Edmonton police are cracking down on commercial vehicles - setting up spring checkstops to ensure some of the largest vehicles on the road are also the safest.
"We want to make sure they're keeping their trucks up to standard," said S/Sgt. Barry Maron of the Edmonton Police Service. "The majority of truck drivers do, most of the trucks are kept in good shape."
Commercial vehicle inspectioons are conducted throughout the year, but each year city police partner with other agencies for a spring inspection program.
Traffic officers will be looking for oversized or loose loads, faulty equipment and dangerous or stolen goods.
"We'll be going through the truck entirely," Maron said. "Trucks this size need an annual certification to make sure thats up to standard."
Officers will be aided by a 'thermal eye camera,' that can detect things not always easy to spot - things like worn brakes and hidden compartments.
In 2010 a three-day checkstop blitz saw only 33 per cent of vehicles pass inspection. In just the first day of this year's checkstop campaign, 258 violations have already been issued.
"All the violations found today go to the province and the province looks at them and puts them on the carrier profile," Maron said. "They (drivers) get demerits for every violation they have and at a certain point the province audits the company to see they're working properly."
Fines can range from $115 to several thousand dollars. The spring checkstop campaign wraps up May 26.
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