On I-81, weight can't wait

Inspection facilities key to curbing No. 1 commercial vehicle fatality rate in state

By Linwood Outlaw III - loutlaw@nvdaily.com

STEPHENS CITY -- Transportation officials are hailing the fact that Interstate 81 has fewer traffic crashes than any other major highway in Virginia.

However, the often busy corridor still holds the highest commercial motor vehicle fatality rate in the state, and officials are relying on state-of-the-art weighing equipment for trucks to help significantly reduce such deaths and ensure that vehicles meet safety requirements.

State police and Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles officials boasted of the truck weighing program's quality technology and inspection tools during the Virginia Motor Carrier Partnership showcase Wednesday afternoon at the Stephens City weigh station, located south of Winchester.

Thirteen weigh stations and a dozen mobile crews in Virginia monitor commercial vehicles to make sure they comply with size and weight laws. About 18 million trucks are weighed in the state each year, and officials estimate that 140,000 overweight violations are detected annually. Last year, there were 12 commercial motor vehicle fatalities on I-81, compared to two on Interstate 64 and three on Interstate 95.

Virginia loses far too many lives on a daily basis due "to the careless and reckless actions of motorists," and there is simply no room for equipment failures or fatigued drivers who must operate vehicles weighing several tons, state police Superintendent Col. W. Steven Flaherty said Wednesday.

Making sure vehicles are safe for traveling is a high priority, and officials say Virginia's weigh station program has been a big help in that regard. The effort is jointly supported by federal, state and local officials, as well as those in the trucking industry.

"We're all committed to making sure that the trucks on Interstate 81, and all highways, are operating safely," said Richard D. Holcomb, commissioner of the state DMV. "While we're pleased that the number of fatalities on [Interstate 81] is low compared to other interstates in Virginia, we're concerned that it's high when it comes to fatalities related to motor carriers."

Stephens City is the second-busiest of Virginia's 13 weigh stations. The local center weighed 3.4 million trucks last year, compared to more than 16 million trucks that were weighed statewide. Of the 128,710 violations that were issued last year, 23,811 were written at the Stephens City station.

The DMV recently received preliminary approval for a $1 million federal grant to help implement automatic license plate reader and commercial vehicle information exchange window technology. License plate readers are used to check a truck's credentials and compliance with regulations. Exchange window technology allows Virginia authorities to share information about commercial vehicles with the federal system and those in other states.

Another federally funded technology, called the Infrared Inspection System, uses a infrared pod mounted on a van to spot malfunctioning brakes, bad tires or leaky exhaust systems. The infrared and exchange window systems will be installed at the Stephens City station in the fall, officials said.

New technology and screening systems were demonstrated during Wednesday's showcase. State troopers also demonstrated how the nuclear detection unit screens trucks for radioactive materials.

"For the most part, the trucking industry has been very, very cooperative and wants to work with us," Secretary of Transportation Sean T. Connaughton said.