The Nation

TRENTON, N.J., and HARRISBURG, Pa. — As a winter storm bears down on parts of the northeastern U.S., agencies in New Jersey and Pennsylvania implement tractor-trailer restrictions. Nonessential travel is discouraged. Those who must travel in states affected by the winter storms should check the states’ 511 traveler-information websites for current road conditions, restrictions and closures. New Jersey Effective since 8 a.m. local time Monday, Feb. 15, the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) has issued commercial vehicle restrictions on multiple Interstate highways. These restrictions do not apply to the New Jersey Turnpike, Garden State Parkway, Atlantic City Expressway and other routes noted below. Winter weather is expected Monday, particularly in central and north Jersey, and travel restrictions are being coordinated with neighboring states. In addition to the commercial restrictions, all motorists are strongly encouraged to stay off the roads Monday. Commercial vehicle travel restriction will be in place for the entire length of the following highways in both directions: Interstate 78, from the Pennsylvania border to Interstate 95 (New Jersey Turnpike); Interstate 80, from the Pennsylvania border to Interstate 95 (New Jersey Turnpike); Interstate 280, from Interstate 80 to Interstate 95 (New Jersey Turnpike); Interstate 287, from New Jersey Route 440 to the New York State border; and New Jersey Route 440, from the Outerbridge Crossing to Interstate 287. The commercial vehicle travel restriction applies to: All tractor trailers (exceptions listed in the administrative order); Empty straight CDL-weighted trucks; Passenger vehicles pulling trailers; Recreational vehicles; and Motorcycles. This restriction DOES NOT apply to: The New Jersey Turnpike; The Garden State Parkway; The Atlantic City Expressway; Interstate 76; Interstate 195; Interstate 295; or Interstate 676. In addition, restrictions do not apply to public safety vehicles or to sworn and civilian public safety personnel, as well as other personnel directly supporting health care facilities or critical infrastructure such, as providing fuel or food. For current travel conditions in New Jersey, visit www.511nj.org. Pennsylvania The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) plan to implement restrictions on trucks and other vehicles on certain roadways beginning at 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 15, and continuing until road conditions warrant their removal. Additional speed and vehicle restrictions on these and other interstates could be added depending on changing conditions. Effective at 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 15, Tier One vehicle restrictions are planned for the following roadways: Interstate 70, from the West Virginia border to the Pennsylvania Turnpike; Interstate 76 (Pennsylvania Turnpike mainline) in both directions, from the Breezewood interchange (Exit 161) to the Ohio state border; Interstate 79 (entire length); Interstate 80, from Interstate 99 to the Ohio state border; Interstate 86 (entire length); Interstate 90 (entire length); Interstate 279 (entire length); Interstate 376 (entire length); and Interstate 579 (entire length). Under PennDOT’s Tier 1 restrictions, the following vehicles are not permitted on affected roadways: Tractors without trailers; Tractors towing unloaded or lightly loaded enclosed trailers, open trailers or tank trailers; Tractors towing unloaded or lightly loaded tandem trailers; Enclosed cargo delivery trucks that meet the definition of a CMV; Passenger vehicles (cars, SUVs, pickup trucks, etc.) towing trailers; Recreational vehicles/motorhomes; School buses, commercial buses and motorcoaches not carrying chains or Alternate Traction Devices (ATDs); and Motorcycles. PennDOT urges motorists to avoid travel during the storm if possible. But if travel is necessary, use caution, reduce speeds and be aware of changing weather conditions. Freezing temperatures are expected during this event, so motorists should be aware of blowing and drifting snow, which can cause icy areas on roadways, including overpasses and bridges. With freezing temperatures, roads that only look wet may actually be icy, and extra caution is needed when approaching bridges and highway ramps where ice can form without warning. To check travel conditions in Pennsylvania, visit www.511PA.com.

