OOIDA Call to Action – New Jersey members
January 27, 2009

Heads up, New Jersey truckers! Your state Assembly lawmaker needs to hear from you.

The full Assembly could take up consideration soon on a bill that would permit police to pull over truck drivers and others whose vehicles are not cleared of snow and ice. Fortunately, drivers would not be liable for snow or ice that accumulates on a vehicle while out on the road.

S520 would make drivers responsible for making “all reasonable efforts to remove accumulated ice or snow from the motor vehicle, including the hood, trunk and roof prior to operation.” Violators would face fines up to $75.

It is important to point out to your lawmaker the near impossibility of complying with such a rule, which requires people to climb atop large vehicles to remove snow or ice.

The bill would allow a 90-day grace period to give truck operations time to comply with the rule. After that, revenue from fines would be routed into a special fund to build snow removal facilities for trucks at state-run weigh stations and to promote awareness of the law.

It seems that if New Jersey lawmakers are that concerned about this issue, the state should first build the removal facilities, not accumulate fines and then build the facilities.

If the Assembly approves the bill it would move to the Senate for final approval. That would clear the path for the bill to head to the governor.

To voice concerns about the bill – S520, click here to scroll to find your district. Click on your district, and your lawmakers’ names will appear. You can also call the OOIDA Membership Department at 800-444-5791 and they will look up the information for you.

An e-mail and a phone call could do wonders to head off this misguided effort!