The Indiana State Police, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), recently concluded the second wave of Operation Highway Shield, a major multi-agency commercial vehicle safety initiative conducted across Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, and Ohio.
The three-day operation, conducted from July 28 to 30, targeted unqualified operators, unvetted drivers, unsafe vehicles, and commercial vehicle fraud along major Midwest freight corridors.
During the regional enforcement push across the four participating states, joint team operations resulted in:
- 766 unsafe drivers and vehicles placed out of service.
- 51 illegal immigrants detained, including 21 drivers operating with non-domiciled Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs) issued out of state.
- 86 operators were arrested for dangerous criminal conduct, including road rage and domestic violence.
- 36 violations issued for failures to meet English Language Proficiency (ELP) safety standards.
- Nearly $1 million in stolen cargo recovered.
“Our troopers are committed to keeping Indiana roadways safe for everyone,” said Major Jon Smithers, Commander of the Indiana State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division. “Partnering with federal agencies on Operation Highway Shield allows us to effectively identify high-risk drivers and unsafe rigs, thus ensuring that commercial transportation on our highways operates lawfully and safely.”
Operation Highway Shield represents an ongoing joint effort between USDOT and DHS to enforce federal commercial driver qualification standards, eradicate CDL fraud, and improve safety across national highways.
For more information regarding commercial vehicle safety standards, visit www.fmcsa.dot.gov.
Be the first to comment on "‘Operation Highway Shield’ finds hundreds of unsafe commercial vehicle drivers, including 51 illegal immigrants"