Overloaded cement trucks targeted

Monday, Oct. 20, 1997 | 11:17 a.m.

Contractors who frequently overload their cement mixer trucks by as much as six tons have been ordered by the state Transportation Department to stop the practice and from now on will be routinely inspected.

Assistant District Engineer Gus Michaels credits local union officials and some concerned drivers with taking the initiative to make the Nevada Department of Transportation aware of the practice several weeks ago.

In a letter to Gov. Bob Miller, the head of the Building Trades Organizing Project cited not only concerns about excessive wear and tear on highways and bridges but concerns about public safety.

James Rudicil noted in a letter to Miller dated Sept. 22 that the state potentially could be held liable for not enforcing its regulations concerning overloaded vehicles.

Wayne King, a union organizer for Teamsters Local 631, called the overloaded cement trucks a menace to other motorists.

"When drivers are forced to haul weights exceeding safe limits the risk imposed by tire, brake or suspension failure could be disastrous," he said. "Nobody can get out of the way of a 30-ton truck alive."

BTOP spokesman Lisa Hubbard said drivers for Sierra Ready Mix approached union organizers last month with concerns about driving overloaded trucks to a construction site at the Spring Mountain and Interstate 15 interchange.

Sierra Ready Mix is a non-union company and has been the focus of organizing efforts by the Teamsters.

The assistant state engineer for the Transportation Department said when Sierra Ready Mix was asked to stop overloading its trucks two weeks ago, the company immediately complied and has remained in compliance.

According to Michaels overloading is a statewide problem and Sierra Ready Mix is not the only company that has exceeded the weight limit.

"It's something we don't like to see happen. They have got to abide by all laws and regulations," Michaels said. "In the future we will monitor them all. We decided we're not going to pick on one ... and as other jobs come along we will be checking the suppliers there, also."

Michaels said there are several inspectors on each job site, but they inspect a lot of things. From now own, more attention will be paid to the cement trucks.