Press Release

CARLISLE, Cumberland County -- Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) Chairman Glen R. Thomas today hailed Gov. Mark Schweiker’s announcement of new highway-safety initiatives, and said truck-safety enforcement in high-accident corridors and inspections of truck drivers will be PUC priorities in 2002.

"The PUC shares Gov. Schweiker’s concern about safety on our highways," said Chairman Thomas, after joining Gov. Schweiker at the Pennsylvania Truck Safety Symposium. "That’s why the Commission's motor-carrier enforcement staff will continue to actively participate in the Commonwealth's truck-safety efforts through roadside and terminal inspections; motor-carrier education programs; and audits of carriers whose performance is unacceptable.

"The Commission also will participate in special inspection projects, such as the Safe 80 Task Force, where our inspections have revealed that about 50 percent of trucks have serious safety defects on Route 80 through Monroe County. The Safe 80 Task Force has taken these trucks off the road and nearly 20 percent of the trucks’ drivers away from behind the wheel.

"We will continue to do everything we can to support the Schweiker Administration’s goal of making Pennsylvania’s roads the safest in the nation."

The PUC is a partner in some of the legislative, policy and educational initiatives announced today by Gov. Schweiker, including holding more frequent and random heavy-truck and waste-hauler inspections.

Chairman Thomas also announced today that the PUC’s Bureau of Transportation and Safety will focus more of its inspections in 2002 on Pennsylvania’s high-accident corridors and on truck drivers. Beginning this year, the PUC will focus at least 25 percent of its approximately 12,000 annual truck inspections on truck drivers. More than 3,000 driver-only inspections per year will carefully scrutinize the driver's record of duty status for falsification and hours-of-service violations, and thoroughly check driver qualification and driver licensing. The new initiatives will not compromise the PUC’s continuing goal of conducting complete inspections of both drivers and vehicles for at least 50 percent of its total truck inspections.

Through his membership on the Governor’s Task Force on Security, Chairman Thomas has made safety and security a top priority.

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission ensures safe, reliable and reasonably priced electric, natural gas, water, telephone and transportation service for Pennsylvania consumers, by regulating public utilities and by serving as responsible stewards of competition.