Mesquite PD has a new unit aimed at cracking down on overloaded 18-wheelers, tired drivers and risky rigs.
MESQUITE, Texas — Before tractor-trailers hit the road, drivers are required to hit the books — logging hours, stopping at weigh stations, and taking federally mandated rest breaks. Now, the Mesquite Police Department has a new team making sure they do just that.
The city recently launched a Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit to monitor and inspect 18-wheelers and other large commercial vehicles traveling through Mesquite. The unit, made up of three officers, will patrol in specialized trucks equipped with portable scales and tools to conduct roadside safety inspections.
“We’re already out doing inspections and trying to make the roadways safer,” said Lt. Michael Kelly with Mesquite PD.
The new unit is a direct response to the rapid growth of commercial traffic in the region. Mesquite sits along Interstate 30, one of the busiest freight corridors in the country. According to TxDOT, nearly half a billion tons of freight move across Texas highways each year, and that number continues to climb as distribution centers multiply across cities like Mesquite.
“This isn’t just a suburb anymore,” Kelly said. “It’s a pit stop.”
The department’s officers will be enforcing federal and state commercial vehicle regulations, including rules on: vehicle weight limits (maximum of 80,000 pounds gross vehicle weight), logbook violations (drivers exceeding allowed hours of service), equipment issues (like worn tires, faulty brakes, or unsecured cargo), failure to stop at weigh stations or rest areas, and other violations under the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) guidelines.
This week, the unit issued its first citation to a driver who was hauling 2,000 pounds over the legal weight limit.
“That does affect the load and the way the vehicle can react,” Kelly said. “If a trailer is too heavy or equipment is failing, that puts everyone on the road at risk.”
The new unit also fills a critical gap in crash response. If a semi is involved in a serious accident, these officers are trained to assess whether safety regulations were followed — something a regular patrol officer may not be equipped to do.
“A typical patrol officer is not going to have a lot of knowledge in the realm of tractor-trailer safety and what’s required by law,” Kelly said.
The launch of the unit comes just weeks after one of the deadliest semi crashes in North Texas this year. In June, a truck driver allegedly fell asleep at the wheel and plowed into a line of stopped traffic on I-20 near Terrell. The crash killed five people, including four members of the McKellar family and a 49-year-old woman from Dallas.
Investigators say the driver never attempted to brake. He’s now facing multiple manslaughter charges, and a company official with the trucking company has also been indicted for allegedly falsifying the truck’s registration.
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