Oversight of medium-duty trucks is the only way to ensure that truckers operate within regulations. Governor Tina Kotek signed legislation to increase oversight. According to Transport Topics, the primary focus is on three key aspects of the trucking industry. The first target group is truckers who bypass weight scales. The second target is household goods movers who lack the necessary paperwork to operate the business. And the last target is to deal with the menace of crushes by the medium-duty trucks.
The bill in detail
The bill seeks to expand the enforcement to vehicles 10,001-26,000 pounds. The bill also aims to align state laws with federal laws. Carla Phelps pointed out that one in four of the commercial vehicle accidents involves a medium-duty truck. Accident rates for these vehicles have increased by 1.5 times compared to those of heavier commercial vehicles.
Every day, the operation involving these vehicles continues to grow. It is mainly a result of increasing commercial activities every day. More vehicles mean that crash rates also increase. At the same time, there is also an increase in wear and tear on the available infrastructure. Getting a CDL has become tougher. It makes it hard for those who fail drug and alcohol tests to make it as CDL holders. The sad part is that the same individuals are now hired by those operating medium-duty trucks.
The bill aims to address individuals who illegally bypass scales. Most vehicles avoid inspection points for a reason. Most of them, when found, have safety violations. The violations are enough to put them out of service. They, therefore, intentionally avoid the scales to get away with such faults in their vehicles. Over the years, such an offense has been classified as a Class B criminal misdemeanor. The judicial system has, over the years, been declining in these cases. They say there is a resource limitation in handling such cases. Offenders end up getting away with such offenses. They do not get hearings or prosecutions for their offense. The new law does not eliminate the current punishment. However, it also provides an option for proceeding with a Class C traffic violation.
The legislation is quite clear regarding the movement of household items. To engage in this venture or simply advertise it, one needs to have all the necessary paperwork in place. One must have a valid certificate from the Department of Transportation (DOT). There are almost 130 movers with papers in Oregon. They are forced to compete with many others who do not possess these certificates. It is pretty unfair competition for them. The biggest problem is to prove that one is operating illegally. It is not easy to catch them in action. The penalty will now be $3000 for such offenders. The only tricky part is seeing them in action.
Not everyone is happy with the entire legislation. They have a big issue with reducing the punishment for those who illegally bypass weight scales. They believe it should remain a criminal offense. They do not want it to be just a mere violation but a criminal charge. To enforce laws, there must be harsh consequences. Loosening up will encourage offenders and promote reckless behavior. The aim is to have fairness in all aspects. Be it in competition, or be it in terms of punishment for offenders.
