Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) inspectors and their law enforcement partners removed nearly 2,000 unqualified truckers and vehicles during the first wave of Operation SafeDRIVE from Jan. 13 to 15.
Operation SafeDRIVE is a multi-state enforcement and education effort focused on reducing dangerous driving behaviors, ensuring drivers are properly qualified, and addressing unsafe drivers and vehicles on the roadways. The first phase took place in Washington, D.C., and Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.
“This operation was about safety,” FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs said. “When drivers ignore the rules, operate without proper qualifications, or get behind the wheel impaired, they put all of our lives at risk. Operation SafeDRIVE demonstrates the value of focused enforcement and strong partnerships in removing these drivers and vehicles from our roads.”
During the phase, FMCSA and its partners conducted 8,215 inspections along major freight corridors and other high-risk locations. The inspections resulted in 1,231 vehicles and 704 drivers taken out of service and 56 arrests. Nearly 500 drivers were taken out of service for English proficiency violations.