NYSDOT Opens New CMV Inspection Station on Long Island Expressway

By Jonathan Nicastro, Director, Motor Carrier Compliance Program, New York State Department of Transportation Utility Commission

New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez announced the official opening of a new commercial motor vehicle roadside inspection station located on the westbound side of the Long Island Expressway (I-495) in Suffolk County. The former parking area between Exits 53 and 51 in the town of Huntington will now be used by NYSDOT and local law enforcement to inspect and enforce trucking vehicle laws for the safety of all motorists.

“This new inspection station provides a new avenue for vehicle inspections to occur on one of Long Island’s busiest roads. It will serve as an important location to safeguard all those traveling on the Long Island Expressway,” said Commissioner Dominguez. “Keeping our state highways safe requires a multifaceted approach. We must ensure oversized vehicles are abiding by the law and that the integrity of our infrastructure is kept intact.”

The flashing “Inspection Ahead” sign, posted approximately 1.5 miles ahead of the inspection site, will serve as a signal to all commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operators that they are required to pull into the station. In conjunction with its law enforcement partners, NYSDOT’s Motor Carrier Compliance Bureau will conduct routine inspections of trucks of all sizes. These checks include reviewing driver logs, entries for hours of service, driver qualifications, type of cargo, weight of the vehicle and overall safety to ensure CMV operators are driving in accordance with the law. Appropriate action, which may include a driver or vehicle being removed from service, will be taken against operators who are determined to be unsafe.

In 2023, NYSDOT and approximately 40 law enforcement agencies, including New York State Police, Suffolk County Police and Nassau County Police, conducted 119,000 roadside inspections across New York state. Seventeen percent of these inspections were conducted in Nassau and Suffolk counties, which handle a considerable volume of the Long Island Expressway’s truck travel. More than 21,000 trucks utilize the expressway every day, which equates to approximately 11% of all its daily traffic.

The Long Island Expressway serves as Long Island’s primary trucking route, providing a direct link from Twin Forks on the East End to Midtown Manhattan. With connections available to nearly every major highway in the New York City metropolitan area, the former parking area is an ideal place to conduct CMV inspections safely and efficiently. With the addition of this site, NYSDOT now has four locations along I-495 that are used to conduct roadside inspections.

Last year, NYSDOT conducted more than 600 comprehensive investigations into the riskiest carriers, including passenger carriers with high out-of-service rates and those involved in serious injury and fatal crashes. The fouryear average of CMV crash-related fatalities in New York is 136. While New York’s safety performance is greater than that of most comparable large states, one deadly crash is one too many, making the enforcement conducted at our roadside inspection sites critical.

The inspection facility’s opening coincided with CVSA’s annual International Roadcheck, which was May 14-16. Over the course of this three-day event in the United States, Canada and Mexico, CVSA-certified law enforcement personnel inspected CMVs and drivers at weigh/ inspection stations, temporary sites and mobile patrols to verify compliance with all applicable regulations.

New York State Senator Mario Mattera said, “I applaud Commissioner Dominguez and local law enforcement for their efforts to ensure Long Island roadways are safe for our motorists. Just as the NYSDOT’s continued efforts to enhance the condition of our roads will provide Long Islanders and visitors with a more comfortable ride, the inspection station will provide them peace of mind as they traverse our region.”

New York State Senator Monica Martinez said, “The Long Island Expressway’s new truck inspection site will help put the brakes on dangerous CMVs being on our roadways. Through routine inspections at this repurposed parking area, motor carrier safety examiners and law enforcement will have a centrally located and safe site from which to ensure trucking vehicle laws are being followed and the safety of all motorists is protected.”

New York State Police Superintendent Steven G.James said, “We are proud of the strong partnership we have formed with the NYSDOT and local law enforcement to make certain that CMVs and operators are in compliance with the law. By opening a new CMV inspection station, more leverage is provided to traffic safety personnel to take appropriate enforcement action when a violation is

detected. The state police will continue to work with our partners to ensure all roads in New York state are safe for every motorist.”

Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine said, “We must do all we can to keep our roadways safe, and I thank the NYSDOT for adding this inspection location to Suffolk County. I urge all drivers to follow our laws and regulations, especially those driving CMVs.”

Suffolk County Acting Police Commissioner Robert Waring said, “This new facility provides a safe location for our officers to conduct commercial driver checks and inspections on CMVs, a critical responsibility in ensuring dangerous vehicles are not sharing the roads with other motorists. I would like to thank the NYSDOT for ensuring this site came to fruition, and we look forward to working with our state and county partners conducting inspection checks to support roadway safety.”

Motorists are urged to plan accordingly and drive responsibly in work zones. Fines are doubled for speeding in a work zone. Convictions of two or more speeding violations in a work zone could result in the suspension of an individual’s driver’s license.