DALLAS — Snow and ice blanketed large swaths of the U.S. on Sunday, Feb. 14, prompting canceled flights, making driving perilous and reaching into areas as far south as Texas’ Gulf Coast, where snow and sleet were expected overnight. “Typically, we just don’t have quite this much cold air in place that far south,” said Marc Chenard, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center. The storm has prompted officials in Houston, where temperatures were in the 70s last week, to advise residents to prepare for power outages and hazardous roads that could be similar to those experienced in the wake of a Category 5 hurricane. As rain fell Sunday in the Houston area, the temperature hovered near freezing. The rain was expected to transition to freezing rain, sleet and snow overnight and into Monday morning, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Josh Lichter. Chenard said significant ice and up to 12 inches of snow were expected across parts of the southern Plains into Monday. Winter weather conditions are affecting large portions of the U.S., but it is rare for them to extend so far south, Chenard said. The Dallas area had a covering of snow by Sunday morning, with flakes still falling, and as much as 6 inches was forecast. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who issued a disaster declaration for all of the state’s 254 counties, warned on Saturday: “All of Texas is facing an extremely dangerous winter storm.” Abbott, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt and Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson have each activated National Guard units to assist state agencies with tasks including rescuing stranded drivers. In a statement Sunday night, President Joe Biden also declared an emergency in Texas and ordered federal assistance to aid state and local response efforts. The declaration allows the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate disaster relief efforts and provide assistance, equipment and resources to those affected by the storm. The weather was affecting operations at airports across the area, with more than 760 flights canceled at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, and at Dallas Love Field most of the nearly 200 flights for Southwest Airlines, the airport’s main carrier, were canceled. American Airlines said about 345 of their flights were canceled at DFW Airport, its hub, by early Sunday afternoon. The airline said the storm was also affecting their flights across the region, with operations reduced and canceled at airports across Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Officials were discouraging travel in the wintry conditions. By early Sunday afternoon, the Texas Highway Patrol had reported several multicar pileups in West Texas, including one that involved 25 vehicles and shut down a portion of Interstate 20 westbound. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said a portion of the Turner Turnpike was shut down due to a multivehicle accident, while the Oklahoma Department of Transportation said the southern corridor of Interstate 35 was mostly snow packed in the left lane and conditions were expected to deteriorate. The National Weather Service said Sunday that the forecast through early Tuesday calls for 8 to 12 inches of snow in central Oklahoma, and 4 to 8 inches in an area extending from eastern Texas to the Ohio Valley in the Northeast. In Memphis, Tennessee, snow had started falling on Sunday, and while main roads were still passable, lines were forming at grocery stores as people rushed to stock up. In Mississippi, sleet in Jackson and other central parts of the state left roads and bridges slick. Bill Parker, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Jackson, said up to three-quarters of an inch of ice could accumulate in central Mississippi, bringing the possibility of power outages or falling tree limbs. Parts of Kentucky and West Virginia still recovering from an ice storm last week are expected to get up to a quarter-inch of ice or up to 8 inches of snow by Tuesday. About 19,000 customers remained without electricity in southern West Virginia and about 9,000 in eastern Kentucky on Sunday from the storm that moved through on Wednesday and Thursday. Utilities warned of the likelihood for additional power outages due to falling tree limbs. Hundreds of utility crews and contractors were traveling Sunday to be in place if additional outages occurred. In Texas, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which manages the flow of electric power in the state, was asking customers to reduce electricity use as much as possible through Tuesday, including closing shades to reduce the amount of heat lost through windows and avoiding the use of large appliances. “We are experiencing record-breaking electric demand due to the extreme cold temperatures that have gripped Texas,” said ERCOT President and CEO Bill Magness. “At the same time, we are dealing with higher-than-normal generation outages due to frozen wind turbines and limited natural gas supplies available to generating units.” Meanwhile, in the Pacific Northwest, tens of thousands of people were without power after a winter storm blanketed the region with ice and snow and made travel treacherous. By Jamie Stengle, The Associated Press. Associated Press journalists Julie Walker in New York City; John Raby in Charleston, West Virginia; Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tennessee; and Emily Wagster Pettus in Jackson, Mississippi, contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is hoping that launching an effort to build roads and bridges can help to unite Democrats and Republicans in a time of sharp partisan divisions. Biden met with lawmakers from both parties at the White House to discuss infrastructure on Thursday, Feb. 11, even as the Senate is holding impeachment proceedings against former President Donald Trump where partisan divisions are on full display. “I’ve been around long enough,” Biden said, “that infrastructure wasn’t a Republican or a Democratic issue.” The president specifically mentioned the potential for improvement projects in the states of the senators attending the meeting, signaling that lawmakers might be willing to cooperate in order to make their voters’ lives better. Biden highlighted the need for repairs to “a lot of bridges in West Virginia.” Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, the ranking member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, was among those in attendance. The president also referenced Route 9 in his home state of Delaware, which he shares with Democratic Sen. Tom Carper, the committee chairman, who was also in the Oval Office meeting Feb. 11 and had discussed these issues with Biden last week. “The American people desperately want us to bring our roads, trains and bridges out of the last century and into the future,” Carper said after the meeting. Carper pledged to work on a transportation bill that will focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions by cars and trucks and boosting electric cars. “I’m glad it’s at the top of the administration’s agenda,” he said. The current authorization bill for surface transportation expires in September, so “there is no time to waste,” Carper said, adding that he expects bipartisan support for the reauthorization bill in the Senate. Also at the meeting were Vice President Kamala Harris, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg (virtually), Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma and Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland. Inhofe later told reporters that the meeting with Biden was “very good, very good.” “One reason is that I’ve known the president forever, and we’ve worked on highway bills before,” Inhofe said. “The main thing that I want to be careful on is when you’re working on infrastructure that’s high dollar stuff.” Biden said there are “a number of things out there that the American people are looking for us to step up” and do. During the presidential campaign, Biden committed to deploying $2 trillion on infrastructure and clean energy investments over four years. His campaign pledged that millions of jobs would flow from repairing roads, building electric vehicle charging stations, weatherizing buildings, improving access to public transit and updating the U.S. power grid to be carbon-pollution free by 2035. Since the pandemic began in February 2020, the U.S. has lost 256,000 construction jobs, lowering total construction employment to 7.4 million. Still, total construction spending has increased slightly to an annualized rate of $1.49 trillion, according to the Census Bureau. About a quarter of that spending comes from the federal, state and local governments. Both the Obama and Trump administrations famously promised to invest in infrastructure, only never fully to deliver. The term “infrastructure week” became something of a joke during the Trump era, when it was associated with a policy push that was meant to take public attention away from controversial remarks or actions by the president. Biden has been warned that his push for $1.9 trillion in coronavirus relief might hamper a later push to get bipartisan support for infrastructure improvements. In a speech earlier this month to the Senate, Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) said a party-line vote on financial relief would “poison the well” for infrastructure. “I think it’s going to be harder if we start off on the wrong foot, if we start off in a purely partisan way,” Portman said. The Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University released an analysis Feb. 10 about the infrastructure needs of 134 cities. Its survey found cities prioritizing transportation and water and climate projects, but also projects to address the fallout from the pandemic such as broadband access, emergency response and health facilities, and public transit for essential workers. “Mayors and other local regional leaders around the country are very much in alignment with what President Biden has talked about, especially with climate change,” said Bill Fulton, director of the institute. “But it’s clear that the pandemic has changed infrastructure needs.” By Josh Boak and Matthew Daly, The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has ordered any motor carriers operated by Matthew Tabner — including two Belgrade, Montana-based companies, Vallise Automotive Group (USDOT No. 3547547) and Central Logistics Inc. (USDOT No. 3549608) — to immediately cease all interstate and intrastate transportation operations after state and federal investigators found the companies to pose an imminent hazard to public safety. Tabner was served the federal order Jan. 23, 2021, according to a Feb. 10 statement issued by FMCSA. Following an investigation by the Montana Department of Transportation and FMCSA enforcement personnel, Vallise Automotive Group was found to have widespread violations of numerous federal safety regulations, including: Failure to have a systematic vehicle inspection, repair and maintenance program to prevent unsafe commercial vehicles from operating on public roadways. In November 2020, a truck and trailer operated by one of Tabner’s companies were ordered out-of-service by New York State Police after a roadside inspection revealed deficient brakes on the truck and inoperative brakes on the trailer. Despite the out-of-service order, the unsafe truck and trailer were moved, resulting in two additional citations issued by the New York State Police. Failure to ensure that only qualified drivers with proper commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) operate on public roadways. Drivers of commercial vehicles requiring a CDL in interstate commerce must be at least 21 years old. Federal safety regulations also require all holders of a CDL or a commercial learner’s permit (CLP) to possess a medical examiner’s certificate. Investigators found that on numerous occasions, a 16-year-old Tabner employee, who did not possess a CDL, a CLP or a medical examiner’s certificate, was allowed to operate a vehicle exceeding 26,001 lbs. — even after the employee received multiple citations from law enforcement officers as far away as Minnesota and New York. Failure to implement an alcohol and controlled substances testing program as required by federal law for drivers who must hold a CDL. Failure to properly monitor the dispatch of its drivers to ensure compliance with hours-of-service (HOS) limitations to prevent fatigued driving. Vallise Automotive Group was found to have no programs in place to review its drivers’ records-of-duty status (RODS) for falsification, completeness, accuracy or driver violations of HOS regulations. The FMCSA order states that the “unacceptable safety compliance” by Tabner’s motor carrier companies “significantly increase the likelihood of serious injury or death if not discontinued immediately.” Tabner, Vallise Automotive Group and Central Logistics Inc. may be assessed civil penalties of up to $27,813 for each violation of the out-of-service order. The carriers may also be assessed civil penalties of no less than $11,125 for providing transportation requiring federal operating authority registration and up to $15,691 for operating a commercial vehicle in interstate commerce without necessary USDOT registration. If these violations are determined to be willful, criminal penalties may be imposed, including a fine of up to $25,000 and imprisonment for a term not to exceed one year. FMCSA is also considering civil penalties for the safety violations discovered during the investigation. To review a copy of the Imminent Hazard Out-of-Service Order, click here.

