TEMPE, Ariz. – While not technically a “ghost truck,” the Arizona Highway Patrol (AZDPS) State Trooper with the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit stopped a commercial vehicle on Highway 202 near Scottsdale Road in the Tempe Town Lake area with no offical markings, according to a post on its Facebook page.
The vehicle displayed multiple violations including no company name, no USDOT number, a front Texas license plate that did not belong to the vehicle, and a rear Arizona plate that had expired in January, AZDPS said.
The release also stated that the driver, who is also the company owner, had previously been cited for operating without a medical examination and without a CDL. During this stop, the driver was again found to be operating with no valid medical examination, commercial driver’s license, or insurance, and was failing to wear required corrective lenses.
The driver received several citations and was placed out of service.
“This wasn’t a “ghost truck” – it was an unmarked, improperly registered, and uninsured commercial vehicle operating far outside the law,” AZDPS said. “When CMVs try to blend in without proper identifiers, it creates serious safety risks for everyone on the road. Troopers depend on visible, accurate information to protect Arizona’s roads. When a vehicle hides that information, intentionally or otherwise, it puts lives at risk.”
Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.
