The Governor of New Jersey took time out during a press conference this morning to chide a truck driver who caused traffic delays after violating a weather related truck travel ban.
On Monday morning, a tractor trailer jackknifed on southbound I-287 in Kinnelon, New Jersey, forcing the closure of the interstate between mile markers 52 and 53 for more than an hour and resulting in heavy traffic delays, NJ.com reports. Two other vehicles were also reportedly involved in the crash.
UPDATE: I-287 southbound ALL LANES REOPENED South of Exit 52 – Rt 23 in Kinnelon, Morris County. Jack-knifed tractor trailer has been cleared. EXPECT RESIDUAL DELAYS https://t.co/wmi5j7fmVF
— NJDOT (@NJDOT_info) December 2, 2019
A travel ban was in place on I-287 (along with multiple other roadways in New Jersey) at the time for the crash ahead of a winter storm.
During a Monday press conference, Governor Phil Murphy took the time to single out the trucker who violated the ban and became involved in the crash.
He said, “We know of at least one tractor trailer that violated this ban and jackknifed southbound on 287 … We are very displeased by that particular truck ignoring the ban and we will take that, and actions like it, under consideration.”
This is not the first time that a state Governor has taken aim at the trucking community for violating a truck travel ban.
In January 2019, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said that it was a “disgrace” that truckers violated the travel ban. After a 21 vehicle pileup involving banned trucks occurred on the New York State Thruway, Cuomo threatened to increase the financial penalty for violating the ban and even said that he would consider taking away CDLs from drivers who violated the ban.