Connecticut is considering severe penalties for truckers who violate highway weight limits more than once.
A proposal currently in the state legislature’s transportation committee includes a $2,000 penalty for trucking companies convicted twice of violating the state's weight limits and a $5,000 fine for three-time offenders.
The heavy penalties would apply on top of current fines based on the percentage of weight over the legal limit. Those fines usually range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. Current state law does not include extra fines for repeat violators.
The Hartford Courant reports the proposal would also improve the link between the courts and the state Department of Motor Vehicles so repeat offenders' licenses can be suspended when necessary.
Michael Riley, president of the Motor Transport Association of Connecticut, said language in the bill would need to clarify the difference between large and small trucking companies. For example, a one-person company with three offenses could be a larger threat to public safety than a 200-person company with three offenses, he said.
"We agree that we don't want operators to be out there regularly running overweight vehicles on the roads," Riley said. "We just want to make sure that the net doesn't inadvertently pull in the good guys, too."
A proposal currently in the state legislature’s transportation committee includes a $2,000 penalty for trucking companies convicted twice of violating the state's weight limits and a $5,000 fine for three-time offenders.
The heavy penalties would apply on top of current fines based on the percentage of weight over the legal limit. Those fines usually range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. Current state law does not include extra fines for repeat violators.
The Hartford Courant reports the proposal would also improve the link between the courts and the state Department of Motor Vehicles so repeat offenders' licenses can be suspended when necessary.
Michael Riley, president of the Motor Transport Association of Connecticut, said language in the bill would need to clarify the difference between large and small trucking companies. For example, a one-person company with three offenses could be a larger threat to public safety than a 200-person company with three offenses, he said.
"We agree that we don't want operators to be out there regularly running overweight vehicles on the roads," Riley said. "We just want to make sure that the net doesn't inadvertently pull in the good guys, too."
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