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Organization: Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station
Date: September 24, 2008
Commercial Vehicle Operation Ensures Safer Local Roadways
City of Santa Clarita, Santa Clarita Valley Sheriffs, and California Highway Patrol-Newhall: Ensuring Safer Local Roadways through Commercial Vehicle Enforcement, Compliance, and Carrier Safety Operations — A newly formed Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Deputy Sheriff position, which was funded by the City of Santa Clarita for fiscal year 2008-2009, is already paying dividends in protecting our community from dangerous and unsightly trucks, whose drivers are unlawfully traversing our local roadways and putting themselves and other motorists at risk.
The deputy teamed up with other traffic deputies from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station, Commercial Enforcement Officers from the California Highway Patrol, and the City of Santa Clarita Department of Public Works-General Services and Traffic and Transportation Planning Divisions today to conduct the checkpoint inspections.
During the operation, deputies and CHP officers were posted at various points in and around the City of Santa Clarita and Unincorporated Los Angeles County on main thoroughfares near our freeways. The areas are clearly posted with signs stating no vehicles over 7 tons are permitted. The goal of the operation was to ensure safer local roadways and reduce the number of unsafe, unsightly, and illegal trucks traveling on local roadways, such as Soledad Canyon Road and Lost Canyon Road. The CHP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officers also set up on the northbound 14 Antelope Valley Freeway at the truck scale site.
The city of Santa Clarita provided and set up cone patterns and signage to reduce traffic lanes at inspection sites to help safeguard the operation. The operation began at 8:00 a.m. this morning and concluded at 12:00 noon. A total of 42 level 1 inspections and 3 level 3 inspections were completed at all the locations. Commercial vehicles traversing Soledad Canyon Road, without local delivery exceptions, were cited for failing to obey the posted enforcement signs.
Some of the equipment and other violations discovered on the trucks included registration issues, steering concerns, inadequate brakes, lighting violations, tires and wheels in disrepair, and frames or suspension malfunctions.
Through the operation and interagency cooperation, deputies and CHP officers issued 25 citations for 104 total violations. A total of 22 trucks were placed out of service. In addition, 3 trucks were towed for Motor Carrier Permit violations and one truck was towed after it was determined the driver was unlicensed.
"This is the first of many inspection operations we will be conducting in and around the City of Santa Clarita in the coming months", said Captain La Berge of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station. "In addition, the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Deputy will be conducting daily patrols and inspections on our local roadways to enforce our safety message and compliance with all laws. Accidents involving these large vehicles can have devastating, and often tragic, outcomes," he added.
"Local commerce is a top priority for the City of Santa Clarita and we must ensure these trucks operate within the parameters of the law and our deliveries arrive timely and safely," said Santa Clarita Mayor Bob Kellar. "However, our most important concern is the safety of all the families sharing the roadways with these large vehicles and we will do whatever is necessary to protect them," he concluded.
If You See Something, Say Something! Report non-emergency crime anonymously by visiting the following link: Crime Tips or calling (661) 284-2-TIP / (661) 284-2847.