If there was any doubt as to what the next four years holds for America’s fossil fuel economy, President Joe Biden erased them all with a swipe of his pen. The president wasted no time making good on his campaign promise to radically reshape how fossil fuels are collected, transported and consumed. Among the first of a historic flurry of executive orders and actions he signed in the first two weeks of his term were the cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline extension and initiating steps toward tougher regulations over oil and gas operations. Proponents of the measure called it a bold first step in addressing climate change. Critics decried the loss of thousands of jobs (up to 12,000 by some estimates attributed to Keystone alone) and an economic hit that easily runs into the billions. The negative impacts include both directly displaced workers and those in affiliated industries such as pipe manufacturing, storage and, yes, transportation. As the oil industry licks its wounds over the actions, the fracking industry braced for what could be headed its way. Thus far, the jabs from the White House have been relatively light, limited to fracking bans on federal land, according to Thomas Jacob, vice president of Rystad Energy in Houston. “We spent a lot of time looking at that, and our conclusions were in the immediate term that you would just see activity and capital migrate to nonfederal lands,” he said. “There wouldn’t be a significant impact, at least in the U.S. in 2021. You wouldn’t see activity just dropping dead or dropping off significantly. You would see it be driven more by the oil price fundamentals, other than a regulatory response from the government.” Jacob contends that in the near term, the aftershocks of COVID-19 would be far more disruptive to fracking production cycles and profitability than what comes out of the White House. “All of the operators were in so much uncertainty that everyone went into their shells a little bit,” he said. “When COVID-19 hit and activity was plummeting, the supply chain companies … take a huge hit. We did see a lot of capacity coming off on the trucking side because of all of that.” After that initial shock to the economy, industry expert were able to better evaluate the situation, Jacob noted. “Once things cleared up a little bit more and there was a little bit more visibility into what was really happening, you saw a lot of frack fleets being put back to work in the third quarter,” he said. “Obviously, the second quarter was the bottom, with respect to completions activity. But then there was an uptick in activity — and when there is a sudden uptick in activity that is more than what people were expecting, there is a shortage of drivers and you see pricing on the trucking side going higher. That’s exactly where we’re at right now.” Chris Thropp, president of Pennsylvania-based Sage Corp., which operates Sage Truck Driving Schools, disagreed, saying he expects a more immediate impact on the number of trucking jobs directly related to fracking. “My general judgment, given that they will be banning fracking on federal land and making the whole regulatory process for oil and gas more difficult, is there are going to be fewer and fewer jobs for truck drivers. That’s a shame because they really are good jobs and that’s what really has attracted people, they can make a good amount of money,” Thropp said. “We had people coming from out west who already knew they were going to go to North Dakota and West Texas, they had jobs waiting for them and they were really very high paying jobs,” he continued. “I do anticipate, given the kind of regulatory clamp that they’re going to put on fossil fuel generally, you’re going to see less opportunity for drivers.” Thropp said that from the enhanced regulatory landscape governing fracking and other fossil fuel production, it’s a short hop to other regulations in the name of environmental quality. These, he said, will potentially be equally difficult for the industry to absorb. “We’ve already seen the impact, particularly the emissions standards on trucks, because the diesel particulate filters (DPFs) have been very difficult to deal with,” he said. “Especially for students, where our trucks don’t run at highway speeds and temperatures, the DPF doesn’t really work. We have very expensive repairs as a result of that. That’s just one example of what’s occurring with environmental regulations that aren’t thought through very well.” According to a report last November by the International Transport Forum (ITF), freight accounts for 7% of total global CO2 emissions, with trucking being the largest