In November 2011, the Illinois Truck Enforcement Association launched the first installment of weekly blog posts. This first article was titled “Dirty Lyle” and it set the tone for the next six years of blog posts: police officers and truckers must work together to keep Illinois safe and make trucking profitable. Now, after more than 220,000 words in 318 articles, the weekly blog is coming to an end on this last day of 2017. But don’t think for a second the ITEA is driving of

America is a free market. A customer in one state can hire a company from another to complete a job, or deliver cargo. As a result, trucks must be allowed to operate between states with no interruption. Driving trucks can be a great job, anybody interested should consider looking at these Owner Operator Truck Driving Opportunities. So what happens when a company needs to enter Illinois with their trucks and equipment? How does Illinois handle vehicles with foreign registratio

Since the Illinois Truck Enforcement Association became an information repository to its member police and trucking communities, many questions have been fielded about the confusing laws of this state. Some of the questions require complicated answers, others simple answers and some require a lot of research. In recent weeks, a unique rumor has made its way to the ITEA and the article this week will hopefully clear up the confusion because bad information spreads like wildfir

Red. It is the universal color representing the command to “stop”. Octagonal stop signs are red. Traffic control devices are red. Brake lights are red. While red means stop, it is also the color which represents rage and anger. When things get red-hot, look out! It is also the color of warning. Think of the shiver up your spine when the metaphorical red flags are raised. The article this week discusses the reddest of red license plates in Illinois – the Exempt Vehicle (EV) pl

When a person conveys an intended meaning from one to another through the use of mutually understood signs and semiotic rules, they are communicating effectively. Communication uses words, sounds and behaviors to express or exchange information to successfully share an idea, thought or feeling. As the communication process of human beings continuously evolves, so does the efficiency. Sometimes communication methods break down, and the article this week will address one issue

On Wednesday, August 16th 2017, traffic safety professionals from across the state gathered in Tinley Park for the annual Illinois Traffic Safety Challenge awards Banquet. Scores of officers, government officials and members of traffic safety associations spent the morning celebrating the traffic safety successes of law enforcement agencies in 2016. Many of these law enforcement agencies are long-time members of the Illinois Truck Enforcement Association. The Illinois Traffic

On June 28, 2017 Illinois State Police Officer Ryan Albin was killed in a traffic crash involving a semi-truck. This is the third traffic crash to take an Illinois State Trooper’s life in 5 years, and all three have involved a commercial vehicle. These deaths are not only a loss to the trooper’s family and the law enforcement community, but also a loss to the State of Illinois. The Illinois Truck Enforcement Association sends it deepest condolences to the families of these tr

The world is bent on instant gratification. The internet has become such an effective medium of communication it causes anxiety when people cannot receive information immediately. People suffering from these anxiety levels need to use CBD to feel better, visit Dmagazine for more. Shame on impatient people? Probably a fair assumption, but yesterday is the standard for today’s notification. There are some things, however, which everyone must wait on. For those readers hailing f

The world of truck enforcement is a world of never ending questions. Most people will agree the second heaviest regulated industry in the United States needs rules and regulations. Most people will also agree there is a great deal of discontinuity in the dissemination of these laws, how they are to be interpreted and how they are to be enforced. This level of discontinuity gives birth to such organizations as the Illinois Truck Enforcement Association. The article this week w

Consistency. This one word is what the Illinois Truck Enforcement Association has strived to provide in all truck enforcement efforts across the state for the better part of a decade. Those from Illinois know when it comes to government functions, there is often much to be desired when it comes to consistency. The only thing which seems to be consistent is the constant change in rules and regulations. This article will discuss a specific delegation of duties in Illinois which

Since the Illinois Truck Enforcement Association began in 2009, the opportunities and networking has greatly expanded. This organization now has more than 600 members and is always building momentum in Illinois as a resource for anyone involved in the trucking industry. The ITEA’s Board of Directors is constantly tasked with educational and outreach programs which not only help our members better understand truck laws, but we also help to provide perspective on how those laws

For residents of Illinois, it seems there are very few opportunities to brag about their State. Specifically, when it comes to government and programs, there is often a great deal left to be desired. While it would be easy to craft a list of complaints the Illinois taxpayer has, it is not the purpose nor the spirit of what is preached from the Illinois Truck Enforcement Association. Instead, the ITEA instills in its members the desire to think critically, bridge gaps and work

In 1989 a movie was made which will forever be ingrained in American movie culture. This sequel was about four individuals who started their own business to capture and eradicate the supernatural and unwanted ectoplasmic entities of New York City. In Ghostbusters 2, New York City is overcome by psychomagnotheric slime that is created from all the negativity within the city. In the end, the residents join forces to create enough positive energy to overwhelm the negativity, and

On behalf of the Illinois Truck Enforcement Association, Merry Christmas! We hope this holiday season has been filled with joy and memorable times with loved ones and friends. Christmas is often a time to look back over the past 12 months and reminisce about the year’s successes, failures and other little moments that make this crazy life worth living. It is also a time to look forward to the New Year and the challenges it will bring. Some will even go as far as to make a res

Few words carry as much weight to a Commercial Motor Vehicle driver as hearing a Trooper say their vehicle is “out of service”, or OOS. Downtime, repairs, lost profit, adverse Compliance Safety Accountability scores and insurance rates are all things which begin to flash through the driver’s mind as they begin to consider the gravity of the OOS order. Repairs are most of people´s concerns, if you ever need a quick repair done then get professional help from this auto services

There is no denying it, and there is no hiding from it. Old Man Winter has arrived and he plans to stay for a while. While winter can bring headaches, it also brings something special to everyone who lives in Illinois. For adults, winter brings Christmas, New Year’s celebrations, extended vacations from work, hockey and visiting family members from around the globe. Winter brings children a chance to go sledding, to make snowmen and have a break from school. Winter however ne

Before the turkey and stuffing were digested (or in some cases prepared) newspapers, television and radio were overtaken with “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday” advertisements. For those who participated in the madness which 3:00 AM brings the Friday after Thanksgiving, the hope is the deals ventured out for were discovered. For those who spent Monday glued to their devices searching for rock bottom prices on the “must have items of 2016”, the hope is the bosses didn’t notice

Think about the last purchase of your car’s license plates or registration renewal sticker. For most people, it’s as simple as entering credit card information into the Secretary of State’s website and clicking submit. Likely, the hardest decision to make regarding license plates was whether or not to spend the extra cash on a Chicago Cubs specialty plate at the risk of looking like a bandwagon fan. These are the same issues thousands of Illinois vehicle owners face every day

This past month, local law enforcement officers rose to the challenge and completed the ITEA’s signature Advanced Truck Enforcement Officer training.  This 40-hour training class went above and beyond any basic class they previously encountered.  Curriculum presented included the nitty-gritty of overweight and over-dimension permitting, Illinois Vehicle Code equipment and overweight violations, and Secretary of State Commercial Driver’s License and Registration law.  What the

Ask any law enforcement officer, and if they’re willing to be honest, they will admit there’s an endless competition between police officers and fire fighters.  Sometimes this competition is as simple as poking fun at the differences between assignments. Other times it manifests itself through seething disdain for society’s view of each profession.  There is no doubt the public needs law enforcement officers as well as fire fighters.  Each fills their necessary role at the pu