Federal, state and local authorities took scores of truck drivers and commercial vehicles off the road during a series of enforcement operations carried out from mid-September through Oct. 1 across the United States and Canada.
According to figures released by authorities, at least 124 drivers and 226 commercial vehicles or loads were placed out of service during the enforcement actions.
One of the largest operations was “Operation Saturday Night Fever,” a coordinated overnight enforcement initiative involving the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Department of Homeland Security and state police agencies in South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida and Georgia.
Authorities carried out 552 inspections, placing 78 drivers and 25 vehicles out of service. Of the drivers removed from service, 12 were sidelined for English-language-proficiency violations, according to FMCSA.
Inspectors also examined driver credentials, electronic logging devices, fatigue, distracted driving and cargo securement. The operation included drivers holding non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses.
Across other enforcement efforts, inspectors and police uncovered a broad range of problems, including unsafe brakes and tires, invalid licenses and alleged instances of truck drivers watching videos while behind the wheel.
Illinois
Illinois State Police spent two days conducting a hazardous-materials enforcement detail on several major highways in northern Illinois.
Troopers completed 532 inspections, including 111 hazardous-materials inspections. The operation identified 500 federal regulation violations and 109 Illinois Vehicle Code violations.
A total of 30 drivers and 60 vehicles were placed out of service.
Arizona
Arizona Department of Public Safety troopers conducted a commercial vehicle enforcement detail on Sept. 16 along Interstate 10 near Quartzsite and Ehrenberg.
Troopers conducted 46 inspections and reported 170 Driver/Vehicle Examination Report violations. The operation resulted in 11 drivers and 13 commercial vehicles being placed out of service.
A separate traffic stop in Chandler on Sept. 18 revealed another serious safety problem. A trooper encountered a truck with a blown tire that was throwing sparks. Further inspection found additional trailer tires that were bald or worn down to their interior components.
According to Arizona DPS, the driver also had an invalid CDL. Both the driver and the vehicle were placed out of service.
On Sept. 24 in Tempe, troopers stopped an oversize mobile home after discovering that its rear lights were not functioning.
Authorities said the rear escort driver’s license had been suspended, while the oversize permit listed an inaccurate width. The permit was revoked and the load was placed out of service.
Texas
Texas Department of Public Safety commercial vehicle enforcement officers joined forces with Midland police on Oct. 1 for Level I inspections in Midland County.
Officers identified equipment violations involving tires, brakes, suspension components and air lines, leading to several commercial vehicles being placed out of service. The agencies did not release a total for the number of inspections conducted or the number of out-of-service orders issued.
In Krugerville, Texas, police stopped a truck in September and found that the driver was operating without any driver’s license.
Police said another truck later arrived to pick up that driver, but the second vehicle also had similar violations, and its driver was likewise unlicensed.
Both trucks were towed.
Kentucky
Louisville Metro Police and Kentucky State Police conducted 43 commercial vehicle inspections during an enforcement operation focused on high-crash corridors in Jefferson County.
Officers identified 88 safety violations and issued 30 citations. The operation resulted in five drivers and eight commercial vehicles being placed out of service.
FMCSA and other state transportation officials also took part in the initiative.
Nebraska
Nebraska State Patrol troopers inspected 19 commercial vehicles on Sept. 22 in Kearney as part of an operation partly designed to target trucks that may not regularly travel through weigh stations.
Inspectors found 70 violations of federal motor carrier safety regulations and state law.
The operation placed 11 vehicles out of service and resulted in seven citations.
Iowa
Commercial truck drivers allegedly watching videos while driving were among the violations identified during a Sept. 30 enforcement operation along Interstate 80 in Jasper County, Iowa.
Authorities issued nine distracted-driving citations, with most involving commercial drivers allegedly watching video streams on dash-mounted devices while operating their vehicles.
Officers conducted three commercial vehicle inspections, resulting in one truck being placed out of service. They also issued 60 warnings for equipment violations and improper driving maneuvers.
New Jersey
Police in Piscataway Township focused on overweight commercial vehicles during an enforcement detail on Sept. 30 along River Road.
Vehicles registered above 10 tons are restricted on the road except for local deliveries.
Officers stopped 57 overweight trucks, issued 79 summonses and impounded two commercial vehicles.
Canada
Canadian authorities also carried out several major commercial vehicle enforcement operations during the same period.
In Strathcona County, Alberta, a three-day Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance operation resulted in 77 commercial vehicles being placed out of service.
Inspectors examined 192 vehicles from Sept. 23-25. Officials said 40% failed inspection, while nearly another 20% required attention.
The checks covered tires, cargo securement, lighting, brakes, hours-of-service records, and commercial driver’s licenses and endorsements.
In Regina, Saskatchewan, a two-day enforcement blitz generated 47 commercial vehicle inspections. Authorities took 19 vehicles out of service and recorded 98 vehicle defects.
The wider traffic operation produced 281 infractions and 193 warnings.
In Ontario, provincial police and transportation inspectors conducted 40 commercial vehicle inspections on Sept. 30 near County Road 90.
Authorities issued 37 Provincial Offence Notices and placed 10 commercial vehicles out of service because of safety defects or other violations.
Why it matters
The enforcement actions underline the continued intensity of federal, state, local and Canadian scrutiny of commercial drivers and equipment.
The checks are reaching well beyond traditional vehicle defects, with authorities examining CDL status, English-language proficiency, brakes, tires, cargo securement, hours-of-service compliance, vehicle equipment and distracted driving.
For fleets and drivers, the message from these operations is clear: enforcement remains focused not only on whether a truck is mechanically safe, but also on whether the driver is properly licensed, qualified and operating within the rules.
