NORTH FAYETTE (KDKA) – Surprise inspections can catch truck drivers off-guard and result in some hefty fines.

Commercial truckers traveling down Route 30 in North Fayette found out why it is always best to be in compliance with federal and state trucking laws Tuesday morning.

Trucks are usually bigger, heaver and take longer to stop.

“You find trucks out here all the time with violations. That’s why we we’re out here doing the inspections. You find the brakes and some suspension parts. When you do an inspection, you’re looking at the driver, you’re inspecting, making sure the driver is qualified to drive the vehicle he is driving,” North Fayette Corporal David Sandora said.

They give each truck a thorough inspection from front to back. Most inspections are routine and uneventful, but they often find trucks that are dangerous.

“Last month, [we] found a hazardous materials truck. It had a placarded quantity of hazardous material on the back of the truck. They did not have shipping papers for it. So we had no idea – if there’s an accident, you have no idea what you’re dealing with,” Sandora said.

When officers do find trucks that are out of compliance, they can take the vehicle out of service and hand out hefty fines.

“Brake violations can go up to $600. They can become quite costly. Registration violations, if they’re not properly registered, they can go into the thousands,” Sandora said.

While truckers may not like the unscheduled delays, it is all part of an effort to keep the highways safe.

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