NC included in US DOT operation targeting illegal trucking

A safety crackdown referred to as Operation SafeDRIVE removed almost 2,000 unqualified drivers and vehicles from roads and highways across the country in January. With North Carolina included, this three-day effort led by the US Department of Transportation and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration checked driver qualifications, identified unsafe vehicles, and removed improper licenses.   

According to US DOT officials, inspectors completed over 8,000 inspections during Operation SafeDRIVE. Hundreds of drivers and just over 1,200 vehicles were taken off the road because of violations. Additionally, dozens of arrests were made across the country. The operation took place Jan. 13-15 across 26 states and Washington, DC. The DOT targeted main trucker routes with higher car accident risks. 

North Carolina was one of the states involved in the operation; however, state numbers regarding arrests and removal of licenses have not yet been released, The North Carolina Department of Transportation has not yet publicly issued a statement on Operation SafeDRIVE. 

This operation is occurring when North Carolina is already facing some concerns and questions on how commercial driver licenses were issued illegally. A federal audit found that about 54% of certain non-domiciled commercial licenses did not meet federal requirements. According to a Preliminary Determination of Noncompliance letter sent to Gov. Josh Stein, federal officials warned North Carolina to fix the issue or risk losing almost $50 million in funding, with Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy calling the reports and findings “dangerous.” 

Licensing standards and safety are strictly regulated due to commercial trucks weighing up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded. Small mistakes in issuing commercial trucker licenses can raise concerns about truckers’ qualifications and public safety on highways and roads. Some members of the North Carolina congressional delegation have already raised alarms about licensing issues and called for strong oversight and accordance with federal laws.  

US Rep. Pat Harrigan, R-NC10, said the results of the operation highlight why stricter enforcement is needed.

“When inspectors pulled nearly 2,000 unqualified drivers and unsafe vehicles off the road in three days, they found nearly 500 drivers who couldn’t pass basic English proficiency tests, over 700 drivers with serious safety violations, more than 1,200 unsafe vehicles that had no business on the highway, and made 56 arrests including DUI and illegal presence in the U.S.,” Harrigan told Carolina Journal.

He added, “I think about my wife driving our girls to school and the fact that she’s sharing the road with drivers who can’t read warning signs, trucks that are mechanically unsafe, and people who are intoxicated or here illegally behind the wheel of 80,000-pound vehicles.”

Harrigan argued that not only is this issue about enforcement, but prevention, pointing to safety concerns for families that share roads with commercial trucks. Harrigan promoted his SAFE Drivers Act to strength standards before issuing licenses. 

FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs has also stated his concerns: “When drivers ignore the rules, operate without proper qualifications, or get behind the wheel impaired, they put all of our lives at risk.”

He added that enforcement of the law, as well as partnerships within departments, will help remove unsafe and unqualified drivers from the road. 

Proponents say initiatives like Operation SafeDRIVE are meant to be a message and signal to drivers and corporations that safety rules should be prioritized and enforced. Increasing inspections and traffic stops can help identify problems before they lead to crashes, they say, and can encourage truckers and corporations to comply. Officials say efforts like these are meant to protect both drivers and the American people. 

It is still not certain how many drivers or vehicles totally were directly removed in North Carolina by this operation. State department and agencies have not released inspection totals. 

More information will be available as Operation SafeDRIVE data is finalized and made public in the coming weeks. 

“NC included in US DOT operation targeting illegal trucking” was originally published on www.carolinajournal.com.