contributor. Given this statistic, the industry hasn’t been standing still when it comes to modifying equipment and protocols to improve its environmental impact, such as exploring creative ways to reduce miles logged either while empty or at less-than-truckload. Empty miles are estimated to have generated about 17% of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. in 2017, per Convoy Research. Greener trucks are also being developed by several automakers, with Daimler, Volvo and even Tesla at various stages of testing electric models. The Western States Hydrogen Alliance is among entities pushing hydrogen-electric engine technology through various partnerships, while other companies are exploring ways to leverage renewable natural gas (RNG) technology. Advanced technology that helps drivers lock in on optimal speeds and acceleration and which rely on sensors for everything from tire pressure to aerodynamics are also expected to greatly improve fuel efficiency — all of which, Thropp said, comes at a cost. “I think there’s no question that climate change is going to be a big focus of the Biden administration, and I think there are a lot of unknowns there in terms of equipment,” he said. “For our particular business, as electrification takes place and diesel engines are slowly phased out and electric motors and electrified vehicles are developed, the whole training program has to be reassessed. That’s going to be an enormous change.” Despite all of this, Thropp remains optimistic overall about the future of truck driving as a career. “What drives people to go into this business, mostly, is trucking provides a good income, and it’s not a very long tail on the training time,” he said. “There are definitely some developments on the horizon, like automated driving, that could end up attracting a lot more people. Newer trucks that have automated transmissions and are safer and more comfortable could end up attracting people to the industry.” In terms of driver training and the demand for drivers, Thropp described his view as “bullish.” “I think no matter what the technology is, (trucking is) a very good job, regardless of whether it’s diesel or electric trucks,” he stated. There’s going to be a big demand for drivers.”

OKLAHOMA CITY — Love’s Travel Stops has opened new locations in James Town, Wyoming; St. Charles, Minnesota; Hamilton, Alabama; and Papillion, Nebraska. The James Town store adds 78 jobs and 87 truck parking spaces to Sweetwater County. The St. Charles store adds 60 jobs and 63 truck parking spaces to Winona County. The Hamilton store adds 95 jobs and 78 truck parking spaces to Marion County. The Papillion store adds 40 jobs and 107 truck parking spaces to Sarpy County. “Opening four locations in one day is no small feat, but our store and corporate team members stepped up to the challenge,” said Greg Love, co-CEO of Love’s. “We’re excited to join the James Town, St. Charles, Hamilton and Papillion communities and offer professional drivers and four-wheel customers more safe, clean and well-maintained travel stops.” All locations are open 24/7 and offer many amenities, including: James Town, Wyoming More than 12,000 square feet. Carl’s Jr. (Opens Monday) 87 truck parking spaces. 71 car parking spaces. Six RV parking spaces. Nine diesel bays. Seven showers. Laundry facilities. Bean-to-cup gourmet coffee. Brand-name snacks. Fresh Kitchen concept. Mobile to Go Zone with the latest electronics. CAT scale. Dog park. St. Charles, Minnesota More than 12,000 square feet. Hardee’s. 63 truck parking spaces. 83 car parking spaces. Six RV parking spaces. Eight diesel bays. Six showers. Laundry facilities. Bean-to-cup gourmet coffee. Brand-name snacks. Fresh Kitchen concept. Mobile to Go Zone with the latest electronics. CAT scale. Dog park. Hamilton, Alabama More than 11,000 square feet. Arby’s. 78 truck parking spaces. 65 car parking spaces. Three RV parking spaces. Eight diesel bays. Seven showers. Laundry facilities. Bean-to-cup gourmet coffee. Brand-name snacks. Fresh Kitchen concept. Mobile to Go Zone with the latest electronics. CAT scale. Dog park. Papillion, Nebraska More than 12,000 square feet. Wendy’s. 107 truck parking spaces. 80 car parking spaces. Two RV parking spaces. Eight diesel bays. Seven showers. Laundry facilities. Bean-to-cup gourmet coffee. Brand-name snacks. Fresh Kitchen concept. Mobile to Go Zone with the latest electronics. CAT scale. Dog park. In honor of the grand opening, Love’s will donate $2,000 each to the St. Charles Area Community Foundation; Scott’s Bottom Area Nature Park in James Town; Hamilton High School and Tri-City Food Pantry in Papillion.

