Law enforcement and Special Olympics go together like peanut butter and jelly. The partnership between the truck industry and the police is a little more like cats and dogs. There are times when they get along great, and others times when the dog is always chasing the cat. The Special Olympics truck convoy is a great time for both police and the trucking industry to get together and have a good time. For years police officers have participated in various fundraisers to help s

Since 2009, the Illinois Truck Enforcement Association has made enormous strides in enhancing training for both truck enforcement officers and members of the trucking community. The goal has remained the same since ITEA’s inception and its mission will remain clear moving forward; bridge the gap between the trucking industry and those who regulate them. Every year, the number of people whom the ITEA reaches greatly increases. Many of those new contacts know of the organizatio

The goal for anyone looking for a relationship is to find the special someone who “completes you,” who meshes with your personality and character so well you coexist in perfect harmony. This is not to say one must be identical with the other person, rather complement each other like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. As with all ideals, there often comes a time for compromise, but how much compromise is too much? The article this week will discuss compromise in the face of statutory

Illinois, we’re sorry. No one is happy about the recent income and business tax increase in the Land of Lincoln. Even more irritating is paying state income tax and federal income tax. The same occurs in truck world when it comes to oversize and overweight (OSOW) permits. The State of Illinois issues OSOW permits for roadways under their jurisdictions and so do many locals. Similar? Yes. Different. You betcha. The article this week will discuss a scenario which occurs during

They come in all different colors, shapes and sizes. Some are old, some are new, but the one thing they all have in common is each has a unique message which is meant to assist the motoring public in being compliant with the law. Once again, this article is talking about a type of traffic control device seen daily. Traffic signs. In the world of commercial vehicles, there is often confusion about these seemingly harmless, reflective, works of art. Their placement, content and

There was a time when talking to someone meant having to locate them in person and deliver a message. Then the telephone was invented and you could call someone at their house and talk to them. If they weren’t home you would leave a message and patiently wait for a return call. Now we can instantly send a message to someone from almost anywhere in the world. But what about when driving, is it safe to be on electronic devices cruising down the road? What laws pertain to all th

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

In 1994, actor Jim Carey starred in a comedy called “The Mask.” Carey plays character Stanley Ipkiss who has a reserved, vanilla personality and lackluster social life. He locates a magical mask containing the spirit of Loki, a Norse god which transforms him into a boisterous character who exudes confidence, charm and wit – the exact opposite of his true persona. However, his antics become increasingly perverse and destructive. Ultimately, Ipkiss destroys the mask to prevent

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

New laws are created every day. Legislators create laws to keep people safe, enact taxes and make lives better. Sometimes laws which are created are not looked at again for many years, even though they may have become antiquated due to advances in technology, safety or increase in population. So how does a community learn when it’s time to update local ordinances to better serve a community? Recently a municipality reached out to the Illinois Truck Enforcement Association to

Sitting still has never done a person good. People need to get up, move and exercise to maintain their health. Holding fast to sedentary habits leads to all sorts of medical issues. To combat the illnesses associated with doing nothing, one must purpose to change or atrophy sets in. There is no greater example of this in truck law than vehicle length limits. Read on to learn about a radical change to Illinois length law now sitting on the Governor’s desk! No one would legaliz

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

The most important life lessons learned are from bad decisions made. Time and experience can be excellent teachers when a lesson is learned from poor decisions. Experience comes from a way of living and making adjustments. Failure to learn from mistakes runs the risk of repeating them. Unfortunately, for many people, it takes a few repeats of the same mistake to learn the lesson. One costly mistake that is often made in trucking is operating overweight vehicles. Overweight ve

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

In recent years, there has been quite a controversy about flags in the United States. As the political polarization of this nation continues to divide, arguments over the display of Old Glory, the Confederate flag and even the Blue Line flag (to commemorate fallen police officers) have been subject to heated debate. The Illinois Vehicle Code (IVC) has something to say about flags too, and unfortunately there is not much to debate. However, flags on trucks are a source of conf

Driving an eighty-thousand-pound vehicle is not something to be taken lightly.  It takes skill, training, patience and is a huge responsibility. Understand it took the driver of this rolling mobile office far more effort than simply walking into a trucking company asking for a job.  If truck drivers are going to be held to a higher standard than the average motorist tooling down the road, shouldn’t the police officers charged with holding truckers accountable be held to a hig

Want to get some emotions heated up in a room full of truckers and police officers? Bring up the topic of portable scales. The carrier industry will bemoan their accuracy and accuse police officers of using them solely for revenue generation. Police officers will stand on their accuracy and argue their use saves time by not dragging truckers miles and miles to a fixed scale. While these disputes may never be settled, there are some objective truths about portable scales which

It’s a common theme among trucking associations – trucks make America’s economy move. Everyday deliveries are made to every corner of the country. Big trucks, little trucks, trucks with trailers, they all brings goods to stores, homes and factories. So how do those goods get where they need to be when a town has restricted every road in their jurisdiction from trucks? Illinois allows local governments to restrict roads from vehicles based on weight. How a municipality chooses

There are lots of analogies to throw at the topic of this week’s blog. It’s the snowball effect. The horse got out of the barn. Herding cats. These idioms reference situations which have spun out of control and it’s time to reign them in. This could not be more evident than the spaghetti bowl of fines, fees and surcharges placed on criminal and traffic offenses in Illinois. A game-changing bill working its way through the legislative process in Springfield attempts to accompl