Oregon DOT weighs more than 26,000 trucks in three-day campaign

An Oregon Department of Transportation officers checks the weight of a truck during a recent three-day size and weight enforcement campaign. (Courtesy Oregon Department of Transportation)

The Trucker News Services

5/29/2009

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Oregon Department of Transportation Motor Carrier Division recently conducted a three-day intensive size and weight enforcement effort along the Interstate 84 corridor recently, weighing in excess of 26,000 trucks.

Weigh stations along I-84, U.S. Highway 730, U.S. Highway 26 and U.S. Highway 20 were open continuously for 57 hours during the effort.

Officials said 16,914 trucks, or about one truck every 12 seconds, were weighed by ODOT staff at static scales, and 9,428 trucks were weighed in-motion at highway speed by the Green Light weigh station pre-clearance system.

About 1.8 percent of the trucks received enforcement warnings or citations.

“Although our staff performs this type of work every day, intensive operations like this help reinforce the message that weight and safety compliance are our top priority,” Ed Scrivner, ODOT Motor Carrier Field Services manager, said. “This event also complements ODOT’s on-going initiatives to preserve our highways and bridges.”

In 2008, motor carrier enforcement officers weighed 2,072,855 trucks on static scales. They also processed 1,481,278 trucks that were weighed in-motion at highway speed by the Green Light weigh station pre-clearance system.

“Although the majority of trucking companies operating on Oregon’s highways abide by Oregon law and have compliance-conscious drivers, an intensive enforcement event like this can help identify those who are not,” Scrivner said.

ODOT Motor Carrier enforcement officers will also use the event as an opportunity to educate truck drivers about common compliance mistakes such as unevenly distributed loads or expired permits.

In Oregon, commercial vehicles over 26,000 pounds pay a weight-mile tax instead of the fuel tax that passenger vehicles pay.

The weight-mile tax is a large part of the funding that Oregon uses to preserve and maintain public roads and bridges.

In 2008, ODOT collected more than $240 million in weight-mile tax. Weigh stations throughout the state ensure compliance with size and weight laws.

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