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Safety has been a calling for Steve Dowling for more than three decades. From his early days with the California Highway Patrol to his current role leading enterprise-wide safety programs at Covenant Logistics, Dowling has built a career around one mission: keeping people safe on the road. Now, as the first chairman of �Ӱɴ�ý’s Law Enforcement Advisory Board (LEAB), he’s helping strengthen the ties between enforcement and industry.��

Building a Career in Law Enforcement��

Born and raised in California, Dowling grew up surrounded by law enforcement. His father served with the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and later in state parole, instilling a sense of duty early on.����

“I always had an interest in some form of law enforcement,” Dowling says.����

That interest in safety started long before his first patrol shift. As a kid, he would read the California Highway Patrolman magazine and study crash photos used for public education. “I was fascinated not by the tragedy, but by understanding why it happened and how to prevent it,” he says. “It gave me a passion for traffic safety and saving lives on the highway.”��

That interest turned into action when he tested for both the Department of Justice and CHP at the same time and got the chance to join the latter in 1989.��

What started as a dream of serving on patrol evolved into a 31-year career rising through the ranks to chief. In that role, Dowling managed 17 patrol stations, a port-of-entry commercial vehicle enforcement facility, four communications centers, and a statewide team of truck and bus safety auditors.����

His oversight included patrol operations, training, public information, investigative units, air operations, and emergency response coordination. He also led statewide commercial vehicle enforcement and MCSAP grant administration — work that put him at the intersection of safety, compliance, and education.��

A turning point came when Dowling was promoted to sergeant and assigned to CHP’s Commercial Vehicle Section. “If I was going to be sergeant over training, I needed to know what they were teaching,” he recalls.��

That curiosity led him to earn certifications in Level I inspections, hazardous materials, and emergency response, and sparked a passion for commercial vehicle safety.��

Collaboration That Saves Lives��

Dowling’s work with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), where he later served as president in 2010, broadened his perspective on what real safety collaboration looks like.��
“It expanded my world beyond California,” he says. “You start to see how powerful it is when we all work together. It’s not just about compliance; it’s truly about saving lives.”��

That belief in partnership has guided Dowling ever since. “In commercial vehicle enforcement, there’s no argument over safety,” he adds. “Everyone shares the same goal. You build relationships that are really unique, relationships I didn’t know I’d have the opportunity to form when I started in law enforcement.”��

A New Chapter at Covenant��

After retiring from CHP in 2020, Dowling brought his experience to the trucking side, joining Covenant Logistics as Senior Director of Enterprise Safety. There, he oversees four distinct DOT entities and a wide range of programs covering driver orientation, qualification, hours-of-service compliance, safety technology, and performance interventions.��

“It was a shift,” he says. “I went from enforcing compliance to helping drivers stay compliant. On the industry side, it’s about building habits and changing behaviors, not just stopping them.”��

He also carries his passion for education beyond the fleet yard. Before joining Covenant, Dowling served as an adjunct professor at William Jessup University, teaching courses in criminology, violence and terrorism, and police and society. “In the classroom, just like on the highway or in a truck cab, it’s about helping people think differently about safety, about prevention and decision-making,” he says.��

Leading �Ӱɴ�ý’s Law Enforcement Advisory Board��

As LEAB’s first chairman, Dowling sees his work as a continuation of everything he’s stood for throughout his career. “It’s a little bit like coming home,” he says. “There are familiar faces and organizations, but now I understand the trucking perspective in a much deeper way.”��

Under his leadership, the board continues to focus on key priorities like truck parking, cargo securement, and driver safety and security, including efforts to combat human trafficking. Dowling is also helping �Ӱɴ�ý members navigate evolving issues such as non-domiciled CDLs and shifting regulatory standards.��

“Our role is to be a trusted resource,” he says. “We’re here to provide balanced, informed perspectives that help both enforcement and industry move forward together.”��

Safety continues to drive Dowling, whether it be mentoring drivers, teaching students, or helping shape national policy.��
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“I love that safety isn’t a competition,” Dowling says. “It’s something we all share. And that’s what the Law Enforcement Advisory Board is all about: bringing people together to make the roads safer for everyone.”��