than 20 years in commercial vehicle enforcement and over nine years of FMCSA grant administration, Gene has led multiple PP/TLD and eCVSP initiatives from draft to FMCSA approval.

Gene’s project management experience includes the implementation of Vermont’s Smart Roadside Inspection System, HP-ITD and HP-CMV grant project coordination between multiple partner stakeholders, and project oversight from vendor selection through go-live implementation.

Gene has extensive grant application experience from project eligibility determination, project planning, grant application, grant acceptance, and grant project implementation.

Through his role as the Vermont DMV Safety Chief, Gene gained valuable experience in the post-award management of grants including quarterly reporting, monitoring grant activities and goals, tracking expenditures, and grant closeout.

Gene has been an active member of both CVSA and AAMVA, participating in special initiatives and working groups to modernize and harmonize commercial vehicle enforcement.

Gene has a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Northern Vermont University.

Adam Pockette

Partner

Retired Motor Vehicle Safety Chief, Vermont DMV and Former FMCSA State Programs Specialist

Adam retired from the State of Vermont as the Motor Vehicle Safety Chief, overseeing the Vermont DMV commercial vehicle enforcement unit. He had over 24 years of full-time law enforcement experience in Vermont at various departments, working in diverse roles and on special assignments/teams.

Adam began to focus on commercial vehicle enforcement as a Vermont State Trooper before becoming a full-time commercial motor vehicle inspector with the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles (VTDMV) in 2007. While at VTDMV, Adam was certified in North American Standard Part A and Part B, Passenger Vehicle, General Hazardous Materials, Cargo Tank, New Entrant Safety Auditor, and Safety Investigator, conducting compliance reviews.

Adam brings 12 years of FMCSA grant administration with the department, including drafting, updating, implementing, and managing eCVSP and PP/TLD programs and budgets. After retiring from the State of VT, Adam was a State Programs Specialist with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), assigned to Vermont, and assisted with oversight of the State of Maine MCSAP program. Recognizing that to complete the MCSAP program lifecycle experience was required from the trucking industry, Adam became a Transportation Environmental Health & Safety Manager at Dairy Farmers of America, working directly for the motor carriers’ bulk milk hauling division, focusing on motor carrier compliance.

Adam holds an M.S. in Business (MBA) with an Employment Law Master’s Certificate from Champlain College and a B.A. in Professional Studies with a concentration in Criminal Justice Agency Management from Northern Vermont University.

Aaron Hayden

Partner

Retired Commander, Maine State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit, and Former FMCSA State Programs Specialist and current Chief Driver License Examiner for the State of Maine.

Aaron was born and raised in Maine. He was a second-generation Maine State Trooper who served in numerous capacities throughout Maine in his 26-year tenure. Aaron held commands in some of Maine’s most rural areas before joining the Maine Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit and overseeing this statewide program.

Aaron has overseen complete MCSAP program operations, including the eCVSP, High Priority, and CDL grants. Under his leadership, MCSAP deobligation rates were reduced from 50% to under 2%. While commanding Maine’s unit, he was the first in New England to bring virtual screening sites online as well as tire monitoring systems. Commander Aaron applied for and obtained millions in federal grant awards and was able to modernize all weigh stations on the I-95 corridor. He was also able to gain partnerships with Maine’s DOT and FHWA to build an entirely new facility as well. He also served on the CVSA Board of Directors and chaired CVSA Operation Airbrake.

Through his career, Aaron has built a reputation of one with unique problem-solving abilities. Safety on this nation’s roadway is a core passion for him. With his experiences with the Maine State Police, FMCSA, and Maine’s BMV, he hopes he can bring forward ideas to help others save lives.