NDHP – NDHP Trooper Brandon Wade was recently named the 2024 Trooper of the Year by the North Dakota Motor Carriers Association (NDMCA). Wade serves the NDHP as a MCSAP (Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program) Trooper in Motor Carrier Operations and is stationed in Jamestown.

Trooper Wade graduated from the University of North Dakota with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice. He graduated from the NDHP Academy in February 2009 and was initially stationed as a Motor Carrier Enforcement Trooper in Devils Lake until 2018 when he transferred to the MCSAP program, remaining in Devils Lake. He transferred to Jamestown in August 2019 where he continues to serve.

Trooper Wade is certified in North American Standards Part A, Part B, General Hazardous Materials, Cargo Tank, and PBBT (Performance-Based Brake Tester). In 2024, Trooper Wade conducted 730 commercial vehicle inspections, identifying 235 out of service violations and rewarding 192 drivers with decals denoting a high level of vehicle maintence standards. Trooper Wade is one of three MCSAP drone pilots and is certified as Remote Pilot with the Federal Aviation Administration.

Trooper Wade served on the State Motorcycle Committee as part of Vision Zeros Strategic Highway Safety Plan; and serves on the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) PBBT Committee, which tests the braking capabilities of commercial motor vehicles to ensure proper braking efficiency.

Trooper Wade has been the coordinator of the NDHP’s No Shave November for the past several years, raising tens of thousands of dollars for local non-profits and bringing awareness not only to their causes but demonstrating the NDHP’s commitment to the welfare of local communities.

NDMCA’s Trooper of the Year award reflects the trucking industry’s appreciation for enhancing safety for those who depend on the highway for their livelihood. In a letter nominating him for the award, it was noted Trooper Wade serves “with dedication and distinction” and “represents the Highway Patrol in a positive light and is an excellent ambassador for our agency”.

Other nominees for the 2024 award were Trooper Steve Mayer, southwest region; Trooper Jed Reile, southwest region; Trooper Dustin Pattengale, southeast region; and Trooper Thomas Steenstrup, southeast region.