Two-day safety enforcement blitz underway in Arizona

March 19, 2024

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With an annual safety enforcement blitz underway, truckers traveling through Arizona over the next two days may notice an increase in police presence around one port of entry along Interstate 10.

Beginning Tuesday, March 19, the Arizona Department of Transportation – in collaboration with the Arizona Department of Public Safety and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration – will be conducting a “concentrated commercial vehicle safety enforcement detail” at and around the Ehrenberg port of entry.

Tabbed “Operation Full House,” the mission of the two-day campaign is “ensuring safe, secure and efficient commercial transport across Arizona.” According to state officials, over 50 commercial vehicle enforcement inspectors – made up of ADOT Enforcement and Compliance Division officers and AZDPS state troopers – will be assisting with the enforcement blitz.

“The operation will place special emphasis on motor carrier safety regulations, including driver qualification, hours of service and overall safe operation,” ADOT said in a statement. “Personnel will target moving violations, distracted driving and seat belt violations while conducting commercial vehicle inspections to ensure that commercial drivers and vehicles comply with commercial vehicle regulations and state laws.”

The port of entry is located along eastbound I-10 at mile marker 3.5, near the California state line. The safety enforcement blitz will continue through Wednesday, March 20.

A similar enforcement campaign was conducted by the state this past November at multiple ports of entry across Arizona. According to data from AZDPS, over a three-day span, enforcement officers performed inspections on 639 commercial vehicles.

From those inspections, 97 drivers and 102 vehicles were placed out-of-service – with a total of 1,779 driver and vehicle examination report violations being noted. According to AZDPS, all of the drivers and vehicles placed out of service had “serious equipment issues or hours-of-service violations.” LL