The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is employing infrared technology to screen trucks and buses for potential problems with brakes, tires, and gears as these vehicles travel roads near the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City UT through February 24.
Four vans equipped with high-resolution monitors will use an infrared sensor to screen trucks and buses traveling at highway speeds, noting temperature discrepancies with varying colors on those monitors. The system alerts roadside enforcement officers to identify possible problems.
The FMCSA and DOT personnel from Utah, New Mexico, and Virginia, as well as from the product manufacturer, Infra Red Inspection System Ltd of Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, will be using the infrared technology. It was funded and evaluated by FMCSA. The equipment will allow the Utah Department of Transportation's Motor Carrier Division and FMCSA representatives, in addition to other DOT personnel, to enhance existing safety initiatives at the Olympics. All screening personnel have undergone background checks before working at this event.