On average, 84 % of trucks received citations, and 18 % were in such bad shape that state Police took them off the road immediately. JBK

208 trucks out of service after safety enforcement effort

10/8/2010 3:34 AM

State police placed 208 trucks out of service during a three-day enforcement effort that focused on commercial vehicles hauling wastewater from Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling operations in the state, Commissioner Frank E. Pawlowski announced today.

"Pennsylvania is experiencing heavy truck traffic in areas where Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling operations are taking place, particularly in Bradford, Clearfield, Susquehanna, Tioga and Washington counties," Pawlowski said. "The process of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, requires significant amounts of water to be delivered to the sites and later trucked away."

Pawlowski said 140 of the vehicles placed out of service were trucks hauling waste water from the drilling operations.

In total, 1,135 trucks were inspected during "Operation FracNET," which was conducted Sept. 27-29. In addition to placing vehicles out of service, state police also issued 959 citations and placed 64 drivers out of service. The most common problems involved faulty brakes, exterior lighting issues and hauling permit violations.

In Troop B , which takes in Allegheny, Fayette, Greene and Washington counties, there were 343 inspections, 60 vehicles placed out of service and 168 citations.

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