The Washington State Patrol's Commercial Vehicle Division is using automated license plate readers to help it find drivers violating hours of service rules.


Commercial vehicles passing WSP's weigh stations will be electronically screened for their weight, size, registration and safety record, but the system also allows officers to check to see how long the trucks have been on the road that day.

A new computer program used by the State Patrol will help verify that the driver's logbook is accurate and they're not driving longer than allowed. The Washington State Department of Transportation, working with WSP, has installed 12 Automated License Plate Readers at key weigh stations and Ports of Entry throughout the state that capture each truck's license plate as well as a picture of the truck. A new computer program allows WSP officers to check the time the truck crossed any of those 12 locations and then compare it to the truck driver's logbook.

Over the past year, the state's commercial vehicle officers have investigated numerous truck crashes where driver fatigue was a factor. Out of the several involved crashes, eight of the drivers had falsified their logbooks so they could drive more hours.

"The vast majority of the truck drivers on our roads are safe drivers and follow the rules," said WSP Captain Darren Grondel, Commercial Vehicle Division Commander, "But there are a few drivers out there who are irresponsible, and this new computer program will help us get these drivers off the road by verifying logbook entries."

In August, Commercial Vehicle Officers at the Nisqually Truck Scale on Interstate 5 cited 98 drivers for serious logbook violations over a 96-hour period using this new program. Not only were these drivers cited, but they are also placed out of service for up to 10 hours.