HARRISBURG, Pa. — While vehicle restrictions have been lifted in many areas of the state, several roadways in Northeast Pennsylvania still have restrictions in place, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. These restrictions will remain in place until conditions warrant their removal. Motorists are urged to avoid nonessential travel as crews continue their work to clear and treat roadways. The following roadways have Tier 1 restrictions in place: Route 33 from Interstate 78 to Interstate 80; Interstate 78 from Route 33 to the New Jersey border; Interstate 81 from Interstate 80 to the New Jersey border; and Interstate 476 (PA Turnpike Northeast Extension) from Lehigh Valley Interchange (Interstate 78, Exit 56) to Clarks Summit (Interstate 81, Exit 131). Under Tier 1 restrictions, the following commercial vehicles are not permitted on affected roadways: Tractors without trailers; Tractors towing unloaded or lightly loaded enclosed trailers, open trailers or tank trailers; Tractors towing unloaded or lightly loaded tandem trailers; and Enclosed cargo delivery trucks that meet the definition of a CMV. The following roadways have Tier 4 restrictions in place: Interstate 80 from Interstate 81 to Route 33; The entire length of Interstate 84; and Interstate 380 from Interstate 80 to Interstate 81 On roadways with Tier 4 restrictions in place, no commercial vehicles are permitted. Additionally, all school buses, commercial buses, motor coaches, motorcycles, RVs/motorhomes and passenger vehicles (cars, SUVs, pickup trucks, etc.) that are towing trailers are not permitted on affected roadways while restrictions are in place. Additional speed and vehicle restrictions on these and other interstates could be added depending on changing conditions. Restrictions will be communicated via variable message boards, the 511PA traveler information website at www.511pa.com and via smartphone apps. Motorists can also sign up for alerts on www.511pa.com by clicking “Personal Alerts” in the left-hand menu. PennDOT and PTC are continuing their ongoing work to clear and treat roadways, and encourage that motorists avoid all unnecessary travel. Drivers should also be extra cautious around operating snow-removal equipment. Temperatures are expected to remain near or below freezing, and winds are expected. With freezing temperatures, roads that look wet may actually be icy, and extra caution is needed when approaching bridges and highway ramps where ice can form without warning. If travel is necessary, motorists should generally reduce speeds, increase following distance, and be aware of changing conditions.

MARFA, Texas, and LAREDO, Texas — Officials with U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Big Bend Sector say they have seen a “notable increase” in undocumented immigrants found in sealed cargo trailers, moving trailers and even livestock trailers. These trailers were not equipped with proper ventilation, food, water or protection from the elements, escalating the dangers faced by illegal immigrants. Agents made apprehended more than 80 people in three separate events Jan. 24, 29, and 30. According to a CBP statement, the smugglers were discovered to have active warrants, weapons in the vehicles and previous criminal histories. Prosecution is ongoing under the appropriate statutes, and the vehicles, weapons and trailers have been seized. The migrants apprehended during the three events are citizens of Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. All subjects were processed according to Big Bend Sector protocols for immediate removal or further criminal prosecution. Agents with CBP’s Laredo Sector also stopped human-smuggling events involving trailers over the weekend of Jan. 30-31. On Jan. 30, agents with the Laredo South Station responded to a citizen’s report of suspicious activity in south Laredo. According to a statement from CBP, agents responded to a report of a gray tractor-trailer loading up several individuals near a business on State Highway 359. Agents searched the area and apprehended 33 people in the cab and trailer of the vehicle. The individuals were in the U.S. illegally from the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Ecuador, and Nicaragua. Most of the individuals were not wearing any personal protective equipment (PPE). All were provided PPE, medically screened and taken into custody. Also on Jan. 30, agents from the Laredo West Station stopped a human smuggling attempt at the Highway 83 checkpoint northwest of Laredo. The incident occurred during the early morning when a tractor-trailer approached the checkpoint. A service K9 alerted agents to the tractor-trailer during an immigration inspection of the driver. The vehicle was referred to secondary for further inspection, where a search of the the trailer revealed 42 undocumented immigrants. None of the immigrants were wearing PPE; after medical screenings they were provided with PPE. They were determined to be in the U.S. illegally from the countries of Mexico and Guatemala. The immigrants were placed under arrest along with the driver, a U.S. citizen, pending investigation by special agents of Homeland Security Investigations. The tractor-trailer was seized by CBP. To report suspicious activity or human smuggling in the Big Bend Sector, call 866-581-7549. In the Laredo Sector, call 800-800-343-1994.