Police inspect trucks for safety

Police inspect trucks for safety

South Fayette issues 21 citations and 52 warnings

Story & photos by Andrea Iglar

Police officers converged on Route 50 in South Fayette this spring to inspect commercial trucks.

Stationed on a concrete median strip between Newbury Drive and Millers Run Road, officers from 11 departments in the South Hills pulled over tractor-trailers, landscaping trucks, box trucks and other motor vehicles that require a commercial driver’s license to operate.

Elizabeth Township police officer Arthur Brunazzi, left, and Bethel Park officer Andrew Volchko check under a truck hood.

Officers who are certified inspectors under the federal Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program checked vehicles and driver paperwork for compliance with a long list of safety standards.

South Fayette police investigator Rebekah Schultz said the periodic event reduces risk for all motorists.

“It makes our roads safer for the community,” she said.

Officers inspected 48 trucks, finding a total of 73 violations.

Jefferson Hills officer Ryan Pokorny examines a truck for compliance with a safety checklist.

Schultz issued 21 citations and 52 warnings. Six vehicles were put out of service immediately, either being towed away or repaired on the spot by a company’s mechanic. Two drivers were prohibited from continuing to drive commercial vehicles.

Schultz said common problems included bad brakes, worn tires and insufficient driver paperwork.

South Fayette police investigator Rebekah Schultz enters citation details into her car laptop on behalf of inspector Richard Griffith, a South Park police officer.

A portion of the fines will go to the South Fayette Township Police Department, but Police Chief John Phoennik said moneymaking is not the purpose.

“With the township growing so fast, we have an increase in truck traffic," he said. "One of our goals as police officers is to keep the roads safe, and part of doing that is conducting these inspections.”

Inspectors worked for nearly seven hours on May 12. On each truck, they checked under the hood, examined the underbody, ensured loads were secure, and verified that windshield wipers, brake lights and other functions worked. They prepared an examination report for each vehicle.

Jefferson Hills police officer Ryan Pokorny examines the underbody of a commercial truck on Route 50 in May.

Officer Schultz belongs to the South Hills Area Council of Governments “crash team” that investigates all fatal and potentially fatal car accidents in member communities. Most of the truck inspectors also are team members.

Phoennik said the inspections aimed to decrease the chance of accidents around Interstate 79.

“We chose Route 50 because of the heavy truck traffic,” he said. “We’re trying to make that area safer.”