Operation SafeDRIVE sidelines nearly 2,000 truckers

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration inspectors and state law enforcement sidelined nearly 2,000 unqualified truck drivers and vehicles during the first phase of “Operation SafeDRIVE,” which targeted major freight corridors and high-risk locations in 26 states and Washington, DC.

The targeted enforcement action, conducted Jan. 13-15, resulted in 704 drivers placed out of service, including nearly 500 for English language proficiency violations, FMCSA reported.

“Operation SafeDRIVE shows what happens when we work together with our law enforcement partners to pull unqualified drivers and vehicles off American roads,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said in a news release. “We need a whole-of-government approach to ensure the Trump administration’s strong standards of safety are in place to protect American families and reduce road accidents.”

American Trucking Associations this week praised the enforcement initiative, which included 56 arrests for driving under the influence, “illegal presence” in the U.S., and other violations, FMCSA said.

“For safety laws to work, they must be enforced,” Brenna Lyles, ATA vice president of safety policy, said in a statement. “Thanks to federal leadership, state partnership, and the critical work of law enforcement officers, Operation SafeDRIVE has made our highways safer by taking unqualified and potentially unsafe drivers and vehicles off the road. ATA looks forward to continued partnership with Secretary Duffy, FMCSA Administrator [Derek D.] Barrs, and law enforcement across the nation to ensure safety laws are enforced evenly and consistently.”

The “high-visibility,” multi-state enforcement and education effort focused on reducing dangerous driving behaviors, ensuring drivers are properly qualified, and addressing unsafe drivers and vehicles on the nation’s roadways, FMCSA said. Officers inspected 8,215 vehicles during the push and placed 1,231 vehicles out of service.

“This operation was about safety,” Barrs said. “When drivers ignore the rules, operate without proper qualifications, or get behind the wheel impaired, they put all of our lives at risk. Operation SafeDRIVE demonstrates the value of focused enforcement and strong partnerships in removing these drivers and vehicles from our roads.”