Security & Safety Briefs — July 6 - July 12
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The Latest Headlines:
- Ala. May Set Fines, CDL Removals Over Lost Loads
- Woman Killed in Boston’s ‘Big Dig’ Tunnel
- N.Y. Trucks Must Display DOT Reg. Number
- Authorities Foil Alleged Plot to Bomb N.Y. Tunnels
- West Virginia May Rerout Heavy Trucks
- Woman Killed in Boston’s ‘Big Dig’ Tunnel
Ala. May Set Fines, CDL Removals Over Lost Loads
Truck drivers in Alabama could face $1,000 fines or lose their commercial driver’s license if they lose their load on the road, the Birmingham (Ala.) News reported Tuesday.State, steel and trucking officials met on Monday to discuss legislation that seeks to address incidences of steel coils dislodging from the backs of flatbed trucks on interstates around Birmingham. The paper said there have been 23 such incidents since 1987.
About a third of the 132 steel coil loads reviewed by state inspectors last month had “securement issues,” Capt. Harry Kearley, head of truck inspectors at the Alabama Department of Public Safety, told the paper. Transport Topics
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Woman Killed in Boston’s ‘Big Dig’ Tunnel
A woman was killed late Monday when three-ton concrete panels fell from the ceiling of Boston’s multi-billion dollar “Big Dig” tunnel and crushed the car she was riding in, the Associated Press reported.steel tie that held the 40-foot ceiling section in place over Interstate 90 eastbound gave way, officials told AP. The I-90 underpass was closed until at least Wednesday, officials said.
In the immediate aftermath, large slabs sloped down the tunnel wall and across a lane of the roadway. Officials closed both sides of the highway for immediate inspections, and called in Federal Highway Administration officials to assist with the investigation, AP said.
The $14.6 billion project that buried Interstate 93 under downtown Boston has been criticized for construction problems and cost overruns that state officials have said did not compromise safety, AP reported. Transport Topics
N.Y. Trucks Must Display DOT Reg. Number
Commercial trucks weighing more than 10,000 pounds registered in New York state must now display their federal Department of Transportation registration number, the Albany Business Review reported.The regulation went into effect on Tuesday. Previously, only trucks traveling between New York and other states were required to display the registration number, the paper said.
The New York Department of Transportation said the change will aid state officials in monitoring vehicles involved in accidents or incidents, the paper reported. Transport Topics
Authorities Foil Alleged Plot to Bomb N.Y. Tunnels
State and federal authorities said Friday they disrupted a planned terrorist attack on rail tunnels beneath the Hudson River leading to New York City, the Associated Press reported.New York Police Department Commissioner Ray Kelly told AP that the suspects hoped to cause flooding in the city’s financial district, thereby damaging the U.S. economy. The FBI said it discovered the plot while monitoring Internet chat rooms used by extremists.
A Lebanese man arrested in the plot had been linked to al-Qaeda three years ago and members of his cell had been attempting to seek help from the organization, the Washington Post reported Monday, citing U.S. and Lebanese officials.
he group never reached U.S. soil, and authorities said the would-be attackers’ leader was under arrest in Lebanon. Two other suspects were detained elsewhere and five more were at large, AP said. Transport Topics
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West Virginia May Rerout Heavy Trucks
The Morgantown, W.Va., city council is weighing an ordinance to reroute heavy-truck traffic from Route 7 onto Interstate 98, but a lawyer for a limestone and coal hauler warned it may trigger a lawsuit, the Associated Press reported.West Virginia Division of Highways officials said they would help develop an alternative route if offered proof the trucks present a safety hazard because of their weight, AP said.
Stephen LaCagin, an attorney for Greer Limestone Co., which owns about 80% of the trucks in the city, said the company may file suit if the ordinance is approved, AP reported. Transport Topics
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