75 Percent of Commercial Trucks Fail ODOT Inspection

Twelve drivers were placed out of service for violations such as logbook deficiencies or driving too many hours without rest breaks.

Out of service trucks line the parking lot of the Cascade Locks Port of Entry. Photo: ODOT

(CASCADE LOCKS, Ore. ) - More than 75 percent of commercial vehicles inspected by Oregon Department of Transportation Motor Carrier enforcement officers during a six-hour inspection blitz Wednesday morning were placed out of service with safety violations.

Officers completed 55 inspections during the half-day event at the Cascade Locks and Wyeth weigh stations along Interstate 84 in the Columbia Gorge; 42 vehicles (76 percent) were placed out of service for mechanical violations such as improper tire inflation, tire tread problems and other safety hazards.

Twelve drivers were placed out of service for violations such as logbook deficiencies or driving too many hours without rest breaks.

"The purpose of this enforcement blitz was to check vehicles for safety," said ODOT Field Motor Carrier Services Manager Ed Scrivner. "The event also served as a training opportunity for some of our newer inspectors. They were able to work hands on with our more experienced inspectors."

ODOT and its law enforcement partners conducted 59,064 commercial vehicle inspections in 2006.

"Inspections are one of our best tools for getting unsafe trucks and drivers off the road," said Scrivner. "Although the majority of trucks and drivers operating on Oregon's highways are safe and professional, these inspections are important in helping identify those that are not and vital in helping keep Oregonians safe."