Radioactive waste shipments to a New Mexico disposal site have an outstanding safety record, according to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.

The nearly two-year study looked at safety inspections on radioactive waste shipments to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant disposal site in Carlsbad, New Mexico. The shipments were part of the clean up of discarded radioactive materials generated from nuclear weapons production, research and development since 1940. CAST Transportation of Henderson, Colo., transported 123 of the shipments and Tri State Motor Transit of Joplin, Mo., transported one shipment.
The CVSA study found that state enforcement officers conducted 313 inspections on 124 truck shipments. The inspections were conducted at point of origin, en route and at destination. Only 17 violations were found. No violations were found in 299 of the 313 inspections. Also, no drivers were found in violation of federal and state safety regulations. Compare that to last summer's nationwide inspection blitz of general commodity trucks, which put 26 percent of the vehicles out of service because of violations and 5 percent of the drivers out of service.
"The Department of Energy and its contract carriers can take pride in this record," said Steve Campbell, Executive Director of CVSA. "It goes a long way in assuring the public that the Department's shipments of radioactive material are carried out in the safest manner possible."
Motor carriers transporting radioactive waste are held to significantly higher inspection standards than carriers hauling general commodities. The higher standards were developed by CVSA for the Department of Energy.

See "Truckers Deliver First Out-of-State Radioactive Shipment," 4/29/99.)