Police prepare to tackle Waynesburg truck traffic
Canonsburg police Officer Scott Bashioum, right, shows Waynesburg police Officer Marcus Simms how to inspect an oversized load that traveled through Waynesburg Thursday afternoon.
Canonsburg police Officer Scott Bashioum, right, and Waynesburg police Officer Marcus Simms speak to a tractor-trailer driver before inspecting his rig Thursday afternoon.
Canonsburg police Officer Scott Bashioum, right, and Waynesburg police Officer Marcus Simms inspect a tractor-trailer that had passed through Waynesburg’s business district Thursday afternoon.
WAYNESBURG – An oversized tractor-trailer carrying a generator and large propane tank rumbled through High Street and slowed to a crawl as the driver sawed on the wheel while making a sharp left turn onto Morgan Street.
Hundreds of heavy trucks pass through the borough’s business district each day, but what was different Thursday was it happened under the watchful gaze of Canonsburg police Officer Scott Bashioum and Waynesburg police Officer Marcus Simms.
“Wooo, Lordy,” Bashioum said as they watched the truck driver gingerly turn his rig and hop a curb directly in front of them. “That’s exactly what we’re looking for.”
The Canonsburg police officer certified in motor carrier enforcement spent the day in Waynesburg helping Simms and fellow borough police Officer Shawn Wood prepare as they begin training next week to learn the nuances of enforcing traffic and equipment laws with commercial vehicles. The Waynesburg police officers will work in Harrisburg the next two weeks to achieve their Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program certification that will allow them to inspect tractor-trailers that roll through town.
“There’s a ton of truck traffic that we have coming through the borough with the gas industry, so this is a good way to prepare for our training,” Simms said of Bashioum’s visit to Greene County.
Simms followed the oversized truck they saw on High Street and pulled it over a few blocks away. He and Bashioum began their check by asking the driver for registration and other documents to prove he was in compliance. They then focused their attention on the truck and trailer, checking the brake lines, hazard lights and the Ohio registration.
Bashioum walked Simms through each step of the process as they circled the rig.
“Did you check his tie-downs?” Bashioum said.
“I was just about to,” Simms said.
With no serious violations, the police officers sent the trucker on his way after a 25-minute inspection.
“Today’s your lucky day,” Bashioum said.
The officers checked random vehicles during the day, inspecting typical problem areas found on rigs, even down to the windshield wiper fluid. By mid-afternoon, Bashioum said the biggest violation they had seen involved a burned out brake light.
“I think it’s been productive,” Bashioum said. “Most people are in compliance.”
Meanwhile, the Waynesburg police officers said they are eager to get to their training to begin inspecting trucks. The borough is expected to purchase a variety of equipment needed to perform the work, and could eventually buy a scale to weigh oversized trucks. Simms and Wood will complete their training in late May.