Not often does an entity come along that positively impacts
all segments of a given industry equally. It’s a breath of fresh air when it
does happen, for sure. The RV Safety & Education Foundation, RVSEF for
short, fits that bill nicely within the RV Industry. RVSEF, headquartered in
Merritt Island, FL, is not only the RVing public’s best friend, many coach
builders in the RV Industry have benefitted from its services and dedication
over the years too. Compared to yesteryear’s menu of recreation vehicle
offerings, today’s coaches are much safer thanks to the efforts of RVSEF and
its predecessor, A ‘Weigh We Go, (AWWG).
The brainchild of John
Anderson, AWWG first appeared in 1993 when John discovered that many RVs
leaving the factory were decidedly overweight; many even before the owner
loaded that first can of soup. It’s not easy to make friends by pointing out a
deficiency in vehicles produced by veteran manufacturers, but with product and
personal safety at risk, John pushed on and began weighing RVs of all types in
order to record and analyze the extent of the issue. Weighing is still one of
the main tenets of RVSEF activities to this day and they still gather data at
many RV shows, conventions and rallies across the country.
(As a side
note, many leading experts have long professed that the only way to determine
how much air to carry in recreation vehicle tires is by accurately weighing
each tire position individually. It’s also the only way to tell if a given axle
is overloaded to one side, so the importance of weighing every RV on the road
cannot be overstated!)
After collecting and analyzing the information, AWWG quickly
found an interested sponsor in Michelin Tires. Michelin, dealing with the
evidence of overweight and under-inflated RV tires on a daily basis, quickly
partnered with AWWG and the first safety seminar program was developed. Though
often refused admittance to some RV shows, Anderson also continued weighing as
many RVs as possible as the data continued to accumulate.
It may shock readers to note that the data actually reveals
that over 50% of existing RVs exceed at least one safety rating, typically due
to owner overload and mishandling of their stowed cargo. Going over the limit
of the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and/or the Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) is simply dangerous! Factor in the number one cause of tire failure,
under-inflated tires, and the results can be catastrophic! This is not meant to
scare readers, but simply to create an awareness. And to realize that through
the early efforts of AWWG and now RVSEF, the industry has taken steps to
distribute the dry weight more evenly as the coach leaves the factory and RVers
can be more knowledgeable and effective when adding in the cargo carried during
RV excursions.
The end result is that
every RV must now be equipped with a safety and weight label stating just how
much cargo can be carried along with other pertinent information. And that’s a
good thing for the RVing public. An educated consumer is a wiser consumer; one
who knows that proper weight distribution is paramount to safe travels. Prior
to AWWG and RVSEF, there was no requirement to declare the cargo carrying
capacity, sleeping capacity, etc. Many sub-par recreation vehicles were
delivered to dealers in a pre-existing, overweight condition. Thankfully, that
era is behind us now!
As the 1990’s closed out, additional safety topics were added
to the slate of seminars offered by RVSEF, which formed as a 501(c), non-profit
corporation. And by 2001, RVSEF had taken over all the programs and services of
AWWG. Since then RVSEF has participated in many RV shows, rallies and
conventions all across the country providing safety seminars, driver’s training
and continually weighing recreation vehicles.
In addition, RVSEF works closely with the RV Industry
Association (RVIA) and the RV Dealer’s Association (RVDA) in coordinating
safety programs. Not to be construed as a consumer advocate, RVSEF is decidedly
and purposely, a “safety advocate” and a champion for all involved in the RV
lifestyle. Their efforts and dedication have improved the products created by
RV builders as more manufacturers became aware of weight limitations and most
now design their coaches with weight distribution and cargo carrying capacities
in mind. But don’t look to RVSEF for endorsements of brands or types of
recreation vehicles; they stick simply to the facts. They allow the data to
speak for itself.
Though RVSEF presents many seminars and coach weighing
activities at various RV venues across the country each year, their main focus
since 2010 has been its annual RV Lifestyle, Education & Safety Conference,
a three-day event held in Bowling Green, KY. Picking up the trail blazed by
Gaylord Maxwell and the popular Life on Wheels Conferences, RVSEF now produces
a similar event each year at Western Kentucky University’s Carroll Knicely Conference
Center. Since Gaylord’s passing, it is the only national event with RV industry
support that features purely consumer education. Educational experts and
technical authors from all facets of the RV industry form the nucleus of the
instructional staff.
The RV Lifestyle, Education and Safety Conference, much like
Life on Wheels before, is designed and presented like a college-based program.
Participants (students), rotate from classroom to classroom for each hourly
session. Well-planned, many of the classes are repeated at different times on
alternating days so everyone has a chance to attend their specific classes of
choice. Enrollment is limited and classes fill up quickly, so if you are a
serious RVer and would like to attend, contact RVSEF at: 321-453-7673 soon!
Additional venues in other geographical areas will be added as demand increases
for this type of RV consumer training.
The entire industry owes a
debt of gratitude to AWWG and RVSEF for the exemplary work they have done and
continue to do in the name of RV safety and education. Walter Cannon, the
Executive Director of RVSEF is known throughout the industry today as the tire and safety guy. After working
closely with John Anderson since the late 1990s, Walter became RVSEF’s Director
of Operations in 2001 and was named the Foundation’s Executive Director in July
of 2003 when John decided to take a well-deserved retirement.
A tireless proponent of safety at all levels of the
industry, it’s not uncommon to find Walter personally weighing RVs all morning
at an event, only to change into business attire in order to lobby for funding
support from a major supplier in the afternoon and then stand before a class of
interested RVers, teaching a safety lesson in the evening. Here, he consults
with an RVer after weighing his motorhome at a recently held major RV show.
RVSEF is supported financially only through industry
appreciation and participation. If you know of a company interested in partnering
with RVSEF in the name of RV safety and consumer education, feel free to
contact them today. If you are an active RVer and have never had your coach
professionally weighed using certified individual scales, or if you are seeking
solid information regarding the RV lifestyle, technical maintenance or just
want to know how much air to squeeze into your tires, give RVSEF a call.
Because of their expertise and unwavering labors on behalf of the entire
industry, RVSEF is the only trusted safety and weighing organization fully
endorsed by RVIA and RVDA. For more information, please visit www.rvsafety.com,
or call 321-453-7673.