AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has once again begun conducting enhanced commercial vehicle safety inspections as they cross international ports of entry (POEs) into Texas.
DPS, under the order of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, first began the enhanced inspections in April but backed away from them after massive backups at Texas POEs.
This time, DPS says the inspections will be random instead of all-inclusive.
In a statement issued on Dec. 13, DPS Director Steven McCraw said that his agency is “committed to enforcing compliance with safety standards and one of our department’s primary functions is to ensure Texas roadways are safe for all Texans and visitors to our great state. Cartels do not care about the condition of the vehicles they send into Texas any more than they do about the human lives they cram into tractor-trailers or those lost to a fentanyl overdose. For security reasons the department does not discuss operational specifics, but we hope that frequent enhanced commercial vehicle safety inspections will help deter cartel smuggling activity along our southern border while increasing the safety of our roadways.”
American Trucking Associations (ATA) President and CEO Chris Spear said in April that the ATA “is an unwavering supporter of border security, but the new inspection scheme in Texas is wholly flawed, redundant and adding considerable weight on an already strained supply chain. These duplicative screenings of commercial vehicles on our southern border are unleashing a negative, tangible downstream impact, hurting businesses and employees in other parts of the country who have no say and no responsibility over federal border policy. As we saw recently along the northern border, it doesn’t take long for factories to begin closing their doors after a vital commercial artery such as this one gets pinched.”
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
