Weigh stations tighten truck inspections

As part of a nationwide effort to scrutinize trucks carrying hazardous materials, officials at the Washington State Patrol weigh station at Stateline began stepping up inspections on Thursday.

While trucks with hazardous materials placards are routinely pulled over, Officer Larry Pasco said there was a newly increased awareness.

"We're doing things pretty much as we normally do, but with a focus at looking at hazardous materials," said Pasco, who is a supervisor at the weigh station.

Like state police agencies across the country, the Washington State Patrol was instructed Thursday morning by the federal Department of Transportation to spend more time inspecting trucks with haz-mat placards.

The alert followed concerns that a terrorist may plan an attack using one of the thousands of 18-wheelers that haul explosives and other hazardous materials every day.

The nationwide security dragnet involves more than 50,000 trucking companies carrying everything from chemicals used to make soap to gasoline and fertilizer, as well as a review of 2.5 million commercial driver's licenses.

On any given day as many as 76,000 tanker trucks with millions of pounds of hazardous cargo traverse the nation, according to industry estimates. Many of these products could be deadly if released in a crowded area.

FBI agents investigating the Sept. 11 attacks in New York and Washington, D.C., have discovered that a number of Middle Eastern men had obtained fake licenses to haul hazardous materials.

About 1,300 to 1,400 trucks pass through the Stateline station every day, Pasco said. Of those, 75 to 100 are pulled over for inspections, he said.

Inside the weigh station, it was pretty much business as usual Thursday, Pasco said.

Most trucks do not have hazardous material placards and are therefore simply weighed and waved through.

"Here's some hazardous materials," one officer joked as a Roto- Rooter sewage suction truck rolled past.

Thursday's stepped-up inspections led to some inconvenience for at least one driver, whose truck was found to have a cracked frame.

Doug Dvorak, a driver from Lewiston hauling cylinders of compressed gas, said he was free to leave with his tractor but the trailer would have to remain until it was repaired.

"They're hammering us pretty hard with the haz-mat, but they have some concerns," he said. "I don't mind. You just have to put up with it."

This sidebar appeared with the story:

HAZ-MAT ALERT

Background

FBI agents investigating the Sept. 11 attacks in New York and Washington, D.C., have discovered that a number of Middle Eastern men had obtained fake licenses to haul hazardous materials.

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