Hundreds of truckers ticketed for violating weather-related commercial vehicle ban

Pennsylvania police say that they issued hundreds of citations to truck drivers who violated the commercial vehicle travel ban this weekend — in spite of the fact that the winter storm was less severe than expected.

On Friday, January 18, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf issued a travel ban for commercial vehicle traffic starting at noon on Saturday, January 19, as more than a foot of snow was forecasted to fall on some parts of the state. The ban forbid any commercial motor vehicle (CMV) to travel on most interstates and the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

However, warmer-than-expected temperatures and the shifting path of the storm resulted in much lower-than-expected snowfall totals in much of the state. The CMV ban was lifted early on some roadways but remained in place on many interstates until the evening of Sunday, January 20, in spite of the lower-than-expected snow accumulation.

Pennsylvania State Police are reporting that they issued numerous citations to truck drivers who violated the travel ban.

Pennsylvania State Police Troop M, which patrols Lehigh, Northampton, and Bucks counties, reports that they issued 79 citations, according to a report from the Morning Call.

Troop R, which patrols Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike, and Lackawanna counties, said on Twitter that they had issued over 100 citations to truckers who violated the CMV ban.

During winter storm Harvey, Troop R issued 122 citations to commercial vehicles failing to obey the commercial vehicle ban on the interstates.

— TFC Bob Urban (@PSPTroopR) January 21, 2019

Truck drivers who were cited for violating the travel ban face a fine of up to $300 in addition to court costs.