More than 40 drivers cited for unsafe vehicles, other violations.

A newly formed Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Deputy Sheriff
position, which was funded by the City of Santa Clarita
for fiscal year 2008-2009, is already paying dividends in protecting our
community from dangerous and unsightly trucks, whose drivers are unlawfully
traversing our local roadways and putting themselves and other motorists at
risk.

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The deputy teamed up with other traffic deputies from the
Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station, Commercial Enforcement Officers from
the California Highway Patrol, and the City of Santa Clarita Department of
Public Works – General Services and Traffic and Transportation Planning
Divisions on Tuesday, Sept. 23 to conduct the checkpoint inspections. 

During the operation, deputies and CHP officers were posted
at various points in and around the City of Santa Clarita
and unincorporated Los Angeles County
on main thoroughfares near our freeways.  The areas are clearly posted
with signs stating no vehicles over 7 tons are permitted.  The goal of the
operation was to ensure safer local roadways and reduce the number of unsafe,
unsightly and illegal trucks traveling on local roadways, such as Soledad
Canyon Road and Lost
Canyon Road.  The CHP Commercial Vehicle
Enforcement Officers also set up on the northbound 14 Antelope Valley Freeway
at the truck scale site.

The city of Santa Clarita
provided and set up cone patterns and signage to reduce traffic lanes at
inspection sites to help safeguard the operation.  The operation was
conducted between 8 a.m. and noon.  A total of 42 level 1 inspections
and 3 level 3 inspections were completed at all the locations.  Commercial
vehicles traversing Soledad Canyon Road,
without local delivery exceptions, were cited for failing to obey the posted
enforcement signs. 

Some of the equipment and other violations discovered on the
trucks included registration issues, steering concerns, inadequate brakes,
lighting violations, tires and wheels in disrepair, and frames or suspension
malfunctions.

Through the operation and interagency cooperation, deputies
and CHP officers issued 25 citations for 104 total violations.  A total of
22 trucks were placed out of service.  In addition, 3 trucks were towed
for Motor Carrier Permit violations and one truck was towed after it was
determined the driver was unlicensed.

"This is the first of many inspection operations we
will be conducting in and around the City of Santa Clarita
in the coming months", said Captain Anthony La Berge of the Santa Clarita
Valley Sheriff’s Station.  "In addition, the Commercial Vehicle
Enforcement Deputy will be conducting daily patrols and inspections on our
local roadways to enforce our safety message and compliance with all
laws.  Accidents involving these large vehicles can have devastating, and
often tragic, outcomes," he added.   

“Local commerce is a top priority for the City of Santa
Clarita and we must ensure these trucks operate within
the parameters of the law and our deliveries arrive timely and safely,"
said Santa Clarita Mayor Bob Kellar.  "However, our most important
concern is the safety of all the families sharing the roadways with these large
vehicles and we will do whatever is necessary to protect them.”