About Our Motor Carrier Enforcement Program

Why is the police department involved in truck enforcement?
The Department of Transportation reports that an average of 1,200 commercial motor vehicles pass through Jackson on Highway 60 each day. Over-weight trucks cause premature wear to our streets and the utilities underneath them. Poorly equipped trucks pose a safety hazard to the public.

I've heard you're stopping all of the trucks that drive through the village.
Look at that number in the first paragraph and think about it for a moment. Could that be remotely possible?  Up to four trucks might be stopped if the specially trained officer is working and the officer isn’t handling other police duties. Four trucks a day amounts to only .003% of the trucks that drive through the village.

How is your officer trained?
Only one officer is trained in truck enforcement. He attended Motor Carrier Safety Inspection training at the Wisconsin State Patrol Academy and is certified as a Level I (federal) inspector.

Aren’t you really doing this for the revenue?
For every violation that is ticketed, about five others are handled via correction orders. In other words, we handle most problems with a written warning instead of a ticket. Far more revenue is being “forgiven” than is being collected. The main goal is to get the problems fixed. Our officer has even met with local companies and given advice on how to pass inspections, making their equipment safer and potentially reducing their liability.

I heard that a company moved from Jackson because of this.
Ask your source to name the company. This is Jackson's own "urban legend". Several people insist this is true, but it's always based on what someone else told them, and no one can actually name the business.

I heard that carriers charge extra to deliver to Jackson.
Again, ask your source for the name of that carrier. People "hear" this, but no one can ever tell us who is supposedly doing this. The fact is that most trucking companies are well managed and safety-conscious, and have nothing to worry about.

I heard that some trucks are bypassing the village to avoid getting stopped. 
And if that's true, what does it say for the drivers or owners? It means they'd rather keep driving dangerous equipment than having their rig inspected.

Why do you enforce this on Highway 45? You should stick to village streets.
Part of Highway 45 is in the village. All Jackson officers are allowed to be on Highway 45 for a portion of their shift. Also, some trucks are originally seen on Main Street but not stopped until they're on the freeway.

You were "ripped" on a radio program.
It's funny how people hear what they want to hear. Yes, some drivers did complain. But other professional truckers called and defended us, confirming that we were taking bad equipment off the roads.

Jackson is an island. It's not fair that drivers should worry about this.
The laws being enforced in Jackson are the same all over the United States.  Whether in Jackson, Wisconsin or Jackson, Mississippi, these regulations are uniform. They should not come as a surprise to any driver or company.

I heard your officer is citing drivers for not having a DOT number on their truck.
No one has been cited for this. Officer Friedl gives drivers a printed sheet that explains how to get a DOT number. He can also be contacted at the police department for further information. There's also a web page that explains this, at www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration-licensing/online-registration/onlineregdescription.htm

I heard you’re handing out tickets for minor violations.
Yes, we’ve heard some of the stories going around, so we put together some pictures to illustrate what we're finding. Remember: these trucks are on the highway, right next to you and your family.

Click here for the picture page.

www.trucksafety.org/index.php