MassDOT sues trucking company for overpass strike caused by oversize load

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation has filed a lawsuit against a trucking company that significantly damaged an overpass near Boston.

MassDOT filed its civil lawsuit against Lincoln, Ala.-based Dove Transportation in a Suffolk County superior court earlier this month. The agency wants to put the trucking company on the hook for damages to an overpass it struck while hauling an oversize load.

The incident in question took place on July 19, 2021. A trucker was driving a tractor-trailer owned by Dove Transportation going southbound on Interstate 93 in Medford, Mass. He was hauling a metal tank at the time.

As the truck driver was going under the second overpass of Roosevelt Circle, the metal tank struck the underside of the overpass bridge. According to the complaint, the collision occurred because the trailer and tank exceeded the height limit of the overpass bridge.

Consequently, support beams of the bridge suffered substantial damage. Travel on southbound I-93 and the Roosevelt Circle overpass was restricted for several days. At the time, MassDOT encouraged drivers who ordinarily traveled on I-93 southbound to use public transportation instead. Full repairs to the bridge took several months.

According to the Associated Press, the driver was citied for operating a vehicle that was over-height and for violating the oversize permit that was issued.

Dove Transportation had been granted permits for a smaller load with a different route.

Dove Transportation received a permit from MassDOT to haul the oversize cargo on certain roadways in the state. However, the permit did not authorize the tractor-trailer to travel on I-93 southbound. The permit also required the trucking company to find a “suitable detour for all bridges having insufficient clearance,” the lawsuit states.

MassDOT is suing Dove Transportation on one count of negligence. The lawsuit does not state how much money the incident cost the department, nor does it include how much it is asking from the trucking company. MassDOT is seeking a jury trial.

“To date, MassDOT has not been reimbursed for the damage caused by the truck,” a MassDOT spokesperson told Land Line. “MassDOT will continue to pursue cost recovery from Dove Transportation and its insurance carrier. In the meantime, the lawsuit was filed to preserve and protect MassDOT’s interests in recovering all monies owed as a result of this damage.”

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Safety and Fitness Electronic Records indicate Dove Transportation has eight trucks and eight drivers. The company logged more than 500,000 miles last year. A compliance review conducted in April 2021 resulted in a satisfactory rating.

Dove Transportation could not be reached for comment. LL

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