Safety problems found on 1,700-plus Texas trucks

More than 1,700 trucks were taken out of service because of safety violations during a three-day Roadcheck 2010 operation conducted by the Texas Department of Public Safety.

In all, DPS troopers checked 6,909 commercial vehicles statewide -- and 1,738 were taken out of service because safety violations were discovered that required immediate repairs, officials said.

Also, 160 drivers were placed out of service for violations, including not properly tracking hours, and driving with suspended or expired driver licenses.

Other findings during the June 8-10 Roadcheck:

• Five tickets for seat belt violations
• 900 brakes out of adjustment
• 702 brake system problems
• 283 tire or wheel issues
• 322 light malfunctions

-- G.

Comments

[bill]

Wow finally the state is taking a hardline on dangerous trucks.

way too many trucks on the road that should not be on the road, keep up the great work DPS

[meat]

How many were Mexican truckers, with out a TX license? I bet a lot

[K]

How about you dont do these stupid checks during rush hour traffic on major highways like 114. Its ridiculous and causes more traffic than it does good for drivers.

I am all about D.O.T. check but do it at times when its not rush hour and in spots where two highways are merging together.

[Dew]

Glad to hear the DPS is checking on these trucks. Maybe doing so every 1-2 months would get and keep off the road trucks that are unsafe and drivers who are not suppose to be driving in Texas. Good Job!!

[Philip]

Not having on a seat belt or a bulb being out, or a paper log to fill out are just not a big deal. Yes, I see trucks frequently that are not up to par. Mexican trucks are generally not the offenders. Most of poorer trucks are rock and gravel haulers and these lead a rough life due to the conditions they have to operate in.

[freda]

The trucks should be sighted for running over the speed limit and also kept to the 2 right lanes of traffic on the freeway.

[Kevin]

About time, I think they should do this more often. Stick them with big fines, and high $$ impound fees, and this could pay for itself.

[Kevin]

I second freda's comment!

[Anon]

Do you really want a big truck in the right two lanes with all the drivers out there that don't know how to merge???

[Bob H]

The "art of the merge" a lost "talent" in Texas!

[Steve]

I was under the impression this type of check was conducted on a daily basis.
Let me get this straight, 25.16% of the trucks checked at random check points were not safe enough to drive?

This is a Public Safety Issue and DPS is responsable for checking them EVERY DAY not just every now & then

[Jay]

Regular drivers are as much of a problem as truckers. More of them speed, text, cut people off, just to get one car ahead. How many violations would be found on the everyday driver if cops could just pull them over???? Low tires, bad wipers, lights out, NO INSURANCE, Everyday drivers are Equally as BAD!!!!!

[jon myers]

Oh my god people, do any of you know what ur talkin about. First of all freda Texas has a law now where trucks are not allowed to drive in the passing lane(fast) of major "INTERSTATES" but not highways. Why because most mororns on the Teaxs highways will travel exactly 60 in the middle lane and causes what is known as a rolling road block. This in itself is illegal but people are not aware how to drive. Second of all when a truck is inspected "daily" it is done by the driver not DPS. If the driver feels it is not safe to drive the driver then reports it to his boss and refuses to drive the vehicle until it is fixed. Now at this point most employers will tell the driver to drive the god damned truck or go home. If you need to put food on the table what are you going to do? Ive been there and done that. Most drivers know what is going to kill someone and what is not, you little 4-wheeled morons have no idea what is and isnt. I have driven a truck with 40 tons of high explosives on texas highways and yet some dumbazz woman talking on her cellphone with her 2 kids in the backseat cuts me off and then slams on the brakes and leaves me with a decision. Do I hit her at 60 miles per hour and kill both of her kids or do I put 40 tons of high explosives into a ditch with the possibility of catching fire and erasing more than 3/4 of a mile of highway. You make the call!!! Truck drivers are some of the safest drivers on the road its you daily idiots that have no freakin clue how to drive around trucks!!!

[Erne]

If the truck drivers were safe drivers there wouldn't be pieces of tires that us "idiots" have to dodge while trying to get from point A to point B. I have been driving for 60+ years and have not had too much of a problem until the road hog truck drivers (both big 'uns and little 'uns) hit the road. Now it's a game of dodge 'em instead of safety. Good for our DPS getting trucks that have safety problems off the road. Now if police would get the trucks in the city that spread cement dust for drivers that have to follow them, off the road, it would be great. That's my 2 cents worth....

[Festus]

Jon... Excellent post... Erne with 60+ years of driving I would think that you would know that gators (the pieces of tires) come from, trucks, Pick up, Cars & trailers not just from tractor trailors. As a PROFESSIONAL driver I have to deal (on a daily basis) with 4 wheelers passing me at 90 mph just so they can cut in and slam on the brakes, They never stop to think what distance it takes for me to stop 80,000 pounds at 60 mph.. But then when there is an accident who is put at fault? not the four wheeler who cut into the truck drivers safe space.
But I do agree that there are too many unsafe trucks on the road and as a driver I can spot them in a heartbeat and without posting it on here I can tell you what is driving 90% of them. Y'all should go out and ask some of these big companies to do a ride along one day and you'll look at our would with a whole new attitude.

[J]

Gators are not a factor in how safe a driver is and I'll be damned if my husband is running out into the middle of the interstate to clean it up when a blow out happens!

[truck rental]

The Texas public safety department doing a great job as usual and saving a lot of life from unnecessary harms..thank you!

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[truck toppers]

Safety must be initially planned before anything else.

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[ugg on sale]

Among thousands of people, you meet those you've met. Through thousands of years, with the boundlessness of time, you happen to meet them, neither earlier nor a bit too late.

[Truck Lowering Suspension Parts]

With so much confidence, I think the drivers forgot about their safety leaving those damages in their trucks.

[ルイヴィトン時計]

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[Drop Suspension]

The numbers tell it all. No matter how high or low it is significant.