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Last updated 5:52 pm CT November 20, 2009.
ISP Making Sure Big Rigs Are Road Ready
At the rest stop along I-64... The "Kings of the Road" are lining up to check their load.
"Its nerve wracking," admits 20-year veteran driver Penny Campbell. "You know, I know my equipment was good, and I knew my logs were updated, but its still nerve wracking."
Illinois State Police and the Department of Transportation joined together to make sure 18-wheelers are riding legal- meeting state and federal safety standards.
"Just basically everything," driver Jimmy Mathias explains. "As you can see- they have the hood open, they're checking the linkage on the steering, they check the lug nuts, connections on the trailer, all the lights, anything they wanna check- they'll check."
While some drivers understand the necessity...
"They could find stuff that the drivers can miss. And there's nothing wrong with that," says Mathias.
Others admit, the inspection puts the brakes on their business.
"Well, I've lost 45 minutes right here, so, that's 45 minutes I'm not making money per mile," driver Dave Erzfeld chuckles.
But, Trooper David Sneed says, the more drivers comply- the less time they'll spend sitting idle.
"They are gonna get from place-to-place a little quicker without having these fines, without having this downtime, if you're put out of service."
But most drivers say, they'd rather be safe than sorry.
"Safety is always a key anytime you've got this kind of weight on the road," says Mathias of his tanker full of motor oil.
Campbell, busy lowering the hood of her rig before heading out explains her understanding of the stop, "Its for the safety of the public and for us, so."
ISP officials say they conduct these inspections three times a year.
By: Rachel Gartner
rgartner@wsiltv.com
Now: 1258765599
