Truck drivers who intentionally bypass an Oregon weigh station will soon have little defense when they get their Class B misdemeanor citation in the mail with a summons to appear in court.
Each citation will soon be backed by a time- and datestamped 8x10 glossy of the violation.
In the next few months, Oregon's Motor Carrier Transportation Division is installing cameras at each of its major Oregon weigh stations, including all six Ports of Entry, to take pictures of any bypassing truck. The cameras will help enforcement officers more easily identify those that fail to stop for size and weight checks.
The violation requires an appearance in court. It carries a maximum $2,500 fine and up to one year in jail.
The incidence of willful refusal to stop at a weigh station is rather rare. In a recent 12-month period it was estimated that 1,742 trucks bypassed Oregon weigh stations, which would represent 0.05 percent of all trucks weighed on static scales or precleared by Green Light. In more than 500 of the incidents, enforcement officers were able to identify the truck, contact the company to identify the driver, and send him or her a Class B misdemeanor citation.
In a number of other cases, MCTD filed civil complaint actions against the company involved. The actions initially request monetary penalties, although second-time offenders also risk suspension of Oregon operating